Jeremiah, Chapter 1, verses 1, 4-10
1 The time, 3 and the calling of JeremiahMatthew, Chapter 13, verses 1-9
3 The parable of the sower and the seed13
13:2 He went into the vessel - Which constantly waited upon him, while he was on the sea coast.
13:3 In parables - The word is here taken in its proper sense, for apt similes or comparisons. This way of speaking, extremely common in the eastern countries, drew and fixed the attention of many, and occasioned the truths delivered to sink the deeper into humble and serious hearers. At the same time, by an awful mixture of justice and mercy, it hid them from the proud and careless. In this chapter our Lord delivers seven parables; directing thefour former (as being of general concern) to all the people; the three latter to his disciples. Behold the sower - How exquisitely proper is this parable to bean introduction to all the rest! In this our Lord answers a very obvious and a very important question. The same sower, Christ, and the same preachers sent by him, always sow the same seed: why has it not always the same effect? He that hath ears to hear, let him hear!
13:4 And while he sowed, some seeds fell by the highway side, and the birds came and devoured them - It is observable, that our Lord points out the grand hinderances of our bearing fruit, in the same order as they occur. The first danger is, that the birds will devour the seed. If it escape this, there is then another danger, namely, lest it be scorched, and wither away.It is long after this that the thorns spring up and choke the good seed. A vast majority of those who hear the word of God, receive theseed as by the highway side. Of those who do not lose it by the birds, yet many receive it as on stony places. Many of them who receive it in a better soil, yet suffer the thorns to grow up, and choke it: so that few even of these endure to the end, and bear fruit unto perfection: yet in all these cases, it is not the will of God that hinders, but their own voluntary perverseness.
13:8 Good ground - Soft, not like that by the highway side; deep, not like the stony ground; purged, not full of thorns.
1 The pedigree, time, and calling of Jeremiah, confirmed against his excuses, Jer 1:1-10.
His visions of an almond - rod and seething pot, Jer 1:11-14.
His heavy message against Judah, Jer 1:15-16.
God promises him his assistance, Jer 1:17-19.
1:1 Anathoth - Was a city three miles from Jerusalem, allotted out of the tribe of Benjamin for the priests.