Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Matthew: Chapter 13]
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13:1 {On that day} (\en t•i h•merai ekein•i\). So this group of
parables is placed by Matthew on the same day as the blasphemous
accusation and the visit of the mother of Jesus. It is called
"the Busy Day," not because it was the only one, but simply that
so much is told of this day that it serves as a specimen of many
others filled to the full with stress and strain. {Sat by the
seaside} (\ekath•to para t•n thalassan\). The accusative case
need give no difficulty. Jesus came out of the stuffy house and
took his seat (\ekath•to\, imperfect) along the shore with the
crowds stretched up and down, a picturesque scene.
13:2 {And all the multitude stood on the beach} (\kai pas ho
ochlos epi ton aigialon hist•kei\). Past perfect tense of
\hist•mi\ with imperfect sense, had taken a stand and so stood.
Note accusative also with \epi\ upon the beach where the waves
break one after the other (\aigialos\ is from \hals\, sea, and
\agnumi\, to break, or from \aiss•\, to rush). Jesus had to get
into a boat and sit down in that because of the crush of the
crowd.
13:3 {Many things in parables} (\polla en parabolais\). It was
not the first time that Jesus had used parables, but the first
time that he had spoken so many and some of such length. He will
use a great many in the future as in Luke 12 to 18 and Matt. 24
and 25. The parables already mentioned in Matthew include the
salt and the light (5:13-16), the birds and the lilies
(6:26-30), the splinter and the beam in the eye (7:3-5), the
two gates (7:13f.), the wolves in sheep's clothing (7:15),
the good and bad trees (7:17-19), the wise and foolish builders
(7:24-27), the garment and the wineskins (9:16f.), the
children in the market places (11:16f.). It is not certain how
many he spoke on this occasion. Matthew mentions eight in this
chapter (the Sower, the Tares, the Mustard Seed, the Leaven, the
Hid Treasure, the Pearl of Great Price, the Net, the
Householder). Mark adds the Parable of the Lamp (Mr 4:21; Lu
8:16), the Parable of the Seed Growing of Itself (Mr 4:26-29),
making ten of which we know. But both Mark (Mr 4:33) and
Matthew (13:34) imply that there were many others. "Without a
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Word Pictures in the New Testament
(Matthew: Chapter 13)