Big Idea: Though the kingdom has a hidden quality so that some do not see or understand it, Jesus teaches his disciples the importance of receiving the kingdom message and bearing fruit.

Understanding the Text

The third major Matthean discourse, the Parables Discourse (chap. 13), explores through teachings and parables the varied responses that have been narrated in chapters 11–12. Matthew’s two previous discourses have introduced the kingdom—its covenantal nature (chaps. 5–7) and its mission (chap. 10). The Parables Discourse elaborates on the nature of God’s kingdom and reveals it as an “already and not yet” reality. In the chapter’s first parable (parable of the soils) and its explanation a variety of responses to the message of the kingdom are delineated. Rejection of the kingdom mes…