independentparticipialrelativepurposecausecomparativecontentconditionalphrase modifierdashed = verbless / suspended
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The parable of the sower 13:1–9
vv. 1–3a — the boat-pulpit: out of the house, beside the sea
1
Ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ ἐξελθὼν ὁ Ἰησοῦς τῆς οἰκίαςparticipial — preposed aorist participle with its time-phrase — leans on ἐκάθητο; 'that day' binds the parables to the controversies of ch. 12
ἐκάθητο παρὰ τὴν θάλασσαν·independent — durative imperfect — the seated posture of the teacher (5:1; 24:3)
2
καὶ συνήχθησαν πρὸς αὐτὸν ὄχλοι πολλοί,independent — συνάγω — the press builds; plural ὄχλοι, Matthew's massed audience
ὥστε αὐτὸν εἰς πλοῖον ἐμβάντα καθῆσθαι,purpose — ὥστε + infinitive — actual result (typed pur; no result key): the boat becomes the pulpit
καὶ πᾶς ὁ ὄχλος ἐπὶ τὸν αἰγιαλὸν εἱστήκει.independent — pluperfect εἱστήκει with imperfect force — the crowd fixed on the beach, sea between
3
καὶ ἐλάλησεν αὐτοῖς πολλὰ ἐν παραβολαῖς λέγων·independent — the chapter's mode announced — ἐν παραβολαῖς; the λέγων frame carries the whole parable
vv. 3b–9 — the sower: four soils, one seed
Ἰδοὺ ἐξῆλθεν ὁ σπείρων τοῦ σπείρειν.content — ἰδού + generic articular participle; τοῦ σπείρειν, genitive articular infinitive of purpose — Matthew's touch against Mark's bare σπεῖραι
4
καὶ ἐν τῷ σπείρειν αὐτὸν ἃ μὲν ἔπεσεν παρὰ τὴν ὁδόν,content — soil 1 — the story runs coordinate inside the speech, each event its own line; collective ἃ μέν opens the μέν ... δέ chain
καὶ ἐλθόντα τὰ πετεινὰ κατέφαγεν αὐτά.content — κατεσθίω — eaten up entirely; the snatchers, decoded as ὁ πονηρός at v. 19
5
ἄλλα δὲ ἔπεσεν ἐπὶ τὰ πετρώδηcontent — soil 2 — thin earth over bedrock
ὅπου οὐκ εἶχεν γῆν πολλήν,relative — local ὅπου — the standing condition of the ground
καὶ εὐθέως ἐξανέτειλενcontent — εὐθέως — the ironic speed of shallow growth
διὰ τὸ μὴ ἔχειν βάθος γῆς·cause — διά + articular infinitive — causal, split out where it follows its verb
6
ἡλίου δὲ ἀνατείλαντοςparticipial — genitive absolute — forward-leaning on ἐκαυματίσθη; ἀνατέλλω of the sun answers ἐξανέτειλεν of the seed
ἐκαυματίσθηcontent — the sun exposes the rootlessness
καὶ διὰ τὸ μὴ ἔχειν ῥίζαν ἐξηράνθη.content — the preposed διά-phrase kept with its verb — ῥίζα, the key the decoding takes up (v. 21)
7
ἄλλα δὲ ἔπεσεν ἐπὶ τὰς ἀκάνθας,content — soil 3 — the competing weeds
καὶ ἀνέβησαν αἱ ἄκανθαιcontent — the thorns outgrow the grain
καὶ ἔπνιξαν αὐτά.content — πνίγω — throttled; the compound συμπνίγει returns in the decoding (v. 22)
8
ἄλλα δὲ ἔπεσεν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν τὴν καλὴνcontent — soil 4 — ἡ γῆ ἡ καλή, the fruitful earth at last
καὶ ἐδίδου καρπόν,content — imperfect ἐδίδου — continuous bearing, against the aorists of failure
ὃ μὲν ἑκατόν, ὃ δὲ ἑξήκοντα, ὃ δὲ τριάκοντα.phrase modifier — verbless distributive apposition — Matthew descends 100–60–30 where Mark climbs; the triad echoed at v. 23
9
ὁ ἔχων ὦτα ἀκουέτω.content — the hearing-seal — articular participle + imperative; repeated verbatim at v. 43
The purpose of parables and the sower explained 13:10–23
vv. 10–13 — the disciples' question: given to you, not to them
10
Καὶ προσελθόντες οἱ μαθηταὶ εἶπαν αὐτῷ·independent — προσέρχομαι — Matthew's approach-verb; the attendant participle kept in line
Διὰ τί ἐν παραβολαῖς λαλεῖς αὐτοῖς;content — the question the whole section answers — αὐτοῖς: the crowds, not 'us'
11
ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς·independent — the answer-frame that carries the discourse through v. 23
Ὅτι ὑμῖν δέδοται γνῶναι τὰ μυστήρια τῆς βασιλείας τῶν οὐρανῶν,content — answering ὅτι; perfect δέδοται, divine passive — the gift stands granted; plural μυστήρια against Mark's singular
ἐκείνοις δὲ οὐ δέδοται.content — the distancing demonstrative ἐκείνοις — the same perfect, negated
12
ὅστις γὰρ ἔχει,conditional — conditional relative (typed cnd) — forward-leaning on δοθήσεται; the measure-saying grounds the division
δοθήσεται αὐτῷ καὶ περισσευθήσεται·content — divine passives — Matthew adds περισσευθήσεται, the overflow (cf. 25:29)
ὅστις δὲ οὐκ ἔχει,conditional — the dark counterpart — forward-leaning on ἀρθήσεται
καὶ ὃ ἔχει ἀρθήσεται ἀπ' αὐτοῦ.content — ascensive καί — even the little forfeited; the embedded ὃ ἔχει kept in line
13
διὰ τοῦτο ἐν παραβολαῖς αὐτοῖς λαλῶ,content — διὰ τοῦτο points forward to the ὅτι — the direct answer to v. 10
ὅτι βλέποντες οὐ βλέπουσιν καὶ ἀκούοντες οὐκ ἀκούουσιν οὐδὲ συνίουσιν·cause — the crux against Mark: causal ὅτι where Mark 4:12 has telic ἵνα — parables answer a hardness already there; συνίημι, the chapter's thread-verb, sounds first
vv. 14–15 — Isaiah 6:9–10: the prophecy fulfilled in them
14
καὶ ἀναπληροῦται αὐτοῖς ἡ προφητεία Ἠσαΐου ἡ λέγουσα·content — ἀναπληροῦται — Matthew's only present-tense fulfilment verb, inside Jesus' own speech rather than the narrator's formula
Ἀκοῇ ἀκούσετε καὶ οὐ μὴ συνῆτε,content — Isa 6:9 LXX verbatim — cognate dative ἀκοῇ mirroring the Hebrew infinitive absolute; emphatic οὐ μή
καὶ βλέποντες βλέψετε καὶ οὐ μὴ ἴδητε.content — Isa 6:9 LXX — participle + finite verb, the seeing that never becomes sight
15
ἐπαχύνθη γὰρ ἡ καρδία τοῦ λαοῦ τούτου,content — Isa 6:10 LXX — παχύνω, the heart grown fat; the γάρ grounds the failed hearing, coordinate in the quotation catena
καὶ τοῖς ὠσὶν βαρέως ἤκουσαν,content — βαρέως — hard of hearing; the LXX's aorists of settled condition
καὶ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτῶν ἐκάμμυσαν·content — ἐκάμμυσαν — THEY shut them: the LXX's active turns Isaiah's divine hardening into self-blinding, and Matthew's ὅτι (v. 13) rests on exactly this
μήποτε ἴδωσιν τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς καὶ τοῖς ὠσὶν ἀκούσωσιν καὶ τῇ καρδίᾳ συνῶσιν καὶ ἐπιστρέψωσιν,purpose — μήποτε — the negative purpose of the self-closing: eyes, ears, heart, the triad reversed toward repentance
καὶ ἰάσομαι αὐτούς.purpose — the shift to future indicative ἰάσομαι inside the μήποτε chain — God's first person breaks in: healing, the thing refused
vv. 16–17 — the beatitude on seeing eyes
16
ὑμῶν δὲ μακάριοι οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶcontent — verbless beatitude — emphatic fronted ὑμῶν against 'this people'
ὅτι βλέπουσιν,cause — the ground of the blessing — the seeing Isaiah's hearers refused
καὶ τὰ ὦτα ὑμῶνcontent — the beatitude extended, still verbless — μακάριοι carried over
ὅτι ἀκούουσιν.cause — the parallel ground — hearing that reaches understanding (v. 23)
17
ἀμὴν γὰρ λέγω ὑμῖνcontent — the ἀμήν-formula — solemn ground of the beatitude
ὅτι πολλοὶ προφῆται καὶ δίκαιοι ἐπεθύμησαν ἰδεῖν ἃ βλέπετε καὶ οὐκ εἶδαν,content — ὅτι-content — the longing of the previous age; the embedded relative kept in line
καὶ ἀκοῦσαι ἃ ἀκούετε καὶ οὐκ ἤκουσαν.content — the parallel infinitive continues the ὅτι-clause — hung with it on λέγω
vv. 18–23 — the sower decoded: four hearings of the word
18
Ὑμεῖς οὖν ἀκούσατε τὴν παραβολὴν τοῦ σπείραντος.content — emphatic Ὑμεῖς — you, the blessed hearers; τοῦ σπείραντος, aorist: the sower of the story just told
19
παντὸς ἀκούοντος τὸν λόγον τῆς βασιλείας καὶ μὴ συνιέντος,participial — genitive absolute — forward-leaning on ἔρχεται; μὴ συνιέντος: failed understanding, Matthew's diagnosis of soil 1
ἔρχεται ὁ πονηρὸςcontent — ὁ πονηρός — Mark's Satan personalized; vivid present
καὶ ἁρπάζει τὸ ἐσπαρμένον ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ·content — ἁρπάζω — violent seizure; perfect ἐσπαρμένον, the word already standing sown
οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ παρὰ τὴν ὁδὸν σπαρείς.content — hearing 1 — the hearer identified with his soil; the refrain οὗτός ἐστιν begins
20
ὁ δὲ ἐπὶ τὰ πετρώδη σπαρείς, οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ τὸν λόγον ἀκούων καὶ εὐθὺς μετὰ χαρᾶς λαμβάνων αὐτόν·content — hearing 2 — pendent nominative resumed by οὗτός ἐστιν, kept whole; joy at speed, without depth
21
οὐκ ἔχει δὲ ῥίζαν ἐν ἑαυτῷcontent — ῥίζα from v. 6 — the parable's diagnosis becomes the hearer's
ἀλλὰ πρόσκαιρός ἐστιν,content — πρόσκαιρος — a creature of the season
γενομένης δὲ θλίψεως ἢ διωγμοῦ διὰ τὸν λόγονparticipial — genitive absolute — forward-leaning on σκανδαλίζεται; the trial named for Matthew's church
εὐθὺς σκανδαλίζεται.content — εὐθύς again — as fast to stumble as to sprout; σκανδαλίζομαι returns at v. 57 of the Nazarenes
22
ὁ δὲ εἰς τὰς ἀκάνθας σπαρείς, οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ τὸν λόγον ἀκούων,content — hearing 3 — a genuine hearing, soon smothered
καὶ ἡ μέριμνα τοῦ αἰῶνος καὶ ἡ ἀπάτη τοῦ πλούτου συμπνίγει τὸν λόγον,content — the thorns named — συμπνίγει, the compound of v. 7's ἔπνιξαν; singular verb, the two thorns one force
καὶ ἄκαρπος γίνεται.content — ἄκαρπος — the exact negation of v. 23's καρποφορεῖ
23
ὁ δὲ ἐπὶ τὴν καλὴν γῆν σπαρείς, οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ τὸν λόγον ἀκούων καὶ συνιείς,content — hearing 4 — ἀκούων καὶ συνιείς: hearing plus understanding, the pair Isaiah's hearers lacked (v. 13)
ὃς δὴ καρποφορεῖrelative — ὃς δή — emphatic: this one really does; the only δή in Matthew's parables
καὶ ποιεῖ ὃ μὲν ἑκατόν, ὃ δὲ ἑξήκοντα, ὃ δὲ τριάκοντα.relative — the triad of v. 8 crowns the decoding — hearing that ends in harvest
The parable of the weeds among the wheat 13:24–30
vv. 24–26 — good seed oversown by night
24
Ἄλλην παραβολὴν παρέθηκεν αὐτοῖς λέγων·independent — παρατίθημι — the parable 'set before' them like a dish; the first of three Ἄλλην-frames
Ὡμοιώθη ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν ἀνθρώπῳ σπείραντι καλὸν σπέρμα ἐν τῷ ἀγρῷ αὐτοῦ.content — aorist passive ὡμοιώθη against the ὁμοία ἐστίν of vv. 31, 33 — the comparison holds of the story as a whole, not the man alone
25
ἐν δὲ τῷ καθεύδειν τοὺς ἀνθρώπουςphrase modifier — ἐν τῷ + infinitive, temporal — forward-leaning on ἦλθεν; sleep as mere night, not negligence
ἦλθεν αὐτοῦ ὁ ἐχθρὸςcontent — the story runs coordinate inside the speech — ὁ ἐχθρός, decoded as the devil (v. 39)
καὶ ἐπέσπειρεν ζιζάνια ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ σίτουcontent — ἐπισπείρω — oversowing, a known act of agrarian malice; ζιζάνια, darnel, wheat's look-alike
καὶ ἀπῆλθεν.content — the saboteur vanishes — the crime shows only in the growing
26
ὅτε δὲ ἐβλάστησεν ὁ χόρτος καὶ καρπὸν ἐποίησεν,conditional — temporal ὅτε (typed cnd; no temporal key) — forward-leaning on ἐφάνη; only fruit-bearing unmasks the darnel
τότε ἐφάνη καὶ τὰ ζιζάνια.content — τότε ... καί — Matthew's resumptive 'then'; the field's secret comes to light
vv. 27–30 — the dialogue: let both grow until the harvest
27
προσελθόντες δὲ οἱ δοῦλοι τοῦ οἰκοδεσπότου εἶπον αὐτῷ·content — dialogue inside the parable — its speech-frame stays at the story's own depth
Κύριε, οὐχὶ καλὸν σπέρμα ἔσπειρας ἐν τῷ σῷ ἀγρῷ;content — οὐχί expects 'yes' — the sower's work not in doubt
πόθεν οὖν ἔχει ζιζάνια;content — πόθεν — the theodicy-question in miniature: whence the evil in a well-sown world?
28
ὁ δὲ ἔφη αὐτοῖς·content — the householder's first answer-frame
Ἐχθρὸς ἄνθρωπος τοῦτο ἐποίησεν.content — ἐχθρὸς ἄνθρωπος — the answer names an agent, not a failure of the seed
οἱ δὲ δοῦλοι λέγουσιν αὐτῷ·content — historic present λέγουσιν — the exchange quickens
Θέλεις οὖν ἀπελθόντες συλλέξωμεν αὐτά;content — θέλεις + deliberative subjunctive without ἵνα — the zealous offer of premature weeding
29
ὁ δέ φησιν·content — historic present φησίν — the decisive refusal
Οὔ,content — the bare negative — the whole parable pivots on this word
μήποτε συλλέγοντες τὰ ζιζάνια ἐκριζώσητε ἅμα αὐτοῖς τὸν σῖτον.purpose — μήποτε — the ground of forbearance: darnel and young wheat are indistinguishable, their roots entangled
30
ἄφετε συναυξάνεσθαι ἀμφότερα ἕως τοῦ θερισμοῦ·content — ἄφετε — the patience of the kingdom commanded; ἕως τοῦ θερισμοῦ sets the one true deadline
καὶ ἐν καιρῷ τοῦ θερισμοῦ ἐρῶ τοῖς θερισταῖς·content — a speech-frame inside speech inside speech — ἐρῶ, the future command
Συλλέξατε πρῶτον τὰ ζιζάνιαcontent — the deferred συλλέξατε — the servants' verb (v. 28) given at last, to others, at the right time
καὶ δήσατε αὐτὰ εἰς δέσμαςcontent — δέσμας — darnel dried for fuel
πρὸς τὸ κατακαῦσαι αὐτά,purpose — πρὸς τό + infinitive — purpose: the fire anticipates the furnace of v. 42
τὸν δὲ σῖτον συναγάγετε εἰς τὴν ἀποθήκην μου.content — συναγάγετε εἰς τὴν ἀποθήκην — the Baptist's image (3:12) returned: the separation belongs to the harvest alone
The mustard seed and the leaven 13:31–33
vv. 31–32 — the mustard seed: least to greatest
31
Ἄλλην παραβολὴν παρέθηκεν αὐτοῖς λέγων·independent — the second Ἄλλην-frame — the parable again 'set before' them
Ὁμοία ἐστὶν ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν κόκκῳ σινάπεως,content — the kingdom-formula ὁμοία ἐστίν + dative — first of five (vv. 31, 33, 44, 45, 47)
ὃν λαβὼν ἄνθρωπος ἔσπειρεν ἐν τῷ ἀγρῷ αὐτοῦ·relative — the story folded into the relative — Matthew smooths Mark's famous anacoluthon into clean syntax
32
ὃ μικρότερον μέν ἐστιν πάντων τῶν σπερμάτων,relative — the second relative on the same grain — comparative μικρότερον with elative force, proverbially the least
ὅταν δὲ αὐξηθῇconditional — indefinite temporal ὅταν (typed cnd) — forward-leaning on ἐστίν below; the μέν ... δέ hinge of the parable
μεῖζον τῶν λαχάνων ἐστὶνrelative — μικρότερον to μεῖζον — least of seeds, greatest of herbs: the kingdom's reversal in two comparatives
καὶ γίνεται δένδρον,relative — δένδρον — tree-language lavished on a garden shrub; the world-tree of the empires (Dan 4; Ezek 17) in a mustard plant
ὥστε ἐλθεῖν τὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ κατασκηνοῦν ἐν τοῖς κλάδοις αὐτοῦ.purpose — ὥστε + infinitive — result (typed pur; no result key): Dan 4:12, 21; Ezek 17:23 — the nations sheltered in the branches
v. 33 — the leaven: hidden until the whole is worked through
33
Ἄλλην παραβολὴν ἐλάλησεν αὐτοῖς·independent — the third frame — bare ἐλάλησεν, no λέγων: the quotation hangs on the speaking itself
Ὁμοία ἐστὶν ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν ζύμῃ,content — ζύμη — elsewhere the figure of corruption (16:6); here hidden power for good: the twin of the mustard seed, woman answering man
ἣν λαβοῦσα γυνὴ ἐνέκρυψεν εἰς ἀλεύρου σάτα τρίαrelative — ἐνέκρυψεν — HID, not 'mixed': the kingdom's concealment (κεκρυμμένα, v. 35; κεκρυμμένῳ, v. 44); three σάτα ≈ an ephah, bread for a hundred (cf. Gen 18:6)
ἕως οὗ ἐζυμώθη ὅλον.conditional — temporal ἕως οὗ (typed cnd; no temporal key), backward on ἐνέκρυψεν — ὅλον last: nothing stays unleavened
Speaking in parables fulfills the psalm 13:34–35
vv. 34–35 — the narrator's summary and the second fulfilment: Ps 78:2
34
Ταῦτα πάντα ἐλάλησεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐν παραβολαῖς τοῖς ὄχλοις,independent — the narrator steps forward — Ταῦτα πάντα fronted: the whole seaside teaching summed
καὶ χωρὶς παραβολῆς οὐδὲν ἐλάλει αὐτοῖς·independent — customary imperfect ἐλάλει — the rule stated negatively: to the crowds, parable only (v. 11)
35
ὅπως πληρωθῇ τὸ ῥηθὲν διὰ τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος·purpose — the fulfilment formula with ὅπως (as at 2:23) — the prophet unnamed in the best text: the citation is Ps 78:2, Asaph the psalmist counted a prophet (some witnesses wrongly insert Ἠσαΐου)
Ἀνοίξω ἐν παραβολαῖς τὸ στόμα μου,content — Ps 78:2a LXX — ἐν παραβολαῖς, the psalm's maskal-opening claimed for the discourse
ἐρεύξομαι κεκρυμμένα ἀπὸ καταβολῆς κόσμου.content — Ps 78:2b, Matthew's own rendering of the Hebrew — κεκρυμμένα: parables both hide and pour forth the hidden (vv. 11, 33, 44)
In the house: the weeds explained, three more parables, and the scribe of the kingdom 13:36–52
vv. 36–39 — indoors: the equation-table of the weeds
36
Τότε ἀφεὶς τοὺς ὄχλουςparticipial — preposed aorist participle — leans on ἦλθεν; the crowds dismissed with the parables ringing
ἦλθεν εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν.independent — the house of v. 1 re-entered — insiders' space: explanation happens indoors (cf. v. 11)
καὶ προσῆλθον αὐτῷ οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ λέγοντες·independent — προσέρχομαι again — the disciples' approach-frame
Διασάφησον ἡμῖν τὴν παραβολὴν τῶν ζιζανίων τοῦ ἀγροῦ.content — διασάφησον — 'make thoroughly clear'; they ask for the weeds, not the sower: the deferred judgment is the puzzle
37
ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν·independent — the answer-frame that carries the whole house-discourse to v. 51
Ὁ σπείρων τὸ καλὸν σπέρμα ἐστὶν ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου·content — equation 1 of seven — the decoding proceeds as a table of identifications, each a coordinate cnt line
38
ὁ δὲ ἀγρός ἐστιν ὁ κόσμος·content — equation 2 — ὁ κόσμος: the kingdom's field is not the church but the world
τὸ δὲ καλὸν σπέρμα, οὗτοί εἰσιν οἱ υἱοὶ τῆς βασιλείας·content — equation 3 — pendent τὸ σπέρμα resumed by οὗτοι: the seed is now persons, not the word (contrast v. 19)
τὰ δὲ ζιζάνιά εἰσιν οἱ υἱοὶ τοῦ πονηροῦ,content — equation 4 — υἱοὶ τοῦ πονηροῦ: the snatcher of v. 19 has offspring in the field
39
ὁ δὲ ἐχθρὸς ὁ σπείρας αὐτά ἐστιν ὁ διάβολος·content — equation 5 — the ἐχθρὸς ἄνθρωπος of v. 28 unmasked
ὁ δὲ θερισμὸς συντέλεια αἰῶνός ἐστιν,content — equation 6 — συντέλεια αἰῶνος, Matthew's apocalyptic term (24:3; 28:20), anarthrous and formulaic
οἱ δὲ θερισταὶ ἄγγελοί εἰσιν.content — equation 7 — the table closes: the servants who offered to weed (v. 28) are not the reapers
vv. 40–43 — the table set in motion: furnace and shining sun
40
ὥσπερ οὖν συλλέγεται τὰ ζιζάνια καὶ πυρὶ καίεται,comparative — ὥσπερ — forward-leaning on οὕτως ἔσται below, anchor-less like a protasis; gnomic presents of every burning
οὕτως ἔσται ἐν τῇ συντελείᾳ τοῦ αἰῶνος·content — οὕτως ἔσται — the parable becomes prediction; repeated verbatim at v. 49 of the net
41
ἀποστελεῖ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου τοὺς ἀγγέλους αὐτοῦ,content — ΗΙΣ angels, ΗΙΣ kingdom — the Son of Man commands the eschatological household (cf. 24:31)
καὶ συλλέξουσιν ἐκ τῆς βασιλείας αὐτοῦ πάντα τὰ σκάνδαλα καὶ τοὺς ποιοῦντας τὴν ἀνομίαν,content — Zeph 1:3 echoed — τὰ σκάνδαλα: the stumbling-blocks themselves; ἀνομία, Matthew's word for lawless piety (7:23)
42
καὶ βαλοῦσιν αὐτοὺς εἰς τὴν κάμινον τοῦ πυρός·content — ἡ κάμινος τοῦ πυρός — Dan 3:6 LXX: Nebuchadnezzar's furnace made eschatological
ἐκεῖ ἔσται ὁ κλαυθμὸς καὶ ὁ βρυγμὸς τῶν ὀδόντων.content — the refrain (8:12; 22:13; 25:30) — both nouns articular: THE weeping, THE gnashing; repeated verbatim at v. 50
43
τότε οἱ δίκαιοι ἐκλάμψουσιν ὡς ὁ ἥλιος ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτῶν.content — Dan 12:3 — ἐκλάμψουσιν: the sun that scorched the rootless (v. 6) now the figure of the righteous; the kingdom passes to 'their Father'
ὁ ἔχων ὦτα ἀκουέτω.content — the hearing-seal of v. 9 repeated verbatim — now over the interpretation itself
vv. 44–46 — treasure and pearl: all-surrendering joy
44
Ὁμοία ἐστὶν ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν θησαυρῷ κεκρυμμένῳ ἐν τῷ ἀγρῷ,content — the kingdom-formula resumes — κεκρυμμένῳ: the hiddenness of v. 35 now the treasure's own state
ὃν εὑρὼν ἄνθρωπος ἔκρυψεν,relative — εὑρών ... ἔκρυψεν — found by accident and re-hidden: the finder secures what he did not seek
καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς χαρᾶς αὐτοῦ ὑπάγειrelative — ἀπὸ τῆς χαρᾶς — joy the motive of the whole transaction; vivid presents take over the relative
καὶ πωλεῖ πάντα ὅσα ἔχειrelative — πάντα ὅσα ἔχει — the total price, named without regret
καὶ ἀγοράζει τὸν ἀγρὸν ἐκεῖνον.relative — the field bought for the treasure's sake — possession secured whole
45
Πάλιν ὁμοία ἐστὶν ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν ἀνθρώπῳ ἐμπόρῳ ζητοῦντι καλοὺς μαργαρίτας·content — the twin — this finder SEEKS (ζητοῦντι); stumbler and seeker alike pay everything
46
εὑρὼν δὲ ἕνα πολύτιμον μαργαρίτηνparticipial — preposed aorist participle — forward-leaning on πέπρακεν; ἕνα: the one pearl against the many sought
ἀπελθὼν πέπρακεν πάντα ὅσα εἶχενcontent — aoristic perfect πέπρακεν — the sale stands done, irreversible; πάντα ὅσα again
καὶ ἠγόρασεν αὐτόν.content — the purchase closes the twin parables — everything for one thing
vv. 47–50 — the net: the sorting deferred to the shore
47
Πάλιν ὁμοία ἐστὶν ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν σαγήνῃ βληθείσῃ εἰς τὴν θάλασσαν καὶ ἐκ παντὸς γένους συναγαγούσῃ·content — σαγήνη — the great dragnet that takes everything; ἐκ παντὸς γένους: the mixed catch, the weeds' lesson afloat
48
ἣν ὅτε ἐπληρώθη ἀναβιβάσαντες ἐπὶ τὸν αἰγιαλὸν καὶ καθίσαντες συνέλεξαν τὰ καλὰ εἰς ἄγγη,relative — the ὅτε-clause folded inside its relative — αἰγιαλός, the shore of v. 2: the crowd's own beach becomes the sorting-ground; καθίσαντες, the unhurried judgment
τὰ δὲ σαπρὰ ἔξω ἔβαλον.relative — σαπρά — the worthless catch; ἔξω, the casting-out that v. 50 makes fire
49
οὕτως ἔσται ἐν τῇ συντελείᾳ τοῦ αἰῶνος·content — the application-formula of v. 40 verbatim — net and weeds share one eschatology
ἐξελεύσονται οἱ ἄγγελοιcontent — the reapers of v. 39 become the sorters
καὶ ἀφοριοῦσιν τοὺς πονηροὺς ἐκ μέσου τῶν δικαίωνcontent — ἀφορίζω — the separation forbidden to the servants (v. 29) executed at last; cf. 25:32
50
καὶ βαλοῦσιν αὐτοὺς εἰς τὴν κάμινον τοῦ πυρός·content — v. 42a repeated verbatim — the furnace waits for fish as for weeds
ἐκεῖ ἔσται ὁ κλαυθμὸς καὶ ὁ βρυγμὸς τῶν ὀδόντων.content — v. 42b repeated verbatim — the refrain seals both interpretations
vv. 51–52 — 'Have you understood?': the scribe of the kingdom
51
Συνήκατε ταῦτα πάντα;content — συνίημι, the chapter's thread-verb, turned on the disciples — the critical text supplies no new frame: the question still hangs on the εἶπεν of v. 37
λέγουσιν αὐτῷ·independent — historic present — the disciples answer without hesitation
Ναί.content — the bare affirmative — Byzantine witnesses add Κύριε; whether the claim survives ch. 14–16 the narrative will test
52
ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς·independent — the discourse's last frame
Διὰ τοῦτο πᾶς γραμματεὺς μαθητευθεὶς τῇ βασιλείᾳ τῶν οὐρανῶν ὅμοιός ἐστιν ἀνθρώπῳ οἰκοδεσπότῃcontent — μαθητευθείς — 'discipled': the Christian scribe; the last ὅμοιος of the chapter, and the οἰκοδεσπότης of v. 27 returns as the disciple's own figure
ὅστις ἐκβάλλει ἐκ τοῦ θησαυροῦ αὐτοῦ καινὰ καὶ παλαιά.relative — qualitative ὅστις; ἐκβάλλει — flings out freely; καινὰ καὶ παλαιά, new first: gospel and Torah from one θησαυρός (v. 44)
The rejection at Nazareth 13:53–58
vv. 53–54 — the discourse closed, the hometown astonished
53
Καὶ ἐγένετοindependent — the formula that closes each of Matthew's five discourses (7:28; 11:1; 19:1; 26:1) — the third sounding
ὅτε ἐτέλεσεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς τὰς παραβολὰς ταύτας,conditional — temporal ὅτε (typed cnd; no temporal key) — forward-leaning on μετῆρεν; ἐτέλεσεν, the completion-verb of the formula
μετῆρεν ἐκεῖθεν.independent — μεταίρω — Matthew's departure-verb (19:1); from the sea of parables to the town of unbelief
54
καὶ ἐλθὼν εἰς τὴν πατρίδα αὐτοῦparticipial — preposed aorist participle — leans on ἐδίδασκεν; ἡ πατρίς: Nazareth, unnamed, the word chosen for the proverb of v. 57
ἐδίδασκεν αὐτοὺς ἐν τῇ συναγωγῇ αὐτῶν,independent — durative imperfect — and the distancing αὐτῶν: THEIR synagogue (cf. 4:23)
ὥστε ἐκπλήσσεσθαι αὐτοὺς καὶ λέγειν·purpose — ὥστε + infinitive — actual result (typed pur; no result key): astonishment that curdles into offense
Πόθεν τούτῳ ἡ σοφία αὕτη καὶ αἱ δυνάμεις;content — verbless πόθεν-question — the same πόθεν as the servants' (v. 27); τούτῳ, the dismissive dative: 'this fellow'
vv. 55–57a — the questions of familiarity, and the stumbling
55
οὐχ οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ τοῦ τέκτονος υἱός;content — οὐχ expects 'yes' — Matthew softens Mark's 'the carpenter' to 'the carpenter's son'; the reader knows a deeper paternity (1:16)
οὐχ ἡ μήτηρ αὐτοῦ λέγεται Μαριὰμ καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτοῦ Ἰάκωβος καὶ Ἰωσὴφ καὶ Σίμων καὶ Ἰούδας;content — the family census — four brothers named (Ἰωσήφ printed; witnesses vary Ἰωσῆς/Ἰωάννης); James, later head of the Jerusalem church
56
καὶ αἱ ἀδελφαὶ αὐτοῦ οὐχὶ πᾶσαι πρὸς ἡμᾶς εἰσιν;content — the unnamed sisters — πρὸς ἡμᾶς: settled neighbors still; the whole family accounted ordinary
πόθεν οὖν τούτῳ ταῦτα πάντα;content — the verbless πόθεν returns — the right question, about to be answered wrongly
57
καὶ ἐσκανδαλίζοντο ἐν αὐτῷ.independent — imperfect ἐσκανδαλίζοντο — the rocky ground's verb (v. 21) enacted by his own town: stumbling over the familiar
vv. 57b–58 — the proverb, and the works withheld
ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς·independent — the answer-frame
Οὐκ ἔστιν προφήτης ἄτιμοςcontent — the proverb — ἄτιμος: Jesus takes the prophets' lot as his own (cf. 23:37)
εἰ μὴ ἐν τῇ πατρίδι καὶ ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ αὐτοῦ.conditional — exceptive εἰ μή — backward on ἄτιμος; Matthew drops Mark's 'among his kin,' leaving πατρίς and οἰκία the two circles of dishonor
58
καὶ οὐκ ἐποίησεν ἐκεῖ δυνάμεις πολλὰς διὰ τὴν ἀπιστίαν αὐτῶν.independent — διά + accusative grounds kept in-clause — Matthew's 'did not' for Mark's 'could not' (Mk 6:5), guarding the power while indicting the ἀπιστία; the chapter of hearing ends on the town that would not
Analysis. Matthew 13 sets seven parables and their machinery of concealment on one page, and the layout keeps the convention settled at Mark 4: every discourse frame stands flush left at 0 — the boat-pulpit of vv. 1–3, the four fresh frames Ἄλλην παραβολὴν παρέθηκεν / ἐλάλησεν (vv. 24, 31, 33), the house of v. 36, the closing εἶπεν of vv. 52 and 57 — and everything spoken hangs blue (cnt) beneath its verb of saying, so that a whole parable reads as a column-within-a-column: narrative inside speech keeps its parataxis, each δέ- or καί-event a coordinate cnt line at the speech's own depth, with dependents indenting from there (the ὅπου and διά-τό-infinitives of v. 5, the folded dialogue of the weeds, where the householder's ἐρῶ τοῖς θερισταῖς carries a command catena two steps down and the πρὸς τό-infinitive of burning hangs a fourth deep). Genitive absolutes and preposed participles lean forward anchor-less on their verbs (ἡλίου ἀνατείλαντος, παντὸς ἀκούοντος, γενομένης θλίψεως, Τότε ἀφείς, καὶ ἐλθών), as do the temporal ὅτε/ὅταν clauses and the conditional relatives ὅστις ἔχει / ὅστις οὐκ ἔχει of v. 12 (all typed cnd). The chapter's twin Scripture-fulfilments shape its two centers: at vv. 14–15 Isaiah 6:9–10 LXX hangs as a quotation catena under ἡ λέγουσα inside Jesus' own answer — Matthew's only ἀναπληροῦται — with the μήποτε clause a step deeper under ἐκάμμυσαν; and the crux is taken openly: Matthew's ὅτι at v. 13 ('because seeing they do not see') recasts Mark's telic ἵνα as description of a hardness already there, the people's own ἐκάμμυσαν doing what Mark's divine purpose did. At vv. 34–35 the narrator's ὅπως πληρωθῇ formula (the shape of 1:22) carries Ps 78:2 under λέγοντος — the psalmist of Asaph counted a prophet. The interpretations mirror their parables: the four soils return as four hearings (vv. 18–23), each a pendent nominative resumed by οὗτός ἐστιν, kept whole and tagged rather than split; the weeds return as a verbless equation-table (vv. 37–39), seven cnt lines of allegorical identifications, before the ὥσπερ of v. 40 leans forward onto the eschatological οὕτως ἔσται and the furnace-refrain ἐκεῖ ἔσται ὁ κλαυθμός sounds twice verbatim (vv. 42, 50). The kingdom-formula Ὁμοία ἐστίν introduces mustard seed, leaven, treasure, pearl, and net, each simile a dative with its story folded into relative clauses hanging on the compared thing itself (κόκκῳ, ζύμῃ, θησαυρῷ, σαγήνῃ); v. 51's Συνήκατε — the chapter's thread-verb συνίημι — still hangs on the εἶπεν of v. 37, since the critical text supplies no new frame, and the scribe discipled to the kingdom closes the discourse with things new and old. The Nazareth coda (vv. 53–58) reverts to narrative grammar: the Καὶ ἐγένετο ὅτε ἐτέλεσεν formula that closes each of Matthew's five discourses, the hometown questions hanging under λέγειν, the proverb of the dishonored prophet with its exceptive εἰ μή, and the chapter's last word the flat διὰ τὴν ἀπιστίαν αὐτῶν — unbelief restraining the δυνάμεις the crowd itself had named.