– PARABLES OF JESUS –
The Parable of the Sower
Jesus’ parables tend to use simple images. He would employ activites and ideas the common person would understand – activities that folks had experience with. Perhaps the best known parable spoken by Jesus is the parable of the sower. Two gospels record this parable, Matthew (13:3-23) and Luke (8:4-15).
Agriculture was prevalent in Jewish culture. The crowd Jesus spoke to knew about sowing seed. It is likely that most, if not all, the people who heard Him had worked a field or at the very least, a garden. And so He spoke matter-of-factually about the process of sowing the seed. The seed that falls on the path will not have an opportunity to germinate, but will become bird seed.
The seed which falls in the rocky soil will germinate quickly, but it does not have a good root system. The rocks keep the roots from being able to spread out as they ought. As a result, if a hot day comes, the plant is in danger of withering and dying.
The Lord spoke about the seed which fell among the weeds. We don’t say when a child has a growth spurt that he’s “growing like a tomato plant.” Weeds grow quicker than veggies or fruit. In fact, the weeds will chooke out the seed if not taken away, resulting in no fruit.
Every farmer’s desire is that the seed fall to the good ground. None of the problems we saw with the other soils are there. Seed on the good ground will take root and yield a crop.
Of course, Jesus did not get up before a crowd to give advice on how to sow seed in their fields. There was a greater lesson to be learned. This was a lesson about receiving God’s word and allowing it to grow in our hearts, so that fruit to God will result.
The presence of a full explanation makes this parable unique. Usually we are given the parable, and it is left for us to determine the meaning. But in our text, the disciples asked the Lord to explain the parable to them. It seems they did not understand, and so the Lord explained it to them.
The seed represents the word of God. The sower is not identified specifically, for God’s word is sown by many. Jesus was a sower of the word; as were all the apostles, and also as all of God’s people should be. The Christians in Jerusalem (except the apostles) were scattered due to persecution (Acts 8:4). They went everywhere sowing the seed of the kingdom. It seems the apostles continued to sow the seed in Jerusalem.
The four types of soil reveal the varied reaction folks will have to God’s word. The sowers of the word are not to become judges – that is not the purpsoe of mentioning the types of soil. In a physical field, the sower can easily determine if there are too many weeds or rocks, or if the property is too worn for the seed to take root. In the spiritual realm, we are not able to see the hearts of men, only the Lord can see the heart. Thus, we are to spread the seed of the kingdom indiscriminately. It is not for us to judge what type of soil any individual is. Our duty is to sow the seed.
The point of the parable is not for us to judge the soil of others, but to assess our own response to the word of God. Which of the four soils characterizes you? We would all like to think we are the good soil, but are we? Are we producing fruit for the Lord? Are we allowing the cares and concerns of this life to weigh us down rather than focusing on the things of God? Have we established deep roots in our faith, so we will stand and overcome no matter what comes our way? Do we love the word, or is it a bother to us to study the Bible or to assemble with fellow Christians?
Beach sand will always be beach sand. Fortunately, in the spiritual realm, if we’re not the good soil, we can change our hearts! What type of soil are you?
Links: YouVersion | GROW magazine
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