Matthew 13:48

Mat 13:48. Ἐπληρώθη, was filled) The number of the wicked and the righteous will be completed in the last days.—καὶ καθίσαντες, and having sat down) Deliberately, with the purpose of performing their task.—καλὰ—σαπρὰ, good—putrid) Individuals out of every kind of fishes.[642]—ἔξω, without) sc. the net.

[642] How is it that the bad man does not loathe himself?—V. g.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Mat 13:48 . καθίσαντες συνέλεξαν : equally a matter of course; a thing to be done deliberately, of which the sitting attitude is an emblem. There is a time for everything; the time for sorting is at the end of the fishing. σαπρὰ , vide on Mat 7:17 . Mat 13:49-50 contain the interpretation in much the same terms as in Mat 13:41-42 .

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Which, when it was full, they drew to shore--for the separation will not be made till the number of the elect is accomplished.

and sat down--expressing the deliberateness with which the judicial separation will at length be made.

and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away--literally, "the rotten," but here meaning, "the foul" or "worthless" fish: corresponding to the "tares" of the other parable.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

And shall cast them into the furnace of fire,.... See Gill on Mat 13:42

Matthew 13:51

mat 13:51

mat 13:51

mat 13:51Jesus saith unto them,.... This is left out in the Vulgate Latin, and Ethiopic versions, and in Munster's Hebrew Gospel, and in some Greek exemplars; though it is necessary to the connection and sense of the words:

have ye understood all these things? All the parables Christ had delivered, besides those he had given a particular explanation of; as of the mustard seed, and leaven, of the treasure hid in the field, the pearl of great price, and the net cast into the sea: Christ's putting this question to the disciples, shows that the things delivered, had some difficulty in them; that they were of moment and importance to be understood; and how concerned he was, that they should understand them; and how ready he was to communicate the knowledge of them, which he knew would be useful to them in their after ministrations:

they say unto him, yea, Lord. This answer, which was truly and faithfully made, is a proof of their close and strict attention to the words of Christ; the quickness of their understandings, at that time, being in a very special manner opened and illuminated by Christ; and which he knew, when he put the question to them; but was willing to have it owned and expressed by themselves, that he might have the opportunity of saying what follows.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

48 Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away.

Ver. 48. And cast the bad away] Algam, silices, arenulas, sordes (σαπρα). Beza. Here was of both sorts, till the separation was made. The visible Church resembles the ark, which was full of creatures of various kinds, but most unclean. Fair she is, but as the moon, which is not without her blemishes. Separatists that leave her, therefore, yea, deny her, and remain obstinate for trifles, are not unfitly by one compared to the hedge hog; which, saith Pliny, being laden with nuts and fruit, if the least filbert fall off, will sling down all the rest in a pettish humour, and beat the ground for anger with his bristles, Mulae ablactatae matrem calcibus petunt.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

48. Full — When the work of the Church on earth is completed, the Church, like a net of fishes, is drawn to the presence of its Lord, and the reckoning takes place. It will then be seen that in the apparent or visible Church, consisting of all professors, there is a real or invisible Church, consisting of all who are truly regenerate. The Church while on earth perpetually struggles to be pure; but, in her imperfect and militant state, a part of her trial is the existence of false professors whom she is unable to purify or to expel. Bad — The unpalatable or refuse part.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Which, when it was full; filled (Revised Version, eplhrwyh); i.e. not as a matter of course, but by those that came or were brought in. They drew to shore. The Revised Version reproduces the local touch, they drew up on the beach (ver. 2, note). In the parable those who cast the net also separate the fish, but this identification of two distinct sets of persons (vers. 24, 30, 37, 41) is merely part of the machinery of the story (cf. ver. 25). And sat down. How true to life. Perhaps it "intimates the thoughtful care with which the work of separation is performed" (Goebel). And gathered (sunelexan); ver. 30, note. The good. Corresponding to their proper nature also in appearance. (ta kala : cf. Mat_7:17, note) Into vessels, but cast the bad (ta de sapra); Mat_7:17, Mat_7:18, notes; Mat_12:33. Not to be pressed to mean "corrupt, dead fish, in a state of rottenness" (Goebel), for surely fishermen seldom get many of these, but simply the worthless, the unfit for use. This would include the legally unclean. Tristram writes," The greater number of the species taken on the lake are rejected by the fishermen, and I have sat with them on the gunwale while they went through their net, and threw out into the sea those that were too small for the market or were considered unclean" ("Nat. Hist. of Bible," p. 291, edit. 1889). Away (exw ebalon). Compare, for both language and thought, the treatment of the salt that has lost its savour. (Mat_5:13)

The final sorting time.

Those who have watched the hauling in of the great seine net on our shores, the rapid sorting of its contents, the throwing of the bad away, and the noisy auction on the sands, will fully realize every point of our Lord"s illustration. The net represents the gospel message, the good news of God the Saviour. It is like a net; it will catch and hold men. Put into words it is this: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Jesus "is able to save unto the uttermost all that come unto God by him." The gospel net is given in charge to the Church. The Church must work freely and constantly at casting the net in the wide sweep of the sea of humanity.

I THE GOSPEL NET ENCLOSES ALL SORTS OF PEOPLE. From all sorts of motives, and with very different degrees of earnestness and sincerity, men accept the gospel message, and make Christian profession. Several parables teach that the Church is a very mixed body. Mere standing in a Church is no more guarantee of acceptance with Christ than presence in the net shows the goodness of the fish.

II THE PEOPLE CANNOT BE SORTED WHILE THEY ARE IN THE NET. Some of the fish would escape if sorting were attempted while the net was being dragged through the water. Illustrate from the parable of the tares.

III WHEN THE NET IS DRAWN ASHORE SORTING WORK CAN BE DONE. A revealing day, a testing day, must come for us all. But no imperfect human judgment will do the great sorting work. God himself will superintend the severing of the righteous from the wicked. We will not venture to describe the wicked. We can safely describe the good. They are such as

(1) receive Christ with meekness;

(2) bring forth the fruits of righteousness;

(3) patiently continue in well doing.

So Christ"s gospel, like a great net, is to be sent out into all the world, that it may, if possible, gather all men in. So the contents of the gospel net, when gathered in at last, will need, and will receive, a final sifting. R.T.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

48. When it was filled. The fishermen cannot stop to sort while they are drawing the net. Nor can the preachers of the gospel always distinguish.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

48. ἄγγη for ἀγγεῖα, on good authority. ἀγγεῖα an explanation of the rarer form ἄγγη.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

(L) 48. Which, when it was filled, they drew to the shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but the bad they cast away.]—ἄγγη] so א B C M*. ἀγγεῖα, D E F al ἀγγεῖον occurs again in 25:4. S1 S2 have “the good as good” for τὰ καλὰ εἰς ἄγγη; see Burkitt.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Sat down. Implying deliberation in the assortment.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.