In today’s lesson, we see Jesus teaching a large crowd. There were so many people that He got into a boat and sat in it to teach the people who stood on the shore. This was due to Jesus’ increasing popularity. Because the people were becoming more interested in Jesus’ teaching, the Pharisees began to feel their sphere of influence decreasing and felt threatened. The story He told here was called the Parable of the Sower. Read Matt 13:1-9.
Israel, at that time, was largely agricultural and Jesus chose a farming story here. It was something the crowds could easily relate to and understand. It is a story about seeds being planted or sown. In this story, the seed is sown everywhere, liberally, without distinction. It falls among all types of soil everywhere hoping for a good return or harvest. In Jesus’ parable, the seed falls on four different types of soil, with four different results.
The first seed Jesus talked about fell along the pathway and the birds came and ate it up. No harvest was produced there. The second seed fell on rocky soil, sprang up quickly, but couldn’t get down good roots and died. The third seed fell on thorny ground and the thorny weeds choked out the good plants. It was only the seed that fell on the good soil that produced a good harvest. Three of these areas did not produce a crop like the fourth one did, but seed was sown there anyway with the hope that there would be a harvest in all the areas.
Jesus ended His parable and said, whoever has ears to hear, let Him hear. In this comment, Jesus was saying that whoever had spiritual discernment, let them understand the parable. There were those in the crowd who were disciples of Jesus and would have tried to understand the teaching… wanted to understand the teaching. But that wasn’t necessarily true of everyone in the crowd.
Read verses 10-13. The disciples came to Jesus and asked Him why He taught the people in parables. Jesus replied that the secrets or mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven have been given for some to understand but not for others. He even said that for some, what understanding they had would be taken away. What were Christ’s disciples given that others were not (Luke 8:10)? If we, as believers, have an understanding of God’s Word beyond what others do (1 Cor 2:14), where does that understanding come from (1 Cor 2:9-13)? As believers in Christ, the Holy Spirit enables us to understand the things of God more clearly. For unbelievers, the Holy Spirit urges them to believe the Gospel message and to see their need for repentance, but He is not teaching them to understand the bulk of God’s truths. His work is different in believers than in unbelievers.
Read verses 14-15. Here, Jesus was reminding His disciples about the words of the prophet Isaiah. These words can be found at Isa 6:9-10. The attitude of the crowd here before Jesus mirrored that of the crowd Isaiah had ministered to in his time. In verses 16-17, Jesus told the disciples that they were blessed because they were able to see and to hear. They had the Messiah right there with them and could see and hear His teachings for themselves. Many prophets and righteous people in the past had longed to see the Messiah but were unable to see Jesus in the flesh.
Read verses 18-23. Jesus now explains the parable to His disciples. The seed, in this parable, represents the Word of God, the Gospel message. The soil represents different people who hear the Word. First, Jesus talked about seed that fell along the path. Birds came and ate up this seed. This soil represents folks who hear the Word but don’t understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their hearts. In the Bible, Satan is known as the ruler of the kingdom of the air (Eph 2:2) and he is represented in this parable by the birds who eat up the seeds. Satan is always eager to come and take away any Scriptural teaching which has been planted in someone’s heart before it can take root.
The second group Jesus mentioned was the seed that fell on the rocky soil. This soil represents the folks who hear the Word and immediately receive it with joy and enthusiasm. They are easily excited but, unfortunately, they don’t really allow it to take root and penetrate. When the first time of real testing comes along, they become discouraged easily and turn away. They stop believing and don’t ever really experience the true power and faithfulness of God.
The third group Jesus mentioned was the seed that fell on the thorny ground. This soil represents the folks who are distracted by the weeds of busyness. They have so many things going on in their lives that they never really let that seed take root and grow. They don’t have time to nurture it. Things like money, pursuing pleasures, worries, work, romances, etc. keep their minds so occupied that they never have time to worry about nurturing that seed and growing in their relationship with God (I John 2:15-17). The thorny weeds grow and choke out the seed.
The fourth group in this story was the seed that fell on good soil. These are the folks who hear the Word and understand. They go on to live lives of obedience to God’s will and teaching. Their lives are fruitful and productive for God. Jesus said these folks’ lives can produce 100, 60, or 30 times as much as was sown. We are not all expected to produce the same amount of fruit. We all serve Him as He leads us. This is His will. But an obedient life results in a crop for the Lord.
In this parable, all four types of soil represent people who heard God’s Word. It is given and preached to all in the hopes of a harvest. But not everyone who hears the Word allows it to take root and grow. It is not enough to just hear God’s Word. A person must accept it and apply it. Jesus was teaching His disciples that not everyone who hears the Word will do that, but some will and we must continue spreading His Word liberally. I think Jesus may also have been wanting them to understand that Satan is also actively at work in this process and there will always be this variety of responses to His Word.
The farming metaphor in this parable is appropriate. The work of God’s Word in a man’s heart is not usually immediate; it is a process… just like the seeds the farmer sows. We may not see the fruits of our labor. We may plant the seeds and someone else, down the road, may see the harvest.
We, as Christians, must continue sowing God’s Word in this world. The Bible tells us that God’s Word will not return empty (Isa 55:10-12). God’s Word is very powerful (Heb 4:12). It is God’s Word which leads us to salvation (1 Pet 1:23). Even when we think our work has been fruitless, we can be assured that God is using it in some way for His glory.
Responding to God: Praise the Lord and thank Him for our salvation. Thank Him for giving us the Bible. Ask for His wisdom and understanding of His Holy Word.
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