Matthew 13:2

“And He spake many things unto them in parables, saying;” and so on, down to the words, “Therefore every scribe which is instructed in the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.”” — editor's note: Matt. xiii. 1–52.

““And great multitudes,” saith He, “were gathered together unto Him, so that He went into a ship and sat, and the whole multitude stood on the shore.”” — editor's note: Matt. xiii. 2. [R.V., “all the multitude stood on the beach.”]

““For he said,” it is mentioned, “unto his servants, This is John, whom I slew, he is risen from the dead, and therefore the mighty powers do work in him.”” — editor's note: Matt. xiii. 2.

When He had rebuked him that told Him of His mother and His brethren, He then did according to their request; He departed out of the house, having first corrected His brethren for their weak desire of vainglory; He…

By the words, “The same day,” he sufficiently shews that these things either followed immediately upon what had gone before, or that many things could not have intervened; unless indeed ‘day’ here after the Scripture…

For not only the Lord’s words and actions, but His journeyings also, and the places in which He works His mighty works and preaches, are full of heavenly sacraments. After the discourse held in the house, wherein…

For it must be considered, that the multitude could not enter into the house to Jesus, nor be there where the Apostles heard mysteries; therefore the Lord in mercy to them departed out of the house, and sat near the…

The Evangelist did not relate this without a purpose, but that he might shew the Lord’s will therein, who desired so to place the people that He should have none behind Him, but all should be before His face.

There is moreover a reason in the subject of His discourse why the Lord should sit in the ship, and the multitude stand on the shore. For He was about to speak in parables, and by this action signifies that they who…

Jesus is in the midst of the waves; He is beaten to and fro by the waves, and, secure in His majesty, causes His vessel to come nigh the land, that the people not being in danger, not being surrounded by temptations…

Or, that He went into a ship and sat on the sea, signifies that Christ by faith should enter into the hearts of the Gentiles, and should gather together the Church in the sea, that is in the midst of the nations that…

He had not done thus on the mount; He had not framed His discourse by parables. For there were the multitudes only, and a mixed crowd; but here the Scribes and Pharisees. But He speaks in parables not for this reason…

And it is to be noted, that He spake not all things to them in parables, but “many things,” for had He spoken all things in parables, the people would have departed without benefit. He mingles things plain with…

He first sets forth a parable to make His hearers more attentive; and because He was about to speak enigmatically, He attracts the attention by this first parable, saying, “Behold, a sower went forth to sow his seed.”

By this sower is typified the Son of God, who sows among the people the word of the Father.

Whence then went out He who is every where present, and how went He out! Not in place; but by His incarnation being brought nearer to us by the garb of the flesh. Forasmuch as we because of our sins could not enter…

Or, He event forth, when having left Judaea, He passed by the Apostles to the Gentiles.

Or, He was within while He was yet in the house, and spake sacraments to His disciples. He went therefore forth from the house, that He might sow seed among the multitudes.

When you hear the words, “the sower went out to sow,” do not suppose that is a tautology. For the sower goes out oftentimes for other ends; as, to break up the ground, to pluck up noxious weeds, to root up thorns, or…

This parable Valentinus lays hold of to establish his heresy, bringing in three different natures; the spiritual, the natural or the animal, and the earthly. But there are here four named, one by the wayside, one…

Next, how is it according to reason to sow seed among thorns, or on stony ground, or by the wayside? Indeed in the material seed and soil of this world it would not be reasonable; for it is impossible that rock…

Note that this is the first parable that has been given with its interpretation, and we must beware where the Lord expounds His own teaching that we do not presume to understand any thing either more or less, or any…

But those things which He silently left to our understanding, should be shortly noticed. The wayside is the mind trodden and hardened by the continual passage of evil thoughts; the rock, the hardness of the…

And we are excited to the understanding of His words, by the advice which follows, “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.”

These care to hear, are ears of the mind, to understand namely and do those things which are commanded.

Matthew 13:2 and Mark 4:1 share the same wording (10 words).

Cited together in John Chrysostom on Matthew 13:1–9 (7) (Catena Aurea).