St Matthew Chapter XIII : Verses 31-35
Contents
- Matt. xiii. 31-35. Douay-Rheims text & Latin text (Vulgate).
- Notes on the text
- Additional Notes: Cockle; Suffer both to grow until the harvest.
Matt. xiii. 31-35
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| Teaching in parables. J-J Tissot. Brooklyn Museum. |
Aliam parabolam proposuit eis dicens : Similis est regnum cælorum grano sinapis, quod accipiens homo seminavit in agro suo :
32 Which is the least indeed of all seeds; but when it is grown up, it is greater than all herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come, and dwell in the branches thereof.
quod minimum quidem est omnibus seminibus : cum autem creverit, majus est omnibus oleribus, et fit arbor, ita ut volucres caeli veniant, et habitent in ramis ejus.
33 Another parable he spoke to them: The kingdom of heaven is like to leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, until the whole was leavened.
Aliam parabolam locutus est eis : Similis est regnum cælorum fermento, quod acceptum mulier abscondit in farinæ satis tribus, donec fermentatum est totum.
34 All these things Jesus spoke in parables to the multitudes: and without parables he did not speak to them.
Hæc omnia locutus est Jesus in parabolis ad turbas : et sine parabolis non loquebatur eis :
35 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden from the foundation of the world.
ut impleretur quod dictum erat per prophetam dicentem : Aperiam in parabolis os meum; eructabo abscondita a constitutione mundi.
Notes
Note. St Mark gives only one of these parables, that of the mustard seed, and he places it in the same context as it is given here, namely, in the Sermon on the Lake. St Luke gives both,, but he places them during our Lord's journey in Perea. Hence, it is generally thought that our Lord uttered them twice, in Galilee and also in Perea.
31. The kingdom of heaven is like, etc.In the parallel narrations we read : And he said : To what shall we liken the kingdom of God, or to what 'parable shall we compare it ?
is like to a grain, etc. Our Lord seems to arouse the interest of His hearers, and to excite them to seek appropriate similitudes.
Interpretation of the Parable of the Mustard Seed.
1. The Grain of Mustard Seed.
The humble beginning of Christ’s Church. Its first teachers were poor illiterate men, its Founder the “ Carpenter of Galilee.”
2. The Earth.
The world.
3. The rapid Growth of the Seed.
The marvellously rapid extension of the Church, as, for example, after Pentecost (see Acts ii. 41).
4. The Birds lodging in the Branches.
All the nations which were to accept the Catholic Faith. Under the shadow of the Church they would find food, shelter, and rest.
Lesson. — The rapid extension and catholicity of Christ’s kingdom.
a grain of mustard seed. Some botanists have thought that the Salvador Persica is described here, but more probably it is the Sinapis nigra, which is a common garden plant. In the East it grows to a height of several feet ; though it cannot be called a tree, yet it grows higher than ordinary garden plants.
32. the least . ... of all seeds. Not the very least in point of size, but one of the smallest seeds the Jews habitually used. “As small as a grain of mustard ” is a Jewish proverb used to express the fact that a thing is very small indeed.
birds of the air. Not used, as in the parable of the Sower, to represent evil principles, but those who should enter the Church of Christ. Birds in general, but especially goldfinches and linnets, are particularly fond of the pungent mustard seeds.
dwell. Better, “lodge” (κατασκηνοῦν). The verb is derived from the Greek word for tent (σκηνὴ), and implies a temporary rather than a permanent resting-place.
Interpretation of the Parable of the Leaven.
1. The Woman.
The Church of God.
2. The Leaven.
The working of the Holy Ghost in the individual and in the whole Church.
3. Three Measures.
(а) Man’s whole being — body, soul, and spirit.
(b) The Jews, Samaritans, and Gentiles.
4. The whole leavened.
(а) The complete subjugation of the soul to Christ.(b) The final triumph of the Church over temporal and spiritual foes.
Lesson. — Christ’s kingdom works secretly but surely.
33. leaven. Yeast used for raising the dough.
The word is symbolical of principles which underlie any given teaching, and is generally used as a type of an evil influence which works secretly. It is only used in a good sense in the New Testament in this parable. It is employed in a bad sense in St Matt, xvi, 6, and in the parallel passages, and also in 1 Cor. v. 6 and Gal. v. 9.
three measures. A measure or “ seah ” (about ten pints) equalled one third of an ephah. It was the usual quantity employed for one baking. Various interpretations have, by accommodation, been given to the number “three.” To interpret by accommodation signifies to shew the correspondence between certain statements and facts, and, by analogy, to apply the former to the latter.
34. All these things Jesus spoke, etc. St Matthew here gives seven parables on the kingdom of God, but doubtless Jesus uttered far more than are recorded in the gospels, since without parables he did not speak to them.
Many were probably never committed to writing, and were thus lost to the Church. Cf. But there are also many other things which Jesus did : which, if they were written every one, the world itself, I think, would not be able to contain the books that should be written (St John xxi. 25).
35. That it might he fulfilled. Jesus here assigns another reason for teaching by parables.
I will open my mouth, etc. The quotation is from Ps. lxxvii. 2 : I will open my month in parables : I will utter propositions from the beginning. The words primarily were a warning to the Jews against apostasy. The psalm in question is ascribed to “ Asaph the seer.” St Matthew quotes partly from the Septuagint and partly from the Hebrew original.
things hidden. (κεκρυμμένα) The Hebrew gives here “ enigmatical sayings.” Jesus in His parables revealed truths which were hitherto unknown, e.g. the universality of salvation, the distinguishing characteristics of the Messianic kingdom.
from the foundation. The best Greek MSS. end the sentence thus, and omit the words “ of the world.” The Hebrew gives “ from of old,” and from the context in the original, this would seem to refer to the time of the deliverance of the Israelites out of Egypt. The Vulgate gives “ mundi.” The whole of the psalm whence these words are taken, treats of the history of the Jewish people, and of God’s dealings with them, from their deliverance out of Egypt until the reign of David.
Totus tuus ego sum
Et omnia mea tua sunt;
Tecum semper tutus sum:
Ad Jesum per Mariam.
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