John Calvin Commentary Matthew 13:35

"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 (ASV)

That it might be fulfilled. Matthew does not mean that the psalm he quotes is a prediction that relates specifically to Christ. Instead, he means that just as the majesty of the Spirit was displayed in the Prophet's discourse, in the same manner His power was manifested in Christ's discourse.

The Prophet, when he is about to speak of God’s covenant (by which He adopted the seed of Abraham), of the benefits He continued to bestow upon His people, and of the whole government of the Church, introduces his subject in lofty terms: I will open my mouth in parables, (Psalms 78:2). That is, "I will not speak of trivial matters, but will handle subjects of the highest importance with becoming gravity." When he adds, I will utter dark sayings, the meaning is the same, as such repetitions are very frequent in the Psalms.

The Hebrew word משלים, (Meshalim) signifies comparisons; and it later came to be applied to "weighty sentences" because comparisons generally impart beauty and energy to a discourse. The word חידות (Chidoth) sometimes denotes "riddles," and at other times, "short sayings."

Now although Matthew seems to allude to the word parable, he undoubtedly means that Christ spoke figuratively, so that His very style, being more brilliant than ordinary discourse, might carry more weight and dignity. In short, he says that what is contained in the psalm was fulfilled, because the use of allegories and figures tended to show that Christ was treating the hidden mysteries of God and to prevent His doctrine from being despised.

From this, too, we infer that there was no inconsistency in the various objects Christ had in view when He spoke to the people in a dark manner. Although He intended to conceal from the reprobate what He was saying, He nevertheless labored to make them feel, even in the midst of their amazement, that there was something heavenly and divine in His language.²²⁵

²²⁵ “Car combien qu’il voulust parler en telle sorte que les reprouvez n’y entendissent rien, il a toutesfois tellement modere son style, qu’en leur stupidite ils ont senti que son parler avoit quelque vertu celeste et Divine;” — “for, though he intended to speak in such a manner, that the reprobate might understand nothing of it, yet he was so regulated in his style that, amidst their stupidity, they felt that his manner of speaking had some Divine and heavenly power.”;” — “for, though he intended to speak in such a manner, that the reprobate might understand nothing of it, yet he was so regulated in his style that, amidst their stupidity, they felt that his manner of speaking had some Divine and heavenly power.”