By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand, &c.--They were thus judicially sealed up under the darkness and obduracy which they deliberately preferred to the light and healing which Jesus brought nigh to them.
16. But blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your cars, for they hear--that is, "Happy ye, whose eyes and ears, voluntarily and gladly opened, are drinking in the light divine."
17. For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired--rather, "coveted."
to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them--Not only were the disciples blessed above the blinded just spoken of, but favored above the most honored and the best that lived under the old economy, who had but glimpses of the things of the new kingdom, just sufficient to kindle in them desires not to be fulfilled to any in their day. In [Lu 10:23], , where the same saying is repeated on the return of the Seventy--the words, instead of "many prophets and righteous men," are "many prophets and kings"; for several of the Old Testament saints were kings.
Second and Seventh Parables or First Pair:
The Wheat and the Tares, and The Good and Bad Fish (Mt 13:24-30, 36-43, 47-50).
The subject of both these parables--which teach the same truth, with a slight diversity of aspect--is:
The MIXED CHARACTER OF THE Kingdom in Its Present State, and the FINAL ABSOLUTE SEPARATION OF THE Two Classes.
The Tares and the Wheat (Mt 13:24-30, 36-43).
24, 36-38. Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field--Happily for us, these exquisite parables are, with like charming simplicity and clearness, expounded to us by the Great Preacher Himself. Accordingly, we pass to: [Mt 13:36-38]. See on [Mt 13:36]; [Mt 13:38]
25, 38, 39. But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way--(See on [Mt 13:38], ).
26. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also--the growth in both cases running parallel, as antagonistic principles are seen to do.
27. So the servants of the householder came--that is, Christ's ministers.
and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?--This well expresses the surprise, disappointment, and anxiety of Christ's faithful servants and people at the discovery of "false brethren" among the members of the Church.
28. He said unto them, An enemy hath done this--Kind words these from a good Husbandman, honorably clearing His faithful servants of the wrong done to his field.
The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?--Compare with this the question of James and John ([Lu 9:54]), "Lord, wilt Thou that we command fire to come down from heaven and consume" those Samaritans? In this kind of zeal there is usually a large mixture of carnal heat. (See [Jas 1:20]).
29. But he said, Nay--"It will be done in due time, but not now, nor is it your business."
lest, while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them--Nothing could more clearly or forcibly teach the difficulty of distinguishing the two classes, and the high probability that in the attempt to do so these will be confounded.
30-39. Let both grow together--that is, in the visible Church.
until the harvest--till the one have ripened for full salvation, the other for destruction. (See on [Mt 13:39]).
and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers--(See on [Mt 13:39]).
Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them--"in the fire" ([Mt 13:40]).
but gather the wheat into my barn--Christ, as the Judge, will separate the two classes (as in [Mt 25:32]). It will be observed that the tares are burned before the wheat is housed; in the exposition of the parable ([Mt 13:41], ) the same order is observed: and the same in [Mt 25:46]--as if, in some literal sense, "with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked" ([Psa 91:8]).
Third and Fourth Parables or Second Pair:
The Mustard Seed and The Leaven ([Mt 13:31-33]).
The subject of both these parables, as of the first pair, is the same, but under a slight diversity of aspect, namely--
The GROWTH OF THE KINGDOM FROM THE Smallest Beginnings to Ultimate Universality.
The Mustard Seed ([Mt 13:31], ).
41. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom--to which they never really belonged. They usurped their place and name and outward privileges; but "the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners [abide] in the congregation of the righteous" ([Psa 1:5]).
all things that offend--all those who have proved a stumbling-block to others
and them which do iniquity--The former class, as the worst, are mentioned first.
42. And shall cast them into a furnace of fire--rather, "the furnace of fire":
there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth--What terrific strength of language--the "casting" or "flinging" expressive of indignation, abhorrence, contempt (compare [Psa 9:17]; [Da 12:2]): "the furnace of fire" denoting the fierceness of the torment: the "wailing" signifying the anguish this causes; while the "gnashing of teeth" is a graphic way of expressing the despair in which its remedilessness issues (see [Mt 8:12])!
43. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father--as if they had been under a cloud during the present association with ungodly pretenders to their character, and claimants of their privileges, and obstructors of their course.
Who hath ears to hear, let him hear--(See [Mr 4:9]).
Fifth and Sixth Parables or Third Pair: The Hidden Treasure and The Pearl of Great Price ([Mt 13:44-46]).
The subject of this last pair, as of the two former, is the same, but also under a slight diversity of aspect: namely--
The Priceless Value of the Blessings of the Kingdom. And while the one parable represents the Kingdom as "found without seeking," the other holds forth the Kingdom as "sought and found."
The Hidden Treasure ([Mt 13:44]).
44. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field--no uncommon thing in unsettled and half-civilized countries, even now as well as in ancient times, when there was no other way of securing it from the rapacity of neighbors or marauders. ([Jr 41:8]; [Job 3:21]; [Pr 2:4]).
the which when a man hath found--that is, unexpectedly found.
he hideth, and for joy thereof--on perceiving what a treasure he had lighted on, surpassing the worth of all he possessed.
goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field--in which case, by Jewish law, the treasure would become his own.
The Pearl of Great Price ([Mt 13:45], ).
45. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchantman, seeking goodly pearls.