Matthew 13:24 (KJV)

What does Matthew 13:24 mean?

Matthew 13:24 begins a story Jesus uses to describe the kingdom of heaven. He compares it to a situation that starts with a man sowing good seed in his own field. The opening sets a peaceful scene before the trouble that follows.

Jesus tells this parable to the crowd gathered around him. For people familiar with farming, the field and seed would have been everyday images. The phrase “kingdom of heaven” refers to God’s rule, pictured through the events of the story.

The Greek behind Matthew 13:24

• “parable” — παραβολή (parabolē): The word carries the sense of a comparison, often expressed through a story. Here, Jesus uses a familiar farming scene to speak about something larger than farming.
• “likened” — ὁμοιόω (homoioō): The word means to compare or present as similar. The comparison introduces the whole situation that unfolds, not just the man by himself.
• “good” — καλός (kalos): The word can describe something good or sound. Here, it marks the seed as good from the beginning, which helps the reader follow the contrast that develops later.

Why Matthew 13:24 matters

• The field belongs to the man who plants it. The words “his field” place the first action firmly in the hands of its owner.
• The trouble in the story comes from an outside actor, not from bad seed planted by the owner. In verse 25, an enemy sows weeds among the wheat while people are asleep.
• Jesus later gives names to parts of the picture. In verse 37, he identifies the one who sowed the good seed as the Son of man, a title he uses for himself.