This study examines the different aspects raised by Matthew 13.11, based on the eight of chapter 13. These illustrate the various dimensions of the kingdom of heaven during the period corresponding to the King’s absence, the Messiah Jesus.
Matthew 13.11 ()
11 Jesus answered, “Because it has been given to you to know the , but to them it has not been given.
The Messiah Jesus begins to teach in to reveal hidden truths to those with an open heart. These mysteries concern the state of the kingdom between the Messiah’s rejection and his glorious return.
- The sower (Matthew 13.1-9, Matthew 18-23)
Mystery: The varied reception of the Word
The kingdom begins with the seed of the Word.
Human hearts react differently: some reject, others welcome and bear fruit.
- The tares among the wheat (Matthew 13.24-30, Matthew 13.36-43)
Mystery: The mixture of the true and the false
The visible kingdom contains impostors.
The final judgment will separate true disciples from false ones.
- The mustard seed (Matthew 13.31-32)
Mystery: The disproportionate growth
The kingdom starts small but becomes a great structure.
Some see in this an abnormal growth, even an institutional drift.
- The leaven (Matthew 13.33)
Mystery: The invisible influence
The kingdom works like leaven in dough: discreet but transforming.
Some interpret the leaven as corruption, others as the power of witness.
- The hidden treasure (Matthew 13.44)
Mystery: The discovered value of the kingdom
The kingdom is a hidden treasure that one discovers and for which one sacrifices everything.
It is often invisible to the eyes of the world, but precious to the one who finds it.
- The pearl of great price (Matthew 13.45-46)
Mystery: The unique beauty of the kingdom
The kingdom is like a precious pearl. It is worth giving up everything to possess it.
- The dragnet (Matthew 13.47-50)
Mystery: The final sorting
The kingdom attracts all kinds of people. In the end, God will separate the righteous from the wicked.
- The master of the house (Matthew 13.52)
Mystery: The wisdom of the instructed disciple
The disciple of the kingdom is like a master of the house who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.
He understands the ancient truths in the light of the new revelation.
Conclusion: A revelation for open hearts
These mysteries are not riddles for the initiated, but spiritual truths that God reveals to those who seek with faith. Matthew 13.11 is the key to entering this deep understanding of the kingdom