Matthew 13:35 explains why Jesus often taught in parables: Matthew sees this as the fulfillment of an Old Testament prophecy, one that said God would speak in parables and reveal things that had been hidden since the beginning of the world. The verse is Matthew’s own commentary, written by the Gospel writer to show that Jesus’ teaching method was part of God’s plan all along.
That it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophet, saying, “I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden from the foundation of the world.”
Matthew 13:35 (WEB)
What Matthew 13:35 Means
The verse begins with the phrase “that it might be fulfilled,” which tells you Matthew is connecting what Jesus is doing to something written earlier. The “prophet” he refers to is the writer of Psalm 78, traditionally attributed to Asaph, who speaks of teaching hard sayings and dark sayings from the past. Matthew reads that psalm as pointing forward to Jesus.
The second part makes the central claim: the speaker will “open my mouth in parables” and “utter things hidden from the foundation of the world.” In plain words, God intends to make known truths that were concealed from the beginning, and he does so through stories with a surface meaning that invites deeper thought. The verse does not say every listener will understand, and it does not promise that parables are easy. It says the hidden things are being brought out into the open.
The Context of Matthew 13:35
Matthew’s Gospel was written for a Jewish-Christian audience who knew the Hebrew Scriptures well. Matthew repeatedly shows Jesus as the one who fulfills what the prophets said, so this verse fits his larger pattern of pointing readers from the Old Testament to Jesus. The whole chapter is a collection of parables about the kingdom of heaven, including the mustard seed and the yeast.
The verses just before this one describe the crowds receiving the mustard seed and yeast parables, and the verses just after show Jesus sending the crowds away and explaining the parable of the weeds to his disciples. That pattern matters: the public hears the story, and the disciples are invited inside for the explanation. Read this way, the verse helps explain why some people grasp the parables and others remain puzzled.
Key Phrases in Matthew 13:35
Psalm 78:2
I will open my mouth in a parable. I will utter dark sayings of old…
(WEB)
This is the psalm that Matthew’s quotation echoes, where the psalmist announces that he will speak hidden lessons from the past. Reading it alongside Matthew 13:35 shows how the New Testament writer draws on Israel’s songs to describe what Jesus is doing in his teaching.
Mark 4:11
He said to them, “To you is given the mystery of God’s Kingdom, but to those who are outside, all things are done in parables…
(WEB)
In this verse Jesus tells his disciples that they have been given the secret of the kingdom of God, while others hear parables without grasping them. It helps explain the division between the crowds and the inner circle described in Matthew 13.
A Short Prayer From Matthew 13:35
Lord, thank you that you do not keep your ways hidden from those who seek you. When I come to passages that puzzle me, help me to read patiently and to trust that you are speaking. Open my heart to the truths you have held from the beginning, and give me the humility to receive them as you choose to reveal them. Teach me to listen for your voice in the ordinary stories of my day. Amen.
