1V ten istý deň odišiel Ježiš z domu a posadil sa pri mori. 2A zhromaždili sa k Nemu veľké zástupy, takže vstúpil na loď, posadil sa a celý zástup stál na pobreží. 3A hovoril im mnoho v podobenstvách. Ajhľa, rozsievač vyšiel rozsievať. 4A keď rozsieval, niektoré zrná padli kraj cesty, i prileteli vtáci a pozobali ich. 5Iné padli na skalnatú pôdu, kde nemali mnoho zeme, rýchlo vzišli, pretože nemali hlbokej zeme. 6Ale keď vyšlo slnko, spálilo ich; a keďže nemali koreňa, uschli. 7Iné zase padli do tŕnia, tŕnie vyrástlo a udusilo ich. 8A iné padli do dobrej zeme a vydali úrodu: jedno stonásobnú, iné šesťdesiatnásobnú, iné tridsaťnásobnú. 9Kto má uši, nech počuje! 10Pristúpili k Nemu učeníci a povedali: Prečo im hovoríš v podobenstvách? 11Odpovedal im: Pretože vám je dané poznať tajomstvá kráľovstva nebeského, ale im nie je to dané. 12Lebo tomu, kto má, bude dané a bude mať nadbytok; tomu však, kto nemá, bude odňaté aj to, čo má. 13V podobenstvách im hovorím preto, že pozerajú, ale nevidia; a počúvajú, ale nepočujú ani nerozumejú. 14A plní sa na nich proroctvo Izaiášovo: Ušami budete počúvať, ale nebudete rozumieť, a očami budete pozerať, ale nebudete vidieť. 15Lebo otupelo srdce tomuto ľudu a ťažko počúvajú ušami, a zažmúrili oči, aby nevideli očami a nepočuli ušami a nechápali srdcom a neobrátili sa, aby som ich neuzdravil. 16Ale blahoslavené sú vaše oči, že vidia, a vaše uši, že počujú. 17Lebo veru vám hovorím, že mnohí proroci a spravodliví žiadali si vidieť, čo vy vidíte, ale nevideli, a počuť, čo vy počujete, ale nepočuli. 18Počujte teda podobenstvo o rozsievačovi! 19Ku každému, kto počúva slovo o kráľovstve, a nerozumie mu, prichádza ten zlý a uchytí, čo mu bolo zasiate do srdca; toto je zrno, ktoré bolo zasiate kraj cesty. 20A ktoré bolo zasiate do skalnatej pôdy, to je ten, čo počúva slovo a hneď ho s radosťou prijíma; 21nemá však koreňa v sebe, je len chvíľkový; len čo príde súženie alebo prenasledovanie pre to slovo, hneď sa pohorší. 22A ktoré bolo zasiate do tŕnia, to je ten, čo počúva slovo, ale starosti sveta a klam bohatstva udusia to slovo, takže zostáva bez úžitku. 23A ktoré bolo zasiate do dobrej zeme, to je ten, čo počúva slovo a rozumie mu; ten prináša úžitok, a jeden prináša stonásobný, iný šesťdesiatnásobný a iný tridsaťnásobný. 24Predložil im iné podobenstvo: Podobné je kráľovstvo nebeské človeku, ktorý zasial dobré semeno na svojom poli. 25Ale keď ľudia spali, prišiel jeho nepriateľ, nasial kúkoľ medzi pšenicu a odišiel. 26Keď siatina vyrástla a vyklasila sa, ukázal sa aj kúkoľ. 27Sluhovia prišli k hospodárovi a povedali mu: Pane, či si ty nezasial dobré semeno na svojom poli? Kde sa teda vzal kúkoľ? 28Odpovedal im: Človek nepriateľ to urobil. Opýtali sa sluhovia: Či teda chceš, aby sme ho šli povytŕhať? 29On odpovedal: Nie! Aby ste pri vytrhávaní kúkoľa nevytrhali s ním nejako aj pšenicu. 30Nechajte, nech oboje rastie spolu až do žatvy, a keď príde žatva, poviem žencom: Povyberajte najprv kúkoľ a zviažte ho do viazaníc na spálenie, ale pšenicu mi zhromaždite do stodoly. 31Predložil im iné podobenstvo: Podobné je kráľovstvo nebeské horčičnému zrnu, ktoré vzal človek a zasial na svojom poli; 32je síce najmenšie medzi všetkými semenami, ale keď vyrastie, je väčšie ako zeliny, býva z neho strom, takže nebeskí vtáci prilietajú a hniezdia na jeho ratolestiach. 33Povedal im ešte iné podobenstvo: Podobné je kráľovstvo nebeské kvasu, ktorý vzala žena a zarobila do troch štvrtiek múky, takže všetko nakyslo. 34To všetko hovoril Ježiš zástupom v podobenstvách, a bez podobenstva im nič nehovoril. 35Aby sa naplnilo prorokovo slovo: Otvorím ústa v podobenstvách, vyslovím, čo bolo skryté od stvorenia. 36Potom rozpustil zástupy a šiel domov. I prišli k Nemu učeníci a povedali: Vylož nám podobenstvo o kúkoli na poli. 37Odpovedal: Rozsievač dobrého semena je Syn človeka; 38pole je svet a dobré semeno sú synovia kráľovstva, kúkoľ však sú synovia toho zlého; 39nepriateľ, ktorý ho zasial, je diabol; žatva je koniec sveta a ženci sú anjeli. 40Ako teda vyberajú kúkoľ a pália v ohni, tak bude na konci sveta: 41Syn človeka pošle svojich anjelov a vyberú z Jeho kráľovstva všetko, čo pohoršuje, i tých, čo páchajú neprávosť, 42a hodia ich do ohnivej pece; tam bude plač a škrípanie zubov. 43Vtedy sa spravodliví zaskvejú sťa slnko v kráľovstve svojho Otca. Kto má uši, nech počuje! 44Podobné je kráľovstvo nebeské pokladu skrytému na poli, ktorý človek našiel a skryl; od radosti nad ním ide, predá, čo má, a kúpi to pole. 45Ďalej podobné je kráľovstvo nebeské kupcovi, ktorý hľadá vzácne perly; 46keď našiel drahocennú perlu, odišiel, predal všetko, čo mal, a kúpil ju. 47Zase podobné je nebeské kráľovstvo sieti, ktorá - spustená do mora - zachytila ryby každého druhu. 48Keď sa naplnila, vytiahli ju na breh, posadali si, dobré povyberali do nádob a zlé vyhodili. 49Tak bude na konci sveta: vyjdú anjeli, oddelia zlých od spravodlivých 50a hodia ich do ohnivej pece; tam bude plač a škrípanie zubov. 51Či ste to všetko pochopili? Odpovedali Mu: Áno. 52A On im povedal: Preto každý učiteľ, vyučený kráľovstvu nebeskému, je podobný hospodárovi, ktorý zo svojej komory vynáša nové i staré. 53Len čo Ježiš dokončil tieto podobenstvá, odišiel odtiaľ. 54Keď prišiel do svojej otčiny, učil v ich synagóge, tak že sa veľmi čudovali a hovorili: Odkiaľ je u Neho taká múdrosť a divy? 55Či nie je synom toho tesára? Či sa Mu matka nevolá Mária a bratia Jakub, Jozef, Šimon a Júda? 56A či Jeho sestry nežijú všetky medzi nami? Odkiaľ teda má všetko toto? 57I pohoršovali sa na Ňom. Ježiš im však riekol: Nikde nie je prorok bezo cti, iba ak vo svojej otčine a vo svojom dome. 58A pre ich neveru neurobil tam mnoho divov.
Matthew Henry - Concise Commentary 1 Jesus entered into a boat that he might be the less pressed, and be the better heard by the people. By this he teaches us in the outward circumstances of worship not to covet that which is stately, but to make the best of the conveniences God in his providence allots to us. Christ taught in parables. Thereby the things of God were made more plain and easy to those willing to be taught, and at the same time more difficult and obscure to those who were willingly ignorant. The parable of the sower is plain. The seed sown is the word of God. The sower is our Lord Jesus Christ, by himself, or by his ministers. Preaching to a multitude is sowing the corn; we know not where it will light. Some sort of ground, though we take ever so much pains with it, brings forth no fruit to purpose, while the good soil brings forth plentifully. So it is with the hearts of men, whose different characters are here described by four sorts of ground. Careless, trifling hearers, are an easy prey to Satan; who, as he is the great murderer of souls, so he is the great thief of sermons, and will be sure to rob us of the word, if we take not care to keep it. Hypocrites, like the stony ground, often get the start of true Christians in the shows of profession. Many are glad to hear a good sermon, who do not profit by it. They are told of free salvation, of the believer's privileges, and the happiness of heaven; and, without any change of heart, without any abiding conviction of their own depravity, their need of a Saviour, or the excellence of holiness, they soon profess an unwarranted assurance. But when some heavy trial threatens them, or some sinful advantage may be had, they give up or disguise their profession, or turn to some easier system. Worldly cares are fitly compared to thorns, for they came in with sin, and are a fruit of the curse; they are good in their place to stop a gap, but a man must be well armed that has much to do with them; they are entangling, vexing, scratching, and their end is to be burned,
Hebre 6:8. Worldly cares are great hinderances to our profiting by the word of God. The deceitfulness of riches does the mischief; they cannot be said to deceive us unless we put our trust in them, then they choke the good seed. What distinguished the good ground was fruitfulness. By this true Christians are distinguished from hypocrites. Christ does not say that this good ground has no stones in it, or no thorns; but none that could hinder its fruitfulness. All are not alike; we should aim at the highest, to bring forth most fruit. The sense of hearing cannot be better employed than in hearing God's word; and let us look to ourselves that we may know what sort of hearers we are.
24 (also
Matt 13:36-
Matt 13:43). This parable represents the present and future state of the gospel church; Christ's care of it, the devil's enmity against it, the mixture there is in it of good and bad in this world, and the separation between them in the other world. So prone is fallen man to sin, that if the enemy sow the tares, he may go his way, they will spring up, and do hurt; whereas, when good seed is sown, it must be tended, watered, and fenced. The servants complained to their master; Sir, didst thou not sow good seed in thy field? No doubt he did; whatever is amiss in the church, we are sure it is not from Christ. Though gross transgressors, and such as openly oppose the gospel, ought to be separated from the society of the faithful, yet no human skill can make an exact separation. Those who oppose must not be cut off, but instructed, and that with meekness. And though good and bad are together in this world, yet at the great day they shall be parted; then the righteous and the wicked shall be plainly known; here sometimes it is hard to distinguish between them. Let us, knowing the terrors of the Lord, not do iniquity. At death, believers shall shine forth to themselves; at the great day they shall shine forth before all the world. They shall shine by reflection, with light borrowed from the Fountain of light. Their sanctification will be made perfect, and their justification published. May we be found of that happy number.
31 The scope of the parable of the seed sown, is to show that the beginnings of the gospel would be small, but its latter end would greatly increase; in this way the work of grace in the heart, the kingdom of God within us, would be carried on. In the soul where grace truly is, it will grow really; though perhaps at first not to be discerned, it will at last come to great strength and usefulness. The preaching of the gospel works like leaven in the hearts of those who receive it. The leaven works certainly, so does the word, yet gradually. It works silently, and without being seen,
Mark 4:26-
Mark 4:29, yet strongly; without noise, for so is the way of the Spirit, but without fail. Thus it was in the world. The apostles, by preaching the gospel, hid a handful of leaven in the great mass of mankind. It was made powerful by the Spirit of the Lord of hosts, who works, and none can hinder. Thus it is in the heart. When the gospel comes into the soul, it works a thorough change; it spreads itself into all the powers and faculties of the soul, and alters the property even of the members of the body,
Roma 6:13. From these parables we are taught to expect a gradual progress; therefore let us inquire, Are we growing in grace? and in holy principles and habits?
36 See note on
Matt 13:24.
44 Here are four parables. 1. That of the treasure hid in the field. Many slight the gospel, because they look only upon the surface of the field. But all who search the Scriptures, so as in them to find Christ and eternal life,
John 5:39, will discover such treasure in this field as makes it unspeakably valuable; they make it their own upon any terms. Though nothing can be given as a price for this salvation, yet much must be given up for the sake of it. 2. All the children of men are busy; one would be rich, another would be honourable, another would be learned; but most are deceived, and take up with counterfeits for pearls. Jesus Christ is a Pearl of great price; in having him, we have enough to make us happy here and for ever. A man may buy gold too dear, but not this Pearl of great price. When the convinced sinner sees Christ as the gracious Saviour, all things else become worthless to his thoughts. 3. The world is a vast sea, and men, in their natural state, are like the fishes. Preaching the gospel is casting a net into this sea, to catch something out of it, for His glory who has the sovereignty of this sea. Hypocrites and true Christians shall be parted: miserable is the condition of those that shall then be cast away. 4. A skilful, faithful minister of the gospel, is a scribe, well versed in the things of the gospel, and able to teach them. Christ compares him to a good householder, who brings forth fruits of last year's growth and this year's gathering, abundance and variety, to entertain his friends. Old experiences and new observations, all have their use. Our place is at Christ's feet, and we must daily learn old lessons over again, and new ones also.
53 Christ repeats his offer to those who have repulsed them. They upbraid him, Is not this the carpenter's son? Yes, it is true he was reputed to be so; and no disgrace to be the son of an honest tradesman; they should have respected him the more because he was one of themselves, but therefore they despised him. He did not many mighty works there, because of their unbelief. Unbelief is the great hinderance to Christ's favours. Let us keep faithful to him as the Saviour who has made our peace with God.