What Does Matthew 13:23 Mean in the King James?
But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The word becomes fruitful when hearing becomes understanding, when what you hear is brought together within you.
THE MEANING
The word reaches a receptive place in you: you hear it, and its meaning comes together until you understand. What grows from that reception becomes visible as fruit, though the harvest does not come in one fixed measure; thirty, sixty, and a hundred are all real fruitfulness.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It undoes the belief that fruitfulness has only one acceptable measure: thirtyfold remains fruit beside sixty and a hundred.
THE ROOT
συνιείς
synieis
GROWS FROM
συνίημι, from σύν (syn, together) + ἵημι (hiēmi, put or send)
Bring together; comprehend by joining the parts.
“understandeth” in this verse is synieis. The Greek word for understanding carries the sense of things being brought together. The verse shows hearing becoming fruitful as the word’s meaning comes together within the hearer.
ALSO GROWS
synesis: Understanding, discernment
σύνεσις
This related word names understanding as a joining of what has been heard.
synetos: Discerning, intelligent
συνετός
This related word describes the grasp that can bring the pieces together.
καρποφορεῖ
karpophorei
GROWS FROM
καρπός
karpos
Fruit, produce, yield.
“beareth fruit” in this verse is karpophorei. The verse describes more than receiving a seed: reception comes to have a visible yield. The same fruit-root also names the opposite condition, making the contrast between fruitfulness and barrenness clear.
ALSO GROWS
karpos: Fruit, produce
καρπός
The fruit is the visible result of the word taking root and growing.
akarpos: Fruitless, unfruitful
ἄκαρπος
This related word names the absence of the yield that this verse describes.
THE PATTERN
The word received inwardly and held close to life becomes visible as fruit.
But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.THE THREAD
When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.Matthew 13:19 uses the same Greek verb for understanding, συνίημι (syniēmi), but describes what happens when the word is heard without its meaning coming together. Here, that understanding is the hinge between a seed remaining exposed and a life that bears fruit.
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