Kris Gholson

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Gospel According to Matthew Bible Study

Chapter 13

Book Three: Growing Controversy and the New Kingdom, Discourse: Parables of the Kingdom

Questions (from Jeff Cavin led Bible study on the Book of Matthew “The King and His Kingdom”)

  1. This chapter is filled with Jesus’ parables about the kingdom of heaven. The Greek word for “parable” is parabole — literally, a “placing beside.” In the Gospels, it is a comparison from everyday life that is used to illustrate a spiritual truth. What reason does Jesus give in Matthew 13:10-16 for using parables?
  2. What is given to the disciples but not to the crowd, and why? (See Matthew 13:11-17)
  3. Read the parable of the sower in Matthew 13:18-23. According to Jesus, what do each of the following things refer to?
    • The seed that falls along the path
    • The seed that falls among rocks
    • The seed that falls among thorns
    • The seed that falls on good soil
  4. What is the main message of the parable of the sower?
  5. Why is the Word of God not always effective in our lives? (Read also 1 Thessalonians 2:13; Hebrews 4:2.)
  6. Read the parable of the weeds in Matthew 13:24-30 and what Jesus says about it in Matthew 13:36-43. What do the following represent?
    • The sower of the good seed
    • The field
    • The sower of the bad seed
    • The good seed
    • The bad seed (weeds)
    • The reapers
    • The time of the harvest
  7. What will happen to those who cause sin and to all who do evil? What will happen to the righteous?
  8. What ramifications does the parable of the weeds among the wheat have for the Church today? (You might ask yourself: Who is responsible for pulling the “weeds”?)
  9. What is the connection between the kingdom of heaven and the mustard seed and the way it grows?
  10. How does Jesus use the concept of yeast to expand our understanding of the kingdom?
  11. What is the lesson of the two parables in Matthew 13:44-46?
  12. Read Matthew 13:47-52. What does the parable of the net tell us about the judgment to come?
  13. Why are the people of Jesus’ hometown “astonished” at him (Matthew 13:54)?
  14. How does their reaction differ from the “astonished” crowd in Matthew 7:28?
  15. What is the consequence of their unbelief?

Primary Resources

Secondary Resources

Logical Daily Gospel Exegesis (Hayden)

The Bible in a Year Podcast (Fr. Mike)