That same day (so most translations) is introduced by Matthew in order to link the time of the preceding events with that of what follows. This particular information is lacking from both Mark and Luke. Matthew uses almost this same construction in 22.23. Some translators have made the link very explicit between the events at the end of chapter 12 and those in chapter 13 by saying “The same day that happened.”
Went out of the house and sat beside the sea: some languages will require two verbs of motion in place of the one verb went (compare Good News Translation “left the house and went to the lakeside”). Otherwise it may sound as though the house was immediately adjacent to the lake.
The house calls to mind Mark 3.19 (“Then he went home”), which is the beginning of the Marcan parallel to Matthew 12.22-32. In that section Matthew makes no mention of a house, but here it is assumed that Jesus has been indoors. Matthew 12.46 also apparently presupposes that Jesus is indoors; see comment there. The problem here is that the house is now introduced as though the readers already knew of it (old information), whereas it actually comes as something new to the reader (new information). It is impossible to reconcile the problem, unless one follows the exegesis of Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch in 12.46, where “outside” is interpreted to mean “outside the house.”
The sea is Lake Galilee. Translators will render it as they have elsewhere. See comments at 4.18, for example.
Good News Translation (followed by Bible en français courant, but not by Bijbel in Gewone Taal or Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch) specifies that Jesus sat down “to teach.” The parallel in Mark 4.1 uses the verb “teach,” but it is not used by either Matthew or Luke 8.4. Jewish teachers generally sat down when teaching, and that is probably the basis for the adjustment made by Good News Translation (see comments at 5.1). The evidence is sufficient to conclude that Matthew intends to portray Jesus as going out beside the lake to deliver some sort of an inspired discourse. And in many languages one must choose between “preach” or “teach.” “Teach” seems to represent best what Jesus does when he tells and explains the parables. Moreover, in many language situations a literal translation of 13.1 (“Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the lake”) will be misunderstood, for it would imply that Jesus had gone there merely to sit down and meditate beside the lake. Matthew certainly intends for his readers to see something other than that when Jesus goes to the lake. But he indicates it, not by the inclusion of a specific verb such as “teach,” but rather by the movement of Jesus from the shore of the lake to the boat from which he delivers his discourse to the crowd. Once again, it must be repeated that the argument is not conclusive. However, the inclusion of the verb “to teach” as a supplement to “sat down” is much more preferable than to leave the purpose for Jesus’ sitting down to the imagination of the unskilled reader. Another possibility, while not including this information in verse 1, is to include it in verse 3: “he began to teach….” Thus translators have two basic models they should consider here. If they do not include “teach” in this verse, they should make the idea explicit in verse 3.
Those who follow the Good News Translation model may have a further complication if their language requires either a direct or an indirect object for “teach.” They may have to say “to teach the people” or “to teach (the people) about God (or, God’s Kingdom).”
Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on the Gospel of Matthew. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1988. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .