What Does Matthew 13:12 Mean?
Matthew 13:12 describes Jesus explaining why He teaches in parables - because those who are open to God's truth will receive more understanding, while those who are closed off will lose even what little they have. This verse comes right after the Parable of the Sower, where Jesus shows how people respond to God's Word in different ways. The key is openness: if we pay attention and seek God, He gives more insight.
Matthew 13:12
For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.
Key Facts
Book
Author
Matthew
Genre
Gospel
Date
c. 80-90 AD
Key People
Key Themes
Key Takeaways
- God gives more to those who seek Him.
- Rejecting truth leads to losing even what you know.
- Spiritual growth comes from acting on what you hear.
Context of Matthew 13:12
Matthew 13:12 comes right after Jesus tells the Parable of the Sower and explains why He teaches in stories that not everyone understands.
His disciples ask why He speaks in parables, and Jesus replies that those who are already seeking God’s truth will get more insight, but those who aren’t listening won’t even keep what little they think they know. He quotes Isaiah 6:9-10, saying, 'You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive,' because people’s hearts have grown dull. This isn’t about keeping truth from curious people - it’s about how our hearts respond: openness leads to growth, while hardness leads to spiritual loss.
So this verse isn’t a harsh rule from God - it’s a reflection of how we naturally grow or shrink in understanding based on whether we’re paying attention.
The Paradox of 'Having' and 'Not Having' in Matthew 13:12
At first glance, Matthew 13:12 sounds unfair - why would someone lose even what they have? - but this paradox reveals a deeper spiritual principle about how God’s truth grows in our lives.
The idea that 'to the one who has, more will be given' is not about favoritism. It is about response. In the ancient Jewish context, hearing and obeying God’s Word were inseparable - 'hearing' meant acting on what you heard. When Jesus says some will lose even what they have, He’s describing a natural consequence: if you don’t act on the truth you know, that understanding fades. This matches what we see in Isaiah 6:9-10, where God’s people hear but don’t understand because their hearts have grown dull. God does not withhold truth from the curious. Instead, hardness of heart dulls spiritual perception over time.
This same principle appears elsewhere: in Luke 19:26, Jesus uses nearly identical words in the Parable of the Ten Minas, reinforcing that responsibility follows revelation. The 'having' in these verses isn’t about knowledge or status - it’s about stewardship. Even in the Old Testament, the motif appears subtly. Jeremiah 4:23 describes a land stripped bare, echoing the reversal of blessing when God’s people abandon His ways. The original Greek word for 'taken away' (ἀρθήσεται) implies removal by divine authority, suggesting this isn’t random loss but a response to persistent rejection.
What makes Matthew 13:12 especially striking is that it follows the Parable of the Sower - some hearts are hard, some shallow, some distracted, but only the good soil bears fruit because it 'hears and understands' (v. 23). Understanding is relational and active, not merely mental.
Spiritual growth isn’t about how much you start with - it’s about what you do with what you’ve been given.
This leads directly into Jesus’ next teaching: the Parable of the Weeds, where He shows that God allows both faithful and unfaithful to grow together - for now - but a day of separation is coming.
What Matthew 13:12 Means for Us Today
The point of Matthew 13:12 isn’t to scare us but to encourage us to stay open to God’s truth, because spiritual insight grows when we act on it.
This verse fits Matthew’s bigger theme of showing how Jesus reveals God’s kingdom to those who are ready to listen, while others, like the religious leaders, miss it because they’re not humble. The timeless truth is this: God gives everyone a chance to understand, but it’s up to us to respond - like the good soil in the parable that hears and bears fruit.
If we respond to what we hear from God, He’ll keep showing us more - ignoring it only leads to losing even that.
This leads naturally into Jesus’ next parable - the weeds among the wheat - which shows that God is patient, letting both faithful and unfaithful live side by side until the end, giving everyone time to turn to Him.
Matthew 13:12 in the Wider Bible Story
Matthew 13:12 is not merely a standalone warning from Jesus. It is part of a consistent biblical pattern where God reveals more to those who seek Him, while those who reject His word gradually lose even what they knew.
This idea appears in similar words in Mark 4:25 and Luke 8:18 - 'Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they think they have will be taken away' - showing that Jesus repeated this principle to emphasize how we handle spiritual truth. It also echoes the wisdom tradition in the Old Testament, where understanding is given to the humble and attentive, while the proud and careless drift into darkness.
God’s truth grows in those who respond to it - this pattern runs from the Old Testament through Jesus’ teaching and into our lives today.
This sets up Jesus as the fulfillment of God’s gradual revelation - He brings clarity, but also accountability, leading into His next parable about the weeds and wheat growing together until the final harvest.
Application
How This Changes Everything: Real Life Impact
I used to think spiritual growth was about knowing more Bible facts or attending church regularly. But after sitting with Matthew 13:12, I realized I was coasting - listening to sermons, reading a verse here and there, but not really responding. The truth is, when I didn’t act on what I heard - like forgiving someone I was holding a grudge against, or giving when I felt stretched - the next time I heard about grace or generosity, it didn’t land as deeply. It faded. That’s the sobering reality of this verse: ignoring what we know dulls our ability to hear more. But the good news? When I finally chose to obey - even in small ways - like setting aside time to pray when I didn’t feel like it, or sharing what I was learning with a friend - something shifted. God began opening up Scripture in ways I hadn’t seen before. I did not earn it. I stayed open. This verse changed how I view every moment I spend with God’s Word: it is about doing, not merely hearing.
Personal Reflection
- What is one truth from God’s Word that I’ve heard but haven’t acted on - and how might my spiritual understanding be at risk of fading because of it?
- When I encounter difficult teachings from Jesus, do I lean in with curiosity and humility, or do I tune out? What does that reveal about my heart’s posture?
- In what area of my life am I currently 'bearing fruit' because I’ve responded to what God has shown me - and how can I keep growing there?
A Challenge For You
This week, choose one clear insight you’ve recently heard from Scripture or a sermon and take a specific step to obey it - no matter how small. Then, write down what you notice in your heart and understanding as you act on it. Stay alert to how God might reveal more as you respond.
A Prayer of Response
God, I admit there are times I’ve heard Your Word and moved on without really listening. Forgive me for the ways I’ve been slow to respond. Open my heart to truly hear what You’re saying today. Help me to live the truth, not merely to know it, so I can keep growing in understanding and closeness with You. Thank You that You’re patient with me, and that You’re ready to give more to anyone who stays open. Amen.
Related Scriptures & Concepts
Immediate Context
Matthew 13:11
Jesus explains that disciples are given divine insight into the kingdom, setting up the principle in verse 12.
Matthew 13:13
Clarifies that parables conceal truth from the hardened, showing why understanding is lost.
Connections Across Scripture
Luke 19:26
Echoes the same principle of reward for faithfulness and loss for rejection of God’s rule.
Jeremiah 4:23
Depicts spiritual desolation from rejecting God, mirroring the reversal in Matthew 13:12.
Proverbs 1:5
Wisdom tradition affirms that the receptive grow in understanding, aligning with Jesus’ teaching.