Matthew 13:34Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The Gospel writer Mark recounts how Christ imparted His teachings through parables, tailored to the understanding of His audience (Mark 4:33). In contrast, Matthew underscores that the use of parables was anticipated, referencing the prophet who foreshadowed this teaching approach. He elucidates Christ’s purpose in employing parables, which was not to shroud His listeners in mystery but to provoke their curiosity and inquiry, stating that He spoke nothing to them apart from parables. While Christ did discuss various topics without parables, in this instance, He communicated exclusively through them. Yet, unlike the prophets—such as Ezekiel—who often faced inquiries from their audience, no questions arose from His listeners. The content of His parables, which included serious warnings of profound consequences, failed to resonate with the hearers. Consequently, the Lord chose to depart from them.

A prophecy was made that indicated how Jesus was to instruct, specifically through parables, so as to clarify that Christ did not devise an entirely new method of teaching. Consider the term ‘yea,’ which signifies not a cause, but rather the result stemming from an established truth. Christ did not convey His teachings in this manner simply to fulfill the prophecy; rather, it was because He taught using parables that it became evident the prophecy was realized in Him. 'He did not speak to them without a parable' at that time, yet it should be noted He did not consistently communicate through parables. The Lord revealed what had been concealed since the foundation of the world, as He Himself unveiled the divine mysteries to us.

Not that He communicated nothing in a straightforward manner, but rather that He described nearly everything through parables, regardless of how often His discourse included direct statements. Consequently, while it is frequent to encounter His teachings conveyed entirely in parabolic form, it remains challenging to find any part of His message expressed completely in direct words. The passages that I refer to as interpreted are those in which, by some chance, He begins to speak until He has clarified everything related to the subject at hand before moving on to another matter. Indeed, there are instances where one Gospel writer juxtaposes what another records as having been stated at a different time. Each has crafted the narrative based not on the chronological order of events but rather on their own memories.

The parables are addressed not to the disciples, but to the crowds; even now, large groups hear the teachings conveyed through parables, while the disciples ask the Saviour for understanding in private.

He communicated with them solely through parables during that period, although he frequently shared various teachings without using parables. However, on this occasion, he chose to convey his message in parables, fulfilling the words of David (Psalm 77:2). The Septuagint states, "I verify the divinations first"; yet, the translator of this Gospel into Greek conveyed it as, "I will bring forth the hidden things from the foundation of the world," recognizing the Hebrew terminology that conveys both meanings. Thus, the phrase "bring forth" can also imply "verify," and "divinations" referred to riddles, as noted by Aquila, who employs the term ‘riddles’ (αινιγματα) in this context. These riddles correspond to the parables of the Gospel; just as riddles conceal profound truths, so do parables.

Jesus communicated all of this to the crowd through the prophets, and since there was no prophet present at this time, He conveyed it directly, as noted by the holy Evangelist. This serves as evidence that teaching through parables is not a novel approach; the prophet had already anticipated this method of instruction.

In concluding with the declaration: He who has ears to hear, let him hear, the Lord further imparted His teachings through parables, a method chosen to ensure that the Apostles would grasp these truths more profoundly and remain focused on their significance.

He did not communicate with them without using a parable: “at this very time” or “in the present case,” and in this, what was declared by the prophet Asaph is fulfilled. Asaph, in this context of the Psalm, speaks of himself, yet as a prophet, he embodies a foreshadowing of the Messiah. Therefore, the Evangelist attributes his words regarding himself to the Messiah. “I will declare the concealed matters from the foundation of the world”: this aligns more appropriately with the omniscient Messiah than with an Old Testament prophet. All the hidden truths of the kingdom of God, which have been fulfilled on earth in various forms since the foundation of the world, are known to Him as the incarnate wisdom of God.

After sending the crowds away, the Lord entered the house and remained alone with His disciples and the twelve apostles who approached Him with a question: “Why do you speak to them in parables?” He replied, “This is why: it has been given to you to comprehend the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but for them it has not been granted. To them, everything is conveyed in parables, so that seeing, they may not see, and hearing, they may not hear, nor comprehend. The prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled in them, which states, 'By hearing you shall hear, and not understand; and seeing you shall see, and not perceive.' This prophecy, quoted by the Evangelist Matthew from the translation of the Septuagint, originally spoke to the people of Isaiah’s time.