Matthew 13:1-2 "The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side. And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore."
Our past several devotionals have all been about one single day in the life of Jesus. He cast out a devil from a blind and mute man and healed him. He rebuked the scribes and Pharisees over their self-centered and self-righteous behavior. By His actions, He proved to those gathered that He was sent from God and both spoke and did good things because they came from a good source. When His mother and brothers came to see Him, He used that as a moment to teach us that, as His disciples, we are all family to Him.
The close of chapter twelve tells us that His mother and brother were waiting outside the house to see Him. I imagine this was because there were so many people already in the house there was no room for anyone else to come in. On this same day that He had already done so much, He walked out of the house. Although it does not say so, I would also imagine that He greeted His mother and His brothers when He did so.
However, it was not just for their benefit that He went out of the house. He went and sat down on the shore of the sea of Galilee. He soon found Himself so pressed by the multitudes that He could not address them. For that reason, He entered into a ship and sat down to teach while the listeners stood on the shore.
Notice that verse two says great multitudes (plural) were gathered together. Whenever He began to teach from the ship, those gathered were referred to as a multitude (singular). We come to Jesus from all walks of life and initially for many different reasons. Some come to mock, others are simply curious, some come seeking relief from disease, others from the burden of their sin, and still others because their friends are there; we are “multitudes.”
When Jesus begins to teach and blesses us to hear, something miraculous happens. Whether rich or poor, young or old, rebellious or kind, when we are blessed to hear the truth of Jesus Christ with our hearts, we become one multitude. We are gathered in one spirit and one accord regardless of what we thought first brought us there; we are made one in Him.
According to Strong’s Greek Dictionary, the sense of the phrase “were gathered together” means “to lead together.” The multitudes did not “gather” as though of their own accord. They “were gathered” as by a power other than themselves. Then, as was the custom of that day, the Teacher sat to teach, and the listeners stood to hear.
Dear ones, we may come from many different backgrounds and separate ourselves into many different factions. When we are gathered by the operation of the Holy Ghost in our hearts, none of that matters anymore. We become one family with One teacher who teaches us all the truth of our loving and merciful God. He sits in our hearts and teaches us to stand for the truth as it is in Christ Jesus.