Matthew 13:35 Meaning and Explanation
“That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Parables can seem simple because they speak of seed, fields, bread, nets, and households. Matthew 13:35 shows that their simplicity carries holy purpose. Jesus is not merely making difficult ideas easier to remember. His teaching stands within God's long work of revealing what people could not discover by their own observation.
Matthew explains that Jesus' parables fulfill the prophet's words: through familiar earthly pictures, Jesus speaks truths about God's kingdom that had long been hidden and are now being made known.
The Context of Matthew 13:35
Jesus has left the house, taught a gathered multitude from a ship, and spoken a series of parables about the kingdom of heaven. After explaining privately why he uses parables, he gives the parables of the sower, tares, mustard seed, and leaven. Verses 34-35 pause the narrative to explain the significance of this manner of teaching. Matthew identifies Jesus' words with the prophet's declaration. Immediately afterward, Jesus dismisses the multitude, enters the house, and explains the parable of the tares to his disciples.
What Does Matthew 13:35 Mean?
The verse begins, "That it might be fulfilled," marking Jesus' parabolic teaching as part of God's faithful purpose rather than an unexpected change of method. Matthew calls the earlier speaker "the prophet" and then gives the words, "I will open my mouth in parables." Jesus truly opens his mouth and speaks publicly, yet the things he utters concern realities beyond ordinary sight. The phrase "kept secret" does not mean that God had given no witness before this time. The chapter itself honors prophets and righteous people who longed to see what the disciples were seeing. It means that the full meaning of God's kingdom had awaited its appointed unveiling in the ministry of Jesus.
The surrounding parables reveal matters that daily life alone cannot explain: the differing reception of the word, the patient coexistence of wheat and tares, the quiet growth of the kingdom, and its final judgment. Jesus draws these truths from common scenes so hearers may receive them with attentive hearts. Yet Matthew has already shown that hearing involves more than sound reaching the ear. Some hear without understanding, while disciples are given understanding and ask Jesus for explanation. The verse therefore joins revelation with response. God brings hidden things into speech through his Son, and people are called to listen, seek understanding, and let the word take root.
This fulfillment also places Jesus within the worshiping memory of Israel. The cited words come from a psalm that recounts God's dealings with his people and calls a new generation to hear instruction. In Matthew, Jesus speaks parables concerning the kingdom at the moment when its mysteries are being disclosed in his own work. He is the Son of man who sows good seed and will send his angels at the harvest later in the chapter. His parables disclose both mercy and accountability: God patiently gathers a people for his kingdom, and the hidden course of history moves toward a judgment he has appointed.
Bible Verses Related to Matthew 13:35
“I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:”
- Psalm 78:2
“He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.”
- Matthew 13:11
“For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.”
- Matthew 13:17
“Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;”
- Ephesians 3:5
Where Matthew 13:35 Echoes in Scripture
Psalm 78:2 is the direct canonical echo behind this verse. The psalmist opens instruction through parables while recounting God's works and warning later generations to remember him. Matthew applies that language to Jesus' teaching. The connection shows continuity between Israel's sacred instruction and the kingdom teaching now spoken by Jesus, while Matthew presents the hidden matters as reaching a decisive disclosure in his ministry.
How to Apply Matthew 13:35 Today
This verse invites us to approach familiar biblical images with patience. A parable about soil may expose the way anxiety, shallow enthusiasm, or neglected understanding affects our reception of God's word. A parable about leaven may train us to notice quiet growth that receives little public attention. We can read slowly, ask what Jesus says the images mean where he supplies an explanation, and bring honest questions to him in prayer. Such listening is an active trust that God can teach us through words we may have heard many times.
Reflection & Prayer
What kingdom truth in these parables have I treated as too familiar to examine carefully? We might pray: "Lord Jesus, open our ears and hearts. Help us receive your word with understanding, remember what you reveal, and bear the fruit that belongs to your kingdom. Amen."