Jesus was the sower

JESUS WAS THE SOWER
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
Luke 8:15 15Butthe seed on good soil stands for those
with a noble and good heart, who hear the word,
retain it, and by perseveringproduce a crop.
BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
The Beginning Of Parables
Matthew 13:1-23 (see also Mark 4:1-20; Luke 8:4-15)
P.C. Barker
Utilize introduction to dwell on the plain assertions ofvers. 10-17. However
deep their real theologicalmeaning, howevermysterious their significance in
respectof the sovereignconduct of the world and the judgment of mankind,
the statements are plain. The deep, unfathomable fact underlying the
quotation from Isaiah(vers. 14, 15)is not altogetherfree from offering some
analogyto the subjectof the sin againstthe Holy Ghost (see our homily,
supra), "not to be forgiven, in this world nor in the world to come." In the
very pleasantestpaths of the gospelthe inscrutable meets us, and stands right
across ourway; yet not at all to destroy us, but to order knowledge, faith, and
reverence. It is plain, from the express assertionofChrist, that it is to be
regardedby us as some of the highest of our privilege, to have authoritative
revelation of matters that may be calledknowledge in "things present or
things to come," whichmay be nevertheless utterly inscrutable. The
absolutely mysterious in the individual facts of our individual life, and for

which, nevertheless, the current of that life does not stand still, may stand in
some sort of analogyto these greaterphenomena and greaterpronouncements
of Divine knowledge andforeknowledge.The promise is not to be found - it
were an impossible promise to find - that the marvels of Heaven's government
of earth should be all intelligible to us, or should be all of them oven uttered in
revelation. But some are uttered; they are written, and there, deep graven,
they lie from age to age, weatherbeatenenough, yet showing no wear, no
attrition, no obliteration of their hieroglyphic inscription - hieroglyphic not
for their alphabet, but confessedlyfor their construction, and the vindicating
of it. Note also, in introduction, that the sevenparables related in this chapter,
a rich cluster, certainly appear from internal evidence (alike the language of
the evangelist, ver. 3; that of the disciples in their question, ver. 10; and that of
Christ himself, vers. 9, 13) to have been the first formally spokenby Christ.
Of the beginning of parables, therefore, as of the beginning of miracles, we are
for some reasonspecificallyadvised. Notice -
I. THE PERFECT NATURALNESS,FAMILIAR HOMELINESS,
EXQUISITE APTNESS, OF THE MATERIAL OUT OF WHICH THE
STRUCTURE OF THIS PARABLE IS MADE. Seedand soil; Sowerand
sowing;and, to throw moving life into the picture, the touch thrown in of the
sower"going forth" to sow.
II. THE SPECIFIC SUBJECT OF THIS PARABLE - AN ILLUSTRATION
OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, i.e. THE WILL OF GOD "DONE IN
EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN." Such an illustration might be given very
variously. The view might be taken from many a point of vantage, and as the
kingdom should be found growing or grownat many a date. This Christ
might have given from all his stores ofknowledge, andhis true gift, true
possession, offoresight. He might have shown it in the early days of martyrs;
be might have shownit when Constantine proclaimed it the kingdom of
Europe, and something beside; he might have shown it as Christendom
projects it now; or he might have shown it even as glimpses - so strange are
they that we are frightened to fix our gaze on them - are flashedbefore our
doubting vision in the wonderful Book of the Revelation. But that which Jesus
did really choose to give was one of a more present, practicalcharacter. It
was, as one might suppose from very first glance, anillustration of sowing

time. The sowing time of God's truth, God's will, God's love and grace, in the
midst of a hard, and unprepared, and shallow, and ill-preoccupied world -
with nevertheless some better, some more promising material, in it.
III. THE ILLUSTRATION ITSELF IN DETAIL. It consists of the statement
of the ways in which men would acton the "hearing" of the "Word of God."
Four leading ways are described.
1. That of the man who is said (in Christ's own interpretation of his parable)
"not to understand" the Word spoken;i.e. he has no sympathy with it, he
possesses no instinct for it, finds awakenedwithin him no response whatever.
This is the man whose receptive state amounts to nothing. As the trodden path
(all the more trodden and more hard as it is comparatively narrow) acrossthe
ploughed field is approached againand againby the bountifully flinging hand
of the sower, as he paces the acres, evenit receives ofthe goodseed, but its
callous surface finds no entrance for it, offers it no fertilizing or even fertilized
resting place, and yet others, who at leastbetter know its value, for
whatsoeverreason, see it, seize it, and bear it off.
2. That of the man who "anon with joy receives" the Word. But it is a vapid
and shallow joy. It does not last, it does not grow;its very root withers. The
coating of hardness is not, as in the callous pathway, visible to the eye at first,
for it is just concealedand coveredover by a slightestlayer of earth, just
below which the hardness is not simply like that of "rock,"but it is rock itself.
There is nothing that has such a root wherewithto root itself as the Word of
God, and this needs deep earth. Not the birds of the air, not Satan and his evil
emissaries, take this seedaway, before ever it could show a symptom of its
own vital force, at any rate; this has shownits vitality, and has detected,
discovered, and laid ruinously bare to sight the unsustaining, because itself
unsustained, powerto feedlife, of that other element, that other essentialin
the solemnmatter.
3. That of the man "who hears the Word, but the cares ofthis world, and the
[seductive] deceitfulness ofriches, and the [crowding] desires ofother things,"
i.e. other things than the Word, "choke thatWord, and it becometh
unfruitful," or, if not unfruitful altogether, "itbringeth no fruit to

perfection." It is the seed, still the goodseed, lost, wasted, mockedof its
glorious fruit, because thatsame liberal, scattering, Sower's hand has not
grudged it, to earth, that is all the while attesting its ownrichness, quality,
force, by what is growing out of it, but is untilled, undressed, unweeded -
thorns, briers, brambles, and all most precocious growths sufferedto
tyrannize and usurp its best energies!How often have men moralized, and
justly, that the cleverness ofthe sinner, and his wisdom in his generation, and
his dexterity and resourceswhenpushed to the lastextremities, would have
made the saint, and the eminent saint, had his gifts, instead of being so
prostituted, so miserably misdirected, been turned in the right direction, fixed
on the right objects!But short far of flagrant vice, true it is that the absorbing
things and the seductive things and the crowding competition of desires of
things of this world, have, millions of times untold, chokedthe Word. No
room, no time, no care, no energy, has been left for the things of eternal value,
immortal wealth, presentholiness.
4. That of the man who "heareth, and understandeth, who also beareth fruit;"
or again, "who in an honest and good heart, having heard the Word, keeps it,
and brings forth fruit with patience." It is the seed, that pricelesslygoodseed,
which now at lasthas found its appropriate earth. It falls not on the hard
pathway; it falls not on the treacherous, deceptive, depthlessness,allradiant
with light and sun though it be; it falls not on the soil bearing at the same time
incontestable evidence of two things - its own power to grow, and its own
doomed state to grow the things "whose end is to be burned." It fails "into the
goodground." We are in the presence ofthe mystery, not of "who made us to
differ," but of how and why he who made us to differ, did so. The practical
part of the question is plain forevery one who has an eye to see. Everyman
must give accountof himself at the last; and every one must now prepare for
that account. What sign of "goodness," whatslightestgerm of "goodness,"
what instinct, as it may seem, and power of "goodness,"anyman's heart,
passing thought, life may just suggest -if it be but like a suggestion - must be
reckonedwith now, improved now, solemnly consecratednow, and the
mystery will still for the present be left mystery. But the facts and the results
and the blessedness willspeak for themselves. And the kingdom of heaven be

receiving its fairer and fairestillustration, insteadof its darker and darkest
illustrations. That kingdom will be the more a "coming" kingdom. - B.
Biblical Illustrator
But that on the goodground are they, which in an honestand goodheart,
having heard the Word, keepit.
Luke 8:15
The necessityofpatience
Thomas Taylor, D. D
The necessityofpatience in the Christian course appearethby these reasons:
1. The scope of the gospelis to make men fruitful Christians. But this can
never be, without the persecutionof the world (2 Timothy 3:12). The shadow
doth not more undividedly follow the body, than persecutions and trials follow
the professionofthe gospel. This necessityof suffering afflictions implies and
infers a necessityof patience.

2. It is necessaryin respectof the manuring and preparing to fruit. The best
ground brings no fruit unless it endure the plough, the harrow, the cold, the
frost: even so the Lord prepareth His children to fruits of grace, by patient
enduring many trials. The walnut tree is made fruitful by beating, camomile
by treading upon, the palm by pressing, and the Christian by suffering.
3. In respectof the producing of fruits, there is greatneed of patience:seeing
there is no fruit of grace whichSatan seeksnot to kill in the very sprouting
and first appearance;as the child in his birth (Revelation12:4). And the
wickedworld seeks to blast them with the eastwind of reproaches, yea to nip
and pinch them, out-face and destroythem, with strong and violent
persecutions:so as without patience " enduring the cross, anddespising the
shame," this thirtyfold cannotbe expected, much less an hundredfold. Thus
Christ Himself brings forth to us all His blessedfruits, not without the
greatestpatience, proportionedto His greatestsufferings:and after the same
manner must we also bring forth our fruits to Him.
4. It is necessary, in respectof the growth and ripening of fruits. The seed
sowncomes not up all at once, but by degrees;" first the blade, then the ear,
then ripe fruit" (Mark 4:28). So all our graces andfruits are small at first,
and receive increase by little and little.
5. It is necessaryin respectof things that might hinder the growth, if patience
prevented not: as first, the smart of present afflictions; for every affliction is
"grievous for the present" (Hebrews 12:11), the mention thereof oftentimes
makes us shrink, and startle, and grow out of heart, because ofthe roughness
of our way. But now "by patience we possessour souls," the present remedy
of the disciple's greatestpersecutions (Luke 21:17-19), whereasby impatience
we lose ourselves, and lessenour fruits. Secondly, the common crosses which
accompanyour mortal life will make us wearyenough, unless patience supply
some strength, and under-shore us. Thirdly, inward temptations, and
disquietness of conscience, the wounds of spirit, are so intolerable, that the
violence of them often shakes offmany fruits, and makes the Christian walk
weaklymany days. Now patience alone keeps the soul at peace and quietness,
waiting for God unto succouror issue. It holds the heart in expectationof the
accomplishmentof God's promises, and our happiness in Christ. Fourthly,

there are enemies without, which hazard our fruits. Fifthly, infirmities of
brethren with whom we converse, were a greatmeans to shake off our fruits
(as Barnabas lost his sincerity for a time by Peter's dissimulation), if patience
did not uphold to discern and "bearthe infirmities of the weak" (Romans
15:1, 2).
6. Patience is necessaryin respectofthe harvest of fruits, the gathering and
full reaping of all the seedsown. And thus the goodground brings forth "with
patience," i.e., with patient expectationof the full fruits; the first-fruits
whereofare alreadyattained (Romans 8.25).
(Thomas Taylor, D. D)
Effectualhearing
T Watson.
If you would hear the Word aright, be not only attentive, but retentive. Lay
the Word up in your memories and hearts. "The seedon the goodground are
they who, having heard the Word, keepit." The Greek word for "keep"
signifies "to hold the Word fast, that it do not run from us." If the seedbe not
kept in the ground, but is presently washedaway, it is sownto little purpose:
so, if the Word preachedbe not kept in your memories and hearts, it is
preachedin vain. Many people have memories like leakyvessels — the Word
goes out as fast as it comes in: how, then, can it profit? If a treasure be put
into a chestand the chestnot locked, it may easilybe takenout: a bad
memory is like a chestwithout a look, the devil can easilytake out all the
treasure. Labour to keepin memory the truths you hear: the things we esteem
we are not so apt to forget.
(T Watson.)
Meditation renders goodimpressions lasting
Scriver.

Gotthold had for some purpose takenfrom a cupboard a vial of rosewater,
and, after using it, inconsiderately left it unstopped. Observing it some time
after, he found that all the strength and sweetnessofthe perfume had
evaporated. Here, thought he with himself, is a striking emblem of a heart
fond of the world and open to the impression of outward objects. What good
does it do to take such a heart to the house of God, and there fill it with the
precious essenceofthe roses ofparadise which are the truths of Scripture?
What goodto kindle in it a glow of devotion, if we afterwards neglectto close
the outlet — by which I mean, to keepthe Word in an honestand goodheart.
How vain to hear much, but to retain little, and to practise less. How vain to
experience within us sacredand holy emotions, unless we are afterwards
careful to close the heart by diligent reflectionand prayer, and so keepit
unspotted from the world. Neglectthis, and the strength and spirit of devotion
evaporates, andleaves only a lifeless form behind.
(Scriver.)
Remarkable fertility
C. H. Spurgeon.
Paul Joanne ascribes amazing fertility to the soil of Mentone, and backs his
assertions by a story which reads like a legend. He says that a strangercoming
to pay a visit to his Mentonese friends stuck his walking-stick into the ground
and forgotit. Coming back some days afterwards to seek his cane, he was
surprised to find it putting forth leaves and young branches. He declares that
the little tree has grownvastly, and is still to be seenin the Rue Saint Michel.
We have not seenit, and are afraid that to inquire for it in the aforesaidRue
would raise a laugh at our expense. We may believe the story or not as we
please;but it may serve as an emblem of the way in which those grow who are
by grace planted in Christ. All dry and withered like a rod we are thrust into
the sacredsoil, and life comes to us at once, with bud and branch and speedy
fruit. Aaron's rod that budded was not only a fair type of our Lord, but a
cheering prophecy of ourselves. Wheneverwe feeldead and barren let us ask

to be buried in Christ afresh, and straightwaywe shall glorify His name by
bearing much fruit.
(C. H. Spurgeon.)
The mystery of growth
E. White.
In the growth of a grain of wheat are three miracles of wonders, viz., the
powerof absorbing fresh materials, the powerof changing them into living
vegetable substance, andthe powerof arranging the new materials according
to a fixed pattern. Could we see this process through a powerful magnifying
glass, so that the particles which are to be absorbedshould seemas large as
marbles, we should see millions of such marbles building themselves up into a
greentree; some marching to one part, some to another; then changing
themselves into tree sub. stance, and, finally, all arrangedinto an exact
pattern, so that no one canmistake the nature of the tree. Growth is a
mystery.
(E. White.)
With patience
S. Cox, D. D.
Of all the characteristics ofthe goodhearer, this, as it is the most valuable, is
also the hardest to attain. To wait is even harder than to labour and to obey.
Unless we are to have our harvestvery soon, we have hardly the heart to sow.
The husbandman has long patience — must have it — till he receives the early
and the latter rain. So with us. To become a goodhearer, i.e., a gooddoer of
the Word, is a task which requires long patience. We must suffer many a
killing frost, many a darkening shower, many a burning sun, before the good
seedcastinto our hearts by that greatSower, who daily goes forth to sow, will
gladden us with its increase. Butthe longerwe waitthe more precious will be

the harvest — it is only ill weeds that spring up apace — and the sweeterthe
taste of the bread which has been so hardly earned, and so long in coming.
(S. Cox, D. D.)
PRECEPTAUSTIN RESOURCES
BRUCEHURT MD
Luke 8:15 "But the seedin the goodsoil, these are the ones who have heard
the word in an honest and goodheart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with
perseverance.
NET Luke 8:15 But as for the seedthat landed on goodsoil, these are the
ones who, after hearing the word, cling to it with an honestand goodheart,
and bear fruit with steadfastendurance.
GNT Luke 8:15 τὸ δὲ ἐν τῇ καλῇ γῇ, οὗτοί εἰσιν οἵτινες ἐν καρδίᾳ καλῇ καὶ
ἀγαθῇ ἀκούσαντες τὸνλόγονκατέχουσινκαὶ καρποφοροῦσινἐν ὑπομονῇ.
NLT Luke 8:15 And the seeds that fell on the goodsoil representhonest,
good-heartedpeople who hear God's word, cling to it, and patiently produce a
huge harvest.
KJV Luke 8:15 But that on the goodground are they, which in an honest and
goodheart, having heard the word, keepit, and bring forth fruit with
patience.
ESV Luke 8:15 As for that in the goodsoil, they are those who, hearing the
word, hold it fast in an honest and goodheart, and bear fruit with patience.

NIV Luke 8:15 But the seedon goodsoil stands for those with a noble and
goodheart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.
ASV Luke 8:15 And that in the goodground, these are such as in an honest
and goodheart, having heard the word, hold it fast, and bring forth fruit with
patience.
CSB Luke 8:15 But the seedin the goodground-- these are the ones who,
having heard the word with an honest and goodheart, hold on to it and by
enduring, bear fruit.
NKJ Luke 8:15 "But the ones that fell on the goodground are those who,
having heard the word with a noble and goodheart, keepit and bear fruit
with patience.
NRS Luke 8:15 But as for that in the goodsoil, these are the ones who, when
they hear the word, hold it fast in an honestand goodheart, and bear fruit
with patient endurance.
YLT Luke 8:15 'And that in the goodground: These are they, who in an
upright and goodheart, having heard the word, do retain it, and bear fruit in
continuance.
NAB Luke 8:15 But as for the seedthat fell on rich soil, they are the ones
who, when they have heard the word, embrace it with a generous and good
heart, and bear fruit through perseverance.
NJB Luke 8:15 As for the part in the rich soil, this is people with a noble and
generous heartwho have heard the word and take it to themselves and yield a
harvest through their perseverance.
GWN Luke 8:15 The seeds that were planted on goodground are people who
also hear the word. But they keepit in their goodand honest hearts and
produce what is gooddespite what life may bring.
BBE Luke 8:15 And those in the goodearth are those who, having given ear
to the word, keepit with a goodand true heart, and in quiet strength give
fruit.

in an: Lu 6:45 De 30:6 Ps 51:10 Jer 31:33 32:29 Eze 36:26,27 Ro 7:18 Eph 2:8
Jas 1:16-19 1Pe 2:1,2
hold it fast: Lu 11:28 Job23:11,12 Ps 1:1-3 119:11,127-129Pr3:1 Jer 15:16
Joh 14:15,21-24 15:10 1Co 7:19 Heb 2:1 Jas 1:22-25 1Jn2:3
bear fruit : Mt 24:13 Ro 2:7 6:22 7:4 Ga 5:22-26 Php 1:11 3:13-15 Col 1:6,10
Heb 6:11,12 10:36 Jas 1:4 5:7,8
Luke 8:4-15 Receptivity to the Gospel, Part 1 - John MacArthur
Luke 8:14-15 Receptivity to the Gospel, Part3 - John MacArthur
Luke 8:4-15 - StevenCole
Luke 8 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries
ParallelPassages:
Matthew 13:23+ “And the one on whom seedwas sownon the goodsoil, this is
the man who hears the word and understands it; who indeed bears fruit and
brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.”
Mark 4:20+ “And those are the ones on whom seedwas sownon the goodsoil;
and they hear the word and acceptit and bearfruit, thirty, sixty, and a
hundredfold.”
PARABLE OF THE SOILS:
THE GOOD SOIL
It is worth noting that all four responses may be found in the life of one
individual over time. I know that I was much like the first soil for some 20
years. Then one day I heard the Word of God at age 39 and receivedand
repented and believed. I think a lessonfor me is to not judge the "book by its
cover", but even if the messageseems to fall on rockysoil, my call is to keep
showing them the love of Christ unconditionally, and the Spirit might use that
to "plow" that person's heart enabling them to receive the Word implanted
which is able to save their soul(James 1:21b+). What we need to remember is

that all three of the "failures" may be changedover time. That's God's
business.
Phillips sums up the soils - The first kind of heareris illustrated by the scribes
and Pharisees,who "rejectedthe counselof God againstthemselves" (Luke
7:30). Judas, Herod, and Pilate belong to the same terrible company. The
secondkind of heareris illustrated by Demas, who abandoned Paul in his
hour of need when the going got tough. The Lord had His share of those who
"wentback, and walkedno more with him" (John 6:66). The third kind of
hearer is illustrated by the rich young ruler (Matt. 19:22). The fourth kind of
hearer is illustrated by the Lord's own disciples, Nicodemus, Josephof
Arimathea, Cornelius, and the various Marys. (Exploring Luke)
But (de) in this context is an important term of contrastwhich serves to set
this soilapart from the previous three soils.
The seedin the goodsoil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an
honest and goodheart - Notice that in this passagethe seedis the word which
has been heard. Jesus explains that the goodsoil is an honestand goodheart.
Matthew's versionadds "this is the man who hears the word and understands
it." (Mt 13:23+). The word understands is suniemi in the present tense
(continually understands) and literally means to bring together. Jesus uses it
figuratively meaning this man is able to "piece together" the "puzzle" of the
Gospel(E.g., [1] you are a sinner, [2] you need a Savior, [3] you must repent
and receive/believe Jesus. Seethe Romans Roadto Salvation). Mark 4:20+
adds that "they hear the word and acceptit" where acceptis in the present
tense indicating they continually acceptthe Word. The verb acceptis
paradechomai(para = near + dechomai= receive deliberately and readily)
means to acceptdeliberately, willingly, favorably, readily, kindly taking to
oneselfwhich in the reflexive middle voice signifies they are personalizing the
seedof the Gospel. Combining the three synoptic accounts, we learnthat the
goodsoil hears the goodword of the Gospel, gladlyaccepts it and fully
understands it.

Good(soil)...honest...(heart)(2570)(kalos)describesthat which is inherently
excellentor intrinsically good, providing some specialor superior benefit. The
soil is synonymous with the heart and Jesus says both are kalos.
Good("goodheart")(18)(agathos)means intrinsically good, inherently good
in quality with the idea of that which is also profitable, useful, benefiting
others, benevolent (marked by or disposedto doing good). Agathos is that
which is goodin its character, beneficialin its effects and useful in its action.
Agathos is used in the New Testamentprimarily of spiritual and moral
excellence.
Heart (2588)(kardia)does not refer to the physical organbut is always used
figuratively in Scripture to refer to the seatand center of human life. The
heart is the centerof the personality, and it controls the intellect, emotions,
and will. No outward obedience is of the slightestvalue unless the heart turns
to God. Just as the integrity of our physical heart is vital to our physical life,
in a similar and even more important way the integrity of our spiritual heart
is vital to our spiritual life, for our spiritual life impacts not just our
enjoyment of time but of eternity!
THOUGHT - Beloved, let us study the meaning of kardia, but let us be far
more diligent in guarding our kardia in this short life. In Pr 4:23+ Solomon
commands us "Watchover your heart with all diligence, Forfrom it flow the
springs of life." (cf 1Ti 4:7, 8+ = "discipline yourself for godliness," 2Co 5:9+
2Co 5:10+). Spurgeon writes "A short life should be wisely spent. We have not
enough time at our disposalto justify us in misspending a single quarter of an
hour. Neither are we sure of enough life to justify us in procrastinating for a
moment. If we were wise in heart we should see this, but mere head wisdom
will not guide us aright." See his full note on Ps 90:12+. The greatPuritan
divine John Flavelwrote that "THE heart of man is his worstpart before it is
regenerated, and the best afterward; it is the seatof principles, and the
fountain of actions."
And hold it fast - Hold fastis katecho in the present tense and active voice
(volitional choice, decisionofour will) signifying that holding fast to the truth
of the Gospelis to be the continual choice of our will! Notice also that one's

continually holding fast to the Word of the Gospelis evidence that God's
Spirit is continually holding us fast, this "dual dynamic" emphasizing the
mysterious juxtaposition of divine sovereigntyand human responsibility,
God's part, our part! We continually choose to hold fast to the Gospelbecause
the Spirit continually enables us to make the choice to hold fast(see Php
2:13NLT+).
We see a similar pattern in another use of katecho in 1 Cor 15:2+ where Paul
writes "by which (REFERRING TO THE GOSPEL - 1 Cor15:1+) also you
are saved, if (see FirstClass Conditional = "Since")you hold fast (katecho)
the word (GOSPEL)which I preachedto you, unless you believed in vain."
Paul is saying that to hold fastthe Word of the Gospelis evidence one is
genuinely saved by the Gospel. He is not implying one can lose their salvation
but is saying that the only ones who are able to hold fast (cf perseverance of
the saints)are those who have been born againand therefore have the
enabling power of the indwelling Spirit (katecho is used in similar descriptions
of perseverance ofthe saints in Hebrews 3:6+ = "if we hold fastour
confidence" and Hebrews 3:14+ = "if we hold fast the beginning of our
assurance"). In another use of katecho we see the antithesis of the goodheart
in Romans 1:18+ where Paul describes unbelievers who actively, willfully
(active voice)"suppress (hold down) the truth (ABOUT GOD AND THE
GOSPEL)in unrighteousness!"
John Phillips on hold it fast - The Lord demands a response of some sort to
the proclamationof His Word. Honesty and openness will result in God's
Word taking permanent root in a human heart. Demonic activity,
shallowness, materialism, and ulterior motives are primary causesfor hearing
God's Word in vain.
Goodhearts receive and hold the Word fast!
Bad hearts reject and hold the Word down!
Hold it fast (2722)(katecho from katá = intensifies meaning + écho = have,
hold) means to retain, hold or keepin one's possessionand in the present
context is used figuratively referring to holding the Gospelfast.

THOUGHT - When we are holding fast the Gospel, we will find that in times
of trial, persecutionand affliction, the Gospelwill hold us fast! We should
frequently, even daily "preachthe Gospel" to ourselves (see What it Means to
be GospelCentered- excellentchart; Video by Jerry Bridges - Preachthe
Gospelto Yourself) Remember also that one of the best ways to hold fast to
God's Word is by memorizing it. Are you memorizing God's Word? If not,
you need to begin today! See Memorizing His Word and Memory Verses by
Topic. You can hardly experience the priceless supernatural benefits of
Meditating on the Word (e.g., Joshua 1:8+, Ps 1:2-3+, Ps 119:9-11+)if you fail
to internalize the Word in your heart and mind. Memorization is the best way
to internalize the Word!
Bearfruit with perseverance -As alluded to in the discussionabove on hold
fast and its associationwith the doctrine of perseverance ofthe saints, Luke
adds that perseverance is the condition in which we are enabled by the Holy
Spirit to bear fruit, this fruit bearing serving to prove that we are genuine
saints! Statedanother way, a saint without fruit ain't! That is, one who
professes to be a saint but never at any time bears fruit "ain't a saint," bad
grammar, but accurate theology!Bearfruit with perseverance also implies
that bearing genuine spiritual fruit will take perseverance. This is especially
true when one considers the pressures that Jesus had just descriedas affected
the integrity of the soils/hearts, so not only does bearing fruit take time, it also
necessitates(Holy Spirit enabled) steadfastendurance to resistthe distracting,
destructive pressures Jesus described!Bearfruit (karpophoreo)is in the
present tense and thus Jesus is teaching that true believers will bring forth
fruit ("goodworks")continually (present tense)in all manner of activity
undertaken for the glory of the Father (cf Mt 5:16+, Jn 15:8), in the Name of
the Sonand in the energizing/enabling power of the indwelling Holy Spirit,
upon Whom the believer is entirely dependent. Indeed, goodworks could be
aptly termed "Godworks" and those are the only works that will endure
throughout eternity! The corollaryis that when people abandon their
professionof faith in Christ, it is evidence that their professionwas neverreal,
that they had not exercisedsaving faith. The proof of authenticity of one's
salvationis perseverance and fruit bearing. But don't be confused because

perseverance does NOT save a person, but only serves to show that a person is
truly saved.
MacArthur elaborates onthe important truth of perseverance - Sometimes
you hear an evangelistsay"Come forward and pray this prayer and now
we're happy to tell you you're all in the kingdom of God." They don't know
that is true, because you cannot tell simply because someone prayeda prayer.
You cannot tell because they had an outburst of joy. So how canyou tell?
Fruit with perseverance. Come back in a year, in five years, ten. The good
soil, the honestand goodheart holds permanently to the truth and manifests
fruit with hupomone, with perseverance. Hupomone means “to remain
under.” Menō is “to remain.” Hupo is “under.” So this is the personwho can
remain under trials, temptations, pressures, and difficulties and yet will
continue to persevere and bear spiritual fruit. That is the testof a genuine
believer! You cannottell someone that simply because they prayed a prayer
they are now a Christian because youdo not know. (Luke 8:14-15 Receptivity
to the Gospel, Part3)
As Spurgeon says regarding perseverance "He is not converted at all who is
not convertedeternally. The work of man is temporary; the work of God is
everlasting."
Darrell Bock emphasizes the vital role of perseverance (orpatience) writing
that "The mention of patience (perseverance)is important, for Luke assumes
that believers live under much pressure because oftheir faith. Associating
with Jesus will not help people to win popularity contests. Ifwe care about the
world's respector are too weak to resist temptation, we will not hold on to the
WORD with patience;tragically, we may fall away, or our potential for
fruitfulness may be chokedout (ED: THIS IS THE DESCRIPTIONOF AN
UNBELIEVER IN Lk 8:14. CF DEMAS - 2 Ti 4:10+). Three of the examples
end with the seedfailing to produce that for which it was sown. Godsows the
word to bear fruit in the heart. Only by clinging patiently to what God offers
does the seedreachmaturity. In other New Testamenttexts such reliance is
calledfaith. (Luke 8:4-9:17 Call to Faith and Christology)

Coursonon perseverance - When planting a garden, one plants the seed, then
waters it, then waits, then waters it, then waits before there's even the slightest
breakthrough. We understand this about gardens, but we don't understand
the same thing is true spiritually. "I've gone to church five times in a row," we
say, "but nothing's happening." Or, "I've had morning devotions for two
weeks straight, yetI'm not seeing any fruit, or my situation is not changing, or
I still don't have peace. I'll give it one more week, and then it's back to
sleeping in." We sow the seed, but we don't allow it time to take rootand bear
fruit. The one who bears fruit is the one who receives the Word with patience.
(Ibid)
Wiersbe concludes that "This soilalone is fruitful. It illustrates the individual
who hears the Word, understands it, receives it within, is truly saved, and
proves it by patiently producing fruit (see 1 Th. 2:13; 1 Pe 1:22-25). Not
everybody produces the same amount of fruit (Mt. 13:8), but all true believers
will produce some fruit as evidence of spiritual life. That fruit may include
winning others to Christ (Ro 1:13), money given to God's work (Ro 15:25-28),
goodworks (Col1:10), Christian character(Gal5:22-23), and praise to the
Lord (Heb. 13:15). (Bible Exposition Commentary)
J Vernon McGee adds that the fruit bearers "are the hearers who are
genuinely converted by the Word of God."
RelatedResources:
Perseverance ofthe Saints - is it biblical?
What does the Bible say about perseverance
How can I find joy in the midst of trials?
What does the Bible say about giving up?
William MacDonald- They not only receivedthe word but allowedit to mold
their lives. They were teachable and obedient, developing true Christian
characterand producing fruit for God. (Believer's Bible Commentary)
THOUGHT: The preceding comment begs a simple question - Are you
allowing the Word to mold you or is the world molding you? (Ro 12:2+) You

can't have it both ways (cf Mt 6:24+, 1 Ki 18:21, James 1:8+). Either you are
growing more Christ-like or more worldly-minded! For a true believer to fall
into this trap of backsliding is sadand will result in eternalloss of rewards. If
this condition persists, then one who professes Christas Savior and Lord
needs to do an honest internal examination as in 2 Cor13:5+ lest they end up
shockedwhenthey hear Jesus tell them to "Departfrom Me. I never knew
you!" (Mt 7:21-23+).
Bearfruit (2592)(karpophoreo from karpos = fruit, produce + phero = bear,
bring) literally means to bring forth fruit, to be fertile, productive. It is used
figuratively to refer to bringing forth deeds or works (fruit), which depending
on the context canbe goodfruit or bad fruit (Ro 7:4, 5-note)
Perseverance (5281)(hupomone from hupo = under + meno = stay, remain,
abide) literally means abiding under. The rootidea of hupomone is to remain
under some discipline, subjecting one’s self to something which demands the
submission of one's will to something againstwhich one naturally would rebel.
It portrays a picture of steadfastlyand unflinchingly bearing up under a
heavy load and describes that quality of characterwhich does not allow one to
surrender to circumstances orsuccumb under trial. The picture is that of
steadfastness,constancyandendurance. It has in it a forward look, the ability
to focus on what is beyond the current pressures (eg Jesus "Who for the joy
setbefore Him endured [verb form hupomeno] the Cross despising the
shame" Heb 12:2+). As alluded to in the preceding section, this supernatural
quality of "abiding under" is possible only as we rely on the enabling powerof
the Spirit.
Luke adds that these "bear fruit with perseverance."Thus perseverance is the
condition in which we are enabled by the Holy Spirit to bear fruit, this fruit
bearing serving to prove that we are genuine saints! Statedanother way, a
saint without fruit ain't! That is to say, a personwho professes to be a saint,
but never bears fruit "ain't a saint," bad grammar, but accurate theology!
THOUGHT - Those figures representyields of 3,000, 6,000, and 10,000
percent! Usually the yields were less than eightfold, and a crop that produced
tenfold would have been extraordinary. But here God speaks ofsupernatural

fruit not natural fruit. This should getus excited, for this fruit is not
necessarilyharvestedon this earth, but it will be harvested in Heaven and it
will remain or endure eternally (cf Jn 15:16)! Mark it down beloved, when we
sow the Gospel, it goes forth empoweredby the Spirit of God and the results
are supernatural, even "far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think,
according to the power (THE SPIRIT)that (WHO) works within us." (Eph
3:20+). What is the upshot? Sow the Gospelseedtoday while it is still called
today, "night is coming when no one canwork." (Jn 9:4) Redeemthe Time for
eternity, for the glory of the Lord!
MacArthur - Thoughbelievers are not savedby doing goodworks (Eph. 2:8-
9+), those who are truly saved will give evidence of their new life in Christ
through the fruit of obedience (Eph. 2:10+; cf. Matt. 7:16-20+;2 Cor. 5:17+).
John the Baptistcalled for fruit bearing to validate the authenticity of one's
repentance...
“Therefore bearfruit (aoristimperative only possible as one depends on the
Holy Spirit - which in fact is evidence that one has the Spirit indwelling!) in
keeping with repentance." (Mt3:8+)
Abundant fruit bearing is God's will for every believer for Jesus declared
“My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be
My disciples. (Jn 15:8)
David Thompson - Some produced a yield of 30 times, some 60 times and
some 100 times. Naturally, 100 times yield would be the ideal. But all these
numbers are good. Now Palestinianinterpreters say that a typical yield in
Palestine would be fivefold or tenfold at most, so the numbers describedhere
are remarkable. Herodotus, the Greek historian who lived about 450 B.C.,
claimed that some of the soilwas so rich in Palestine that it had a 700 fold
return. He was probably exaggerating a bit, but Jesus uses the top number of
100 times return.(Sermon)
Alan Carr asks "So, whatkind of fruit does goodsoilproduce?"
Goodworks – Col. 1:10+, cf Col 1:6+

Holiness and righteousness – Ro 6:22+; Phil. 1:11+
Genuine spirituality – Gal. 5:22-23+
A burden for souls – Ro 1:13+
Praise and thanksgiving – Heb. 13:15+
Sharing material goods – Ro 15:27-28+ (Mark 4:1-20 The Parable Of The
Soils)
Notice the prepositions used with eachsoil...
BY (beside) the wayside (Lk 8:5, 12)
ON the rock (Lk 8:6, 13)
AMONG the thorns (Lk 8:7, 14)
INTO the goodground (Lk 8:8, 15)
W H Griffith-Thomas - Let us therefore heed not only--
What we hear -- Gospelmessage,inspirational challenge, etc., but also...
How we hear -- simply, sincerely, sympathetically, surrendering lip and life,
personality and possessions.
The Word of God just be receivedand retained in order that it may reveal.
Are we doing this?
Puritan Thomas Watsonon EffectualHearing - If you would hear the Word
aright, be not only attentive, but retentive. Lay the Word up in your memories
and hearts. "The seedon the goodground are they who, having heard the
Word, keepit." The Greek word for "keep" signifies "to hold the Word fast,
that it do not run from us." If the seedbe not kept in the ground, but is
presently washedaway, it is sownto little purpose: so, if the Word preached
be not kept in your memories and hearts, it is preachedin vain. Many people
have memories like leakyvessels — the Word goes out as fast as it comes in:
how, then, can it profit? If a treasure be put into a chestand the chestnot
locked, it may easilybe takenout: a bad memory is like a chestwithout a look,

the devil caneasily take out all the treasure. Labour to keepin memory the
truths you hear: the things we esteemwe are not so apt to forget.
Steven Cole - The fact that Jesus calls this heart “honestand good” does not
mean that He believed in the inherent goodness ofsome people. Jesus
certainly agreedwith the Hebrew Scriptures which repeatedly affirm the
sinfulness of every human heart (Ge 6:5; Ge 8:21; Ps 14:3; Je 17:9). Jesus
Himself taught that the human heart is the source of all sorts of wickedness
(Mk 7:21-23). He told even His disciples that they were evil (Lu 11:13)and He
told the rich young ruler that none is goodexceptGod alone (Lu 18:19).Any
goodheart is goodbecause Godgraciouslyhas wrought the miracle of
regenerationin that heart. In response to God’s grace, this person hears the
Word, holds it fast, and bears fruit over the long haul with perseverance.
Fruit is that which the life of God produces in and through a believer. It
includes Christlike character, conduct, and converts. The fruitful Christian is
not only a hearerof the Word, but also a doer of it. He feeds on it continually
so that it confronts his sin, it challenges his wrong attitudes, and it shows him
how to live in a manner pleasing to God. He is not being conformed to this
world, but is being transformed by the renewing of his mind (Ro 12:2).
ILLUSTRATION OF DIFFERENTSOILS - The popular preacher, Chuck
Swindoll, tells of ministering at a family conference.There was a young couple
there with severalsmall children, and it was obvious that they had some
serious problems in their marriage. But as the week progressed, Chuck
watchedthis couple change as they sat under the teaching of God’s Word. The
husband seemedto hang on every word. The wife had her Bible open and
followedcarefully from passage to passage.On the last day, they both came
up to Chuck and said, “We want you to know that this week has been a 180
degree turn around experience for us. When we came, we were ready to
separate. We’re going back now strongerthan we have ever been in our
marriage.”That’s tremendous!But the sadthing, Chuck said, is that at the
same conference with the same speakers, the same truths, and the same
surroundings, another man was turned off. He wasn’t open to God’s Word.
He attended the first few sessions, but his guilt became so greatand his

conviction so deep that he went home. His family left hurting, perhaps even
more so than when they came. What was the difference betweenthose two
men at the same conference?The difference was the condition of the soilof
their hearts.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS -
In light of this parable, should we give assurance ofsalvationto new
believers? Why/why not?
Do you agree that only one soil is truly saved? Could types two and three be
“carnal” Christians? Whatdifference does this make?
When we sow the seedof the gospel, to what extent should be try to be
persuasive and to what extent should we fall back on the sovereigntyof God
(see 1Co 9:19-23;2Co 5:11)?
How can we guard againstworries, riches, and pleasures choking out the
Word in our lives? (Luke 8:4-15 Superficial and Genuine Believers)
MacArthur discusses the nature of the fruit -
There's two kinds of fruit: attitude fruit and actionfruit; attitude fruit and
actionfruit. The fruit that's demonstrated in your inner man and the fruit
that's demonstrated in your outer man. You cansee the fruit of conversionin
the attitudessuchas, "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, faith,
meekness,gentleness, goodness."(Gal5:22-23)You see it in their love for
God, love for Christ, love for others. You see it in the joy and trials, peace in
tribulation. The fruit of attitude is manifest. You getto know a person and
you know whether you're seeing evidence oftransformed life in how they deal
with all the stuff that comes in life.... you can do a little spiritual EKG on
yourself by just taking inventory of your attitude. Are you compelled by the
love that you have for Christ? Are you compelledby the love for God? Is it
the heart cry to worship God, to honor God, to serve God, to love others? Do
you find your heart is filled with hope? Do you find yourself at peace in the
midst of disappointment? Is there a constantundergirding of incessantjoy

because everything in the end is controlled by the sovereignpurpose of God
for your well-being and His glory? That's evidence of transformation. Action
fruit is what you say, what you do. John says, 1 John 3:9, 10 "If you're born
of God you don't continue in sin." Oh there will be sin there but it won't be
that unbroken pattern of sin that's characterizedin an unregenerate life. You
look at your life and you see righteous deeds. Philippians 1:11, "Their life will
be filled with all the fruits of righteousness." Theywill be, as Hebrews says,
the fruit of lips praise to God (Heb 13:15). As Paul said when he was going to
the Romans, I want to come and have some fruit among you. You'll be leading
people to Christ, spreading the Gospel. You can put on the "actionfruit,"
without the attitude fruit but that's legalism. The Pharisees were goodatthat.
They could do the action. They were painted white on the outside but inside
they were full of dead men's bones. So action fruit without attitude fruit is
damning legalism. Action fruit as a result of attitude fruit is true spirituality.
This is not a new concept. The wayyou know that somebody is a believer is
not by what they said somewhere orsometime, what they prayed somewhere
sometime. And parents: Don't hold on to that. You know when your child is
in the teen-agedyears, ortheir twenties or older, or whatever, and they're out
living a life that disregards Godall togetherand pays no attention to Jesus
Christ and demonstrates no love of righteousness, no consuming desire to
worship and honor God, don't think they're Christians because sometime in
the pastthey prayed a prayer. That doesn't mean anything. This is not new,
as I said. Psalm1:1, you cango all the way back to the beginning of the
Psalms. "How blessedis the man who doesn't walk in the counselof the
wickedor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seatof scoffers.His
delight is in the law of the Lord." You find somebodywho is regeneratedand
he will love the law of the Lord. “In His law he meditates day and night. He's
like a tree firmly planted by the streams of waterwhich yields its fruit in his
season.”(Ps 1:2) He's going to have a love for God. He's going to have a love
for the truth of God, the Word of God. It's going to show up in the fruit of his
life." (Luke 8:14-15 Receptivity to the Gospel, Part3)
J C Ryle on Luke 8:4-15 - THE parable of the sower, containedin these
verses, is reported more frequently than any parable in the Bible. It is a

parable of universal application. The things it relates are continually going on
in every congregationto which the Gospelis preached. The four kinds of
hearts it describes are to be found in every assemblywhich hears the word.
These circumstancesshould make us always read the parable with a deep
sense ofits importance. We should sayto ourselves, as we read it: “This
concerns me. My heart is to be seenin this parable. I, too, am here.” The
passageitselfrequires little explanation. In fact, the meaning of the whole
picture is so fully explained by our Lord Jesus Christ, that no exposition of
man can throw much additional light on it. The parable is preeminently a
parable of caution, and caution about a most important subject,—the way of
hearing the word of God. It was meant to be a warning to the apostles, not to
expecttoo much from hearers. It was meant to be a warning to all ministers of
the Gospel, not to look for too greatresults from sermons. It was meant, not
least, to be a warning to hearers, to take heed how they hear. Preaching is an
ordinance of which the value can never be overrated in the Church of Christ.
But it should never be forgotten, that there must not only be goodpreaching,
but goodhearing.
The first cautionthat we learn from the parable of the sower, is to beware of
the devil when we hear the word. Our Lord tells us that the hearts of some
hearers are like “the wayside.” The seedof the Gospelis plucked awayfrom
them by the devil almost as soonas it is sown. It does not sink down into their
consciences. It does not make the leastimpression on their minds. The devil,
no doubt, is everywhere (Ed: This is not accurate theology!His demonic
underlings undoubtedly are everywhere, but he is finite and fixed at any
moment in time!). That malicious spirit is unwearied in his efforts to do us
harm. He (HIS DEMONS)is ever watching for our halting, and seeking
occasionto destroy our souls. But nowhere perhaps is the devil so active as in
a congregationof Gospel-hearers. Nowhere does he labor so hard to stop the
progress ofthat which is good, and to prevent men and women being saved.
From him come wandering thoughts and roving imaginations,—listlessminds
and dull memories,—sleepyeyes and fidgetty nerves, wearyears and
distracted attention. In all these things Satanhas a greathand. People wonder
where they come from, and marvel how it is that they find sermons so dull,
and remember them so badly! They forget the parable of the sower. They

forgetthe devil. Let us take heed that we are not way-side hearers. Let us
beware of the devil. We shall always find him at Church. He never stays away
from public ordinances. Let us remember this, and be upon our guard. Heat,
and cold, and draughts, and damp, and wet, and rain, and snow, are often
dreaded by Church goers, and allegedas reasons fornot going to Church. But
there is one enemy whom they ought to fear more than all these things
together. That enemy is Satan.
The secondcautionthat we learn from the parable of the sower, is to beware
of resting on mere temporary impressions when we have heard the word. Our
Lord tells us that the hearts of some hearers are like rockyground. The seed
of the word springs up immediately, as soonas they hearit, and bears a crop
of joyful impressions, and pleasurable emotions. But these impressions,
unhappily, are only on the surface. There is no deep and abiding work done in
their souls. And hence, so soonas the scorching heatof temptation or
persecutionbegins to be felt, the little bit of religionwhich they seemedto
have attained, withers and vanishes away. Feelings, no doubt, fill a most
important office in our personalChristianity. Without them there can be no
saving religion. Hope, and joy, and peace, andconfidence, and resignation,
and love, and fear, are things which must be felt, if they really exist. But it
must never be forgottenthat there are religious affections, whichare spurious
and false, and spring from nothing better than animal excitement. It is quite
possible to feel greatpleasure, or deep alarm, under the preaching of the
Gospel, and yet to be utterly destitute of the grace ofGod. The tears of some
hearers of sermons, and the extravagantdelight of others, are no certain
marks of conversion. We may be warm admirers of favorite preachers, and
yet remain nothing better than stony-ground hearers. Nothing should content
us but a deep, humbling, self-mortifying work of the Holy Ghost, and a heart-
union with Christ.
The third caution containedin the parable of the soweris to beware of the
cares ofthis world. Our Lord tells us that the hearts of many hearers of the
word are like thorny ground. The seedof the word, when sownupon them, is
chokedby the multitude of other things, by which their affections are
occupied. They have no objection to the doctrines and requirements of the
Gospel. Theyeven wish to believe and obey them. But they allow the things of

earth to get such hold upon their minds, that they leave no room for the word
of God to do its work. And hence it follows that howevermany sermons they
hear, they seemnothing bettered by them. A weeklyprocess oftruth-stifling
goes onwithin. They bring no fruit to perfection. The things of this life form
one of the greatestdangers which beseta Christian’s path. The money, the
pleasures, the daily business of the world, are so many traps to catchsouls.
Thousands of things, which in themselves are innocent, become, when
followedto excess, little better than soul-poisons, andhelps to hell. Open sin is
not the only thing that ruins souls. In the midst of our families, and in the
pursuit of our lawful callings, we have need to be on our guard. Except we
watchand pray, these temporal things may rob us of heaven, and smother
every sermon we hear. We may live and die thorny-ground hearers.
The lastcaution contained in the parable of the sower, is to beware of being
content with any religion which does not bear fruit in our lives. Our Lord tells
us that the hearts of those who hear the word aright, are like goodground.
The seedof the Gospelsinks down deeply into their wills, and produces
practicalresults in their faith and practice. They not only hear with pleasure,
but actwith decision. They repent. They believe. They obey. Foreverlet us
bear in mind that this is the only religionthat saves souls. Outward profession
of Christianity, and the formal use of Church ordinances and sacraments,
never yet gave man a goodhope in life, or peace in death, or rest in the world
beyond the grave. There must be fruits of the Spirit in our hearts and lives, or
else the Gospelis preachedto us in vain. Those only who bear such fruits,
shall be found at Christ’s right hand in the day of His appearing.
Let us leave the parable with a deep sense of the danger and responsibility of
all hearers of the Gospel. There are four ways in which we may hear, and of
these four only one is right.—There are three kinds of hearers whose souls are
in imminent peril. How many of these three kinds are to be found in every
congregation!—There is only one class ofhearers which is right in the sight of
God. And what are we? Do we belong to that one?
Finally, let us leave the parable with a solemnrecollectionofthe duty of every
faithful preacherto divide his congregation, andgive to eachclass his portion.
The clergymanwho ascends his pulpit every Sunday, and addresses his

congregationas if he thought every one was going to heaven, is surely not
doing his duty to God or man. His preaching is flatly contradictory to the
parable of the sower.
PreparedSoil
Read:Luke 8:4-15
The ones that fell on the goodground are those who, having heard the word
with a noble and goodheart, keepit and bear fruit. —Luke 8:15
The farmer may be shoveling snow or enjoying the warmth of a winter fire
right now, but he’s thinking ahead to spring planting. Already he’s
anticipating those days when he turns over the soil. He’ll pull out rocks that
have risen with the frost, spread the right fertilizers, and get the earth ready
for the seed. He knows that the harder he prepares in the spring, the better his
harvest will be.
Jesus usedthat kind of word picture in the parable of the sower. The seedis
the Word of God, and the soil is our hearts. The “noble and goodheart” (Lk.
8:15) receives the Word, retains it, and produces fruit.
How about our hearts? Are they prepared to receive the seedof God’s Word?
Or are there hindrances that keepit from growing and bearing fruit? Jesus
identified three kinds of thorns that spring up and choke out the seed—”the
cares ofthis world, the deceitfulness ofriches, and the desires for other
things” (Mk. 4:19).
If you’ve growncold toward God’s Word, if it’s not firmly establishedin your
life and producing fruit, it may be that you’re too concernedabout this world
with its riches and distractions. Tearout those thorns! How much fruit you’ll
harvest depends on how well you prepare the soil. (Our Daily Bread,
Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. — Reprinted by permission.
All rights reserved)
It may not be some heinous deed

That chills our heart and chokes the seed;
It's often just a trifling toy
That grabs our eye and steals our joy.
—Gustafson
To bear good fruit, clearout the weeds of sin.
Gardening Tips
These are the ones sownon goodground, those who hear the Word, acceptit,
and bear fruit. —Mark 4:20
Today's Scripture: Mark 4:1-9
I picked up a gardening book the other day and got some goodadvice: Take
care of the soil, and don’t worry about the plants. If the soil is good, the seed
will take rootand grow.”
In the parable of the sowerin Mark 4, Jesus spoke ofthe importance of “good
ground” (or goodsoil). He defined goodsoilas referring to those who “hear”
God’s Word, “acceptit,” and “bearfruit” (v.20). If we keepour heart softand
receptive, God’s Word will take root, grow, and produce fruit.
In gardening, life is in the seed. Under the right conditions, it will grow until it
reaches maturity and produces fruit. Similarly, if the seedof the Word is
planted in the goodsoilof a receptive heart, it will grow until the characterof
Jesus is seen.
For the Christian, the powerof the spiritual life comes from the indwelling
Holy Spirit. As we open our heart to the Word with an eagernessto obey it,
the Spirit causes us to grow and bear fruit (Galatians 5:22-23).
We can’t make ourselves grow, any more than we can force growth from the
seeds in our gardens. But we can tend the soil, keeping our hearts soft,
receptive, and obedient to God’s Word. Then we will yield the fruit of
righteousness.

What kind of soilare you? By: David H. Roper (Our Daily Bread, Copyright
RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. — Reprinted by permission. All rights
reserved)
Lord, I would be soilin which You canplant
Your Word with its promise of fruit;
I want to be open to You every day,
So what You have planted takes root.
—Hess
A heart open to God is soilin which the seedof His Word canflourish.
Son Followers
The seedon goodsoil stands for those with a noble and goodheart, who hear
the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.Luke 8:15
Today's Scripture & Insight:Luke 8:11–15
Sunflowers sprout in a carefree manner all over the world. Pollinated by bees,
the plants spring up on the sides of highways, under bird feeders, and across
fields, meadows, and prairies. To produce a harvest, however, sunflowers
need goodsoil. Well-drained, slightly acidic, nutrient-rich soil“with organic
matter or composted,” says the Farmer’s Almanac, finally produces tasty
sunflower seeds, pure oil, and also a livelihood for hard-working sunflower
growers.
We also need“goodsoil” for spiritual growth (Luke 8:15). As Jesus taught in
His parable of the farmer scattering seed, God’s Word cansprout even in
rockyor thorny soil (see vv. 6–7). It only thrives, however, in the soil of
“honest, good-heartedpeople who hear God’s word, cling to it, and patiently
produce a huge harvest” (v. 15 nlt).
Young sunflowers are just as patient in their growth. Following the sun’s
movement throughout the day, they turn sunward daily in a process called

heliotropism. Mature sunflowers are just as deliberate. They turn eastward
permanently, warming the face of the flower and increasing visits from
pollinator bees. This in turn produces a greaterharvest.
As with those who care for sunflowers, we canprovide a rich medium for
God’s Word to grow by clinging to is Word and following after His Son—
developing honesty and a good heart for God’s Word to mature us. It’s a daily
process. Maywe follow the Son and grow. By: Patricia Raybon(Our Daily
Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. — Reprinted by
permission. All rights reserved)
What’s the condition of your spiritual soil? Rocky, thorny, or rich in spiritual
“nutrients”? Why? When you follow the Son daily, how does this practice
impact your honesty and heart?
What Kind Of Soil Are You?
Those who [hear] the Word with a noble and goodheart keepit and bear
fruit. — Luke 8:15
Today's Scripture: Luke 8:4-15
A new resident at the drug rehabilitation center where I workedwas given the
task of planting runner-bean seeds. With no experience growing vegetables,
Jim quickly became bored waiting for the seeds to sprout.
After weeks ofseeing nothing happen, Jim finally noticed signs of life coming
up. Before long, he had to put poles in the ground for the beans to climb. One
day Jim ran excitedly into the kitchen with some freshly picked beans for
dinner. “Wow!All this from tiny seeds!” he exclaimed. “I’ve sure learned a
lot!”
As I talked with Jim, it became clearthat he learned more than how plants
grow. He gained a new insight: If we willingly listen to God in His Word and
do what’s right for the right reasons and for the right length of time, our lives
will be fruitful.

In Luke 8, Jesus useda parable to teachthat the seedof the Word of God will
produce a harvest in goodsoil. But the seedis productive only if the soil is
receptive.
People with receptive hearts hear God’s Word, obey it, and bear fruit. Others,
however, have resistanthearts that fall prey to the devil, do not allow the seed
to take root, or are overgrownwith the cares and temptations of life.
God’s Word is goodseed. Is your heart goodsoil? —JEY (Our Daily Bread,
Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. — Reprinted by permission.
All rights reserved)
Lord, I would be soilin which You canplant
Your Word with its promise of fruit;
I want to be open to You every day,
So what You have planted takes root. —Hess
To be spiritually fruitful, plant God's Word in your heart.
Parable of the Sower
February 23, 2018 in Parables
The parable of the sowermeaning is explained by the Lord Jesus Christto His
disciples, howeverthis page will explain it further to those willing to dig
deeper into the meaning. This page will also help you see how this parable of
the sowercontradicts the gospelof Once Saved Always Saved. May the Lord
Jesus guide you in your searchfor the truth!
TABLE OF CONTENTS[hide]

Parable of the SowerSummary
Gospelof Mark
Gospelof Matthew
Gospelof Luke
The Parable of the SowerMeaning
Parable of the Sowervs “Once SavedAlways Saved”
Stony Ground Believers
Among Thorns Believers
Conclusion
Parable of the SowerSummary
The Parable of the Soweris one of the famous parables of Jesus Christand is
found in the synoptic gospels in Mark 4:3-20, Matthew 13:3-23 and Luke 8:4-
15.
Here is the Parable of the Sowersummary: a man who is a sowergoes sowing
seeds everywhere. While some seeds fall on the path where there is no soil,
others fall on a rocky ground with very little soil, and other seeds fallon soil
which contained a lot of thorns. In all of these three cases, seedsare lostand
fail to produce crops. But in one case, seedsfall on a goodsoil and grow, some
yielding thirty, sixty, and others a hundredfold.
In this parable, Jesus Christstarts by telling this parable to the multitude.
Then later, only in the presence ofdisciples, He explains what the parable
really represents with the sowerbeing the laborers of God who proclaim the
gospel, the seeds being the Word of God and the various soils being the people
and how they respond to the preached word. In the first three cases, the
gospelwas rejectedbut in the lastcase in the goodsoil, the gospelwas
receivedand produced fruit.

In this article, I want to lay out the parable of the soweragainwith some
personalcomments with the objective being to study the parable with an open
mind.
Then I want to look at it from the gospel’s perspective and specificallyin a
relative way to the doctrine of “Once SavedAlways Saved”.
Gospelof Mark
Let’s look at this parable of the sowerin its contextstarting with chapter 4 of
the gospelofMark:
Mark 4:3-20 (KJV)
3 Hearken;Behold, there went out a sowerto sow:
4 And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fellby the way side, and the fowls of
the air came and devoured it up. (the seeddid not spring up on the way side)
5 And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and
immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth:
6 But when the sun was up, it was scorched;and because it had no root, it
withered away.
7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and chokedit, and it
yielded no fruit. (seeds among thorns probably had depth of earth and did
spring up but thorns chokedthem up and they did not yield fruit)
8 And other fell on goodground, (suggestsdepth of earth but ), and did yield
fruit that sprang up and increased;and brought forth, some thirty, and some
sixty, and some an hundred. (the seedon goodground sprang up, took root
and brought forth fruit that increased)
9 And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

10 And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve askedof
him the parable.
11 And he saidunto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the
kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in
parables:
12 That seeing they may see, and not perceive;and hearing they may hear,
and not understand; lestat any time they should be converted, and their sins
should be forgiven them.
13 And he saidunto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye
know all parables?
14 The sowersoweththe word.
15 And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they
have heard, Satancometh immediately, and takethawaythe word that was
sownin their hearts.
16 And these are they likewise whichare sownon stony ground; who, when
they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;
17 And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time (this means
people who heard and receivedthe word and endure in the word for a while):
afterward, when affliction or persecutionariseth for the word’s sake (for the
word’s sake suggests thatthese believers try to do something about it, produce
fruit, shine the light and are persecutedbecause ofit), immediately they are
offended.
18 And these are they which are sownamong thorns; such as hear the word,
19 And the cares ofthis world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of
other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. (among
thorns implies believers who the riches and cares ofthe world choke the seeds
of the Word and the Word becomes unfruitful)

20 And these are they which are sownon goodground; such as hear the word,
and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an
hundred.
Now let’s look at the same parable of the Sowerin the gospelofMatthew.
Gospelof Matthew
For this gospel, I decidedto display verses 18 to 23 from the passage in
chapter 13 where I found some small but interesting differences with Mark.
The parable in this gospelstarts from verse 3 but it was practically the same
as in the gospelof Mark.
Matthew 13:18-23 (KJV)
18 Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.
19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not,
then cometh the wickedone, and catchethawaythat which was sownin his
heart. This is he which receivedseedby the wayside.
20 But he that receivedthe seedinto stony places, the same is he that heareth
the word, and anon with joy receivethit;
21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when
tribulation or persecutionariseth because ofthe word, by and by he is
offended. (notice the same as the gospelof Mark, believers of the stony ground
receivedthe word and endured for a while but when tribulation came because
of the word, they were offended. This suggests theytried to do something
about it but tribulation discouragedthem)
22 He also that receivedseedamong the thorns is he that heareth the word;
and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness ofriches, choke the word, and
HE BECOMESunfruitful. (This is an interesting difference with the gospelof
Mark for the seeds among thorns, Matthew says that the person himself
becomes unfruitful.)

23 But he that receivedseedinto the goodground is he that heareth the word,
and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an
hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
And finally, let’s look at the parable of the sowerin the gospelofLuke.
Gospelof Luke
In the gospelof Luke chapter 8, the parable of the soweris smaller and has
some differences. The parable starts from verse 5 until the end of the chapter
verse 15.
Luke 8:5-15 (KJV)
5 A sowerwent out to sow his seed:and as he sowed, some fell by the way
side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.
6 And some fell upon a rock;and as soonas it was sprung up, it withered
away, because it lackedmoisture. (that is an interesting difference with the
other gospels where depth of the earth is mentioned. However, depth of earth
is needed to hold moisture which this soil had but only a little)
7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked
it.
8 And other fell on goodground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an
hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears
to hear, let him hear.
9 And his disciples askedhim, saying, What might this parable be?
10 And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of
God: but to others in parables;that seeing they might not see, and hearing
they might not understand.
11 Now the parable is this: The seedis the word of God.

12 Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh
awaythe word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.
13 They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with
joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of
temptation fall away.
14 And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard,
go forth, and are chokedwith cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and
bring no fruit to perfection.
15 But that on the goodground are they, which in an honestand goodheart,
having heard the word, KEEP it (this is in contrastto the other soils, it is kept
to the end), and bring forth fruit with PATIENCE. (the use of patience
obviously means through tribulation)
The Parable of the SowerMeaning
It is goodthat I don’t have to dig deep into that one since the disciples later
askedthe Lord to explain the parable of the sowerto them and for that I am
grateful �
It is obvious that the ultimate difference betweenthe soils is its capacityto
bring forth fruit. In other words, a seedcanspring up and increase but then
can whither or be choked. If it does not bring forth fruit to perfection, it is
useless.
To summarize, I personally understand it like this:
seeds by the way side: people who hear the gospelbut do not believe (in other
words unbelievers), the devil comes and removes the Word altogether. The
seeds don’t even spring up by the way side because there is no good soil
whatsoever
seeds on stony ground: believers who hear and receive the gospelwith joy,
they go to live the gospeland shine it out but when they are persecuted
because ofit, they fall away into unbelief because of the intensity of

temptation and tribulation. The seeds spring up on soil with no depth and
with very little moisture and then whither because ofthe sun so they don’t
produce any fruit.
seeds among thorns: believers who hear and receive the gospel, they go to
bring forth its fruit but then are distractedby the cares, riches and pleasures
of life. These seeds spring up on soil that has depth. The seeds caneven start
to bring forth fruit but that fruit is not completedto perfectionand dies out
because ofthe thorns.
seeds on goodsoil: believers who hear, receive the gospeland keepit to the
end. They go to bring forth its fruit with patience while enduring temptations
and tribulation. Eachperson brings forth fruit according to his capacity. The
seeds spring up, take root, endure the sun because oftheir strong deep roots
and a lot of moisture. And they bring forth a lot of fruit.
So you see my friends, it is not enough to hear the gospel, receive it with joy
and believe it. We must yield its complete fruit that is meet to be gatheredby
God at the harvest. In other words, we can hear the gospel, acceptit with joy
and believe it with good intentions but that won’t be enough to be saved. We
have to keepthe gospelduring temptations and tribulations, we have to live it
out everyday and its fruit must remain until the harvest.
It is interesting that this fits exactly with what Jesus says the gospelofJohn:
John 15:16 – Ye have not chosenme, but I have chosenyou, and ordained
you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should
remain: that whatsoeverye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it
you
Of course, those with ears will hear.
Parable of the Sowervs “Once SavedAlways Saved”

In this section, I want to look at the parable of the sowerfrom the perspective
of the doctrine of “Once SavedAlways Saved”. The point is to see whether
this parable gives us some clues as to whether this doctrine is false.
I think there would be no disagreementwith our brothers from the “Once
SavedAlways Saved” camp about the seeds by the way side and the ones on
goodsoil. The seeds by the way side were never saved because theynever
believed. On the other hand, the seeds on goodsoil yielded much fruit and
were saved. We all agree on this.
The question to ask is whether the believers representedby the stony ground
and among thorns were “born again” or “saved”. I will look into eachof these
categoriesseparately.
Stony Ground Believers
Firstly, it is obvious that people representedby the stony ground are ones who
heard, receivedand believed the gospel. However, that does not necessarily
mean they receivedthe Holy Spirit and born again. How do I know this? It is
because ofthe story of the believers of Samaria in chapter 8 of the book of
Acts. We see in the story that upon seeing the evangelistPhilip’s miracles, the
people in Samaria heard him and believed him but they still did not receive
the Holy Spirit. The apostles Peterand John had to come to lay hands in
order for them to receive the Spirit.
Secondly, another thing we can say is that the seeds sprung up on this stony
ground. This is in contrastto the seeds by the way side where the seeds did not
spring up. So the question is to see whether “springing up” means “born
again”. Unfortunately for “Once SavedAlways Saved” believers, it does when
we look at other verses as this one:
1 Corinthians 3:6 – I have planted, Apollos watered;but God gave the
increase.

Therefore, to say that seeds sprung up means that the plant is increasing. If
God gives the increase, thatmeans God has to be already working IN the soil.
That is born again.
Thirdly, the plant withered in the time of tribulation because ofthe Word. If
these believers are persecutedbecause ofthe Word, that suggests theywere
attempted to do spread the Word, produce its fruit and shine the Light of the
gospel. Otherwise, whysay that they were persecutedbecause ofthe Word. It
would not make sense. Thatsuggests bornagain believers even though it
doesn’t necessarilyprove it.
Among Thorns Believers
The study of believers among thorns is also interesting especiallywhen we do
a comparative study of the synoptic gospels. It’s important to note that in this
case as well, the seeds sprung up and since we saw that it is God who provides
the increase, thatalso suggestsborn againbelievers. But another interesting
question for this case is to see whetherthe seeds were in the process of
growing fruits that were not completed. Why is this relevant? Because itis
harder to saythat a believer is in the process ofproducing Godly fruit while
they are still “not saved”.
Look at John 15:4-5.
4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it
abide in the vine; no more canye, except ye abide in me.
5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the
same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
Now let’s look more closelyat the verses for the seeds among thorns across the
synoptic gospels.
Gospelof Mark

Mark 4:7 – And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked
it, and it yielded no fruit.
Mark 4:18 – And these are they which are sownamong thorns; such as hear
the word,
Mark 4:19 – And the cares ofthis world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and
the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh
unfruitful.
Looking at the parable of the sowerin the gospelofMark, at verse glance,
Mark 4:7 says that the seeds among thorns yielded no fruit. Howeverin Mark
4:19, the verse says that after the seedsprang up, the Word the believer
receivedbecame chokedby the cares andthe riches of the world and the
Word itself became unfruitful. The word “becometh” suggests thatthe Word
was fruitful and became unfruitful.
What does it mean So it all comes back to the word “fruit” in Mark 4:7. A
simple definition of the word “fruit” is the usually edible reproductive body of
a seedplant. If the seeddidn’t yield fruit and at the same time the Word
became unfruitful, that means that it was in the process ofmaking the fruit
but became unfruitful because it was choked.
Gospelof Matthew
Matthew 13:7 – And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and
chokedthem
Matthew 13:22 – He also that receivedseedamong the thorns is he that
heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches,
choke the word, and HE BECOMES unfruitful. (Matthew said the believer
himself became unfruitful. That reinforces whatwe said that the person was
producing fruit but became unfruitful so he did not yield a full grown fruit)

Gospelof Luke
Luke 8:7 – And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and
chokedit
Luke 8:14 – And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they
have heard, go forth, and are chokedwith cares and riches and pleasures of
this life, and bring no fruit to perfection. (notice it brought no fruit to
perfection. This confirms strongly what we have been saying that it was
bringing fruit but it didn’t bring the fruit to perfection or completion. In
other words, it was not a full grown fruit that is edible and ready for the
harvest of God)
Therefore, this comparative study shows that believers among thorns were not
false believers. They were believers who heard the gospel, acceptedit and
believed it. The seedsprang up, increasedand was in the process ofproducing
fruit but did not bring any fruit to perfection, it did not produce a full-grown
fruit ready for harvest.
Now to OSAS believers, my question is this: how can a plant be increasing and
be in the process ofproducing spiritual fruit if it is not nourished by God
Himself? It is Godwho provides the increase. This does not sound like
believers who were never saved or false believers, this sounds like true
believers who were genuinely in the way of salvation and lost their way
because ofthe distractions of the world. They did not complete the race. They
did not produce a full-grown fruit for the harvest.
The parable of the soweramazingly fits perfectly with the parable of the Vine
and the Branches in John 15:1-6. Jesus says “Any branch IN ME that does not
bear fruit will be CUT OFF“. “In Him” means born again.
Conclusion
The parable of the soweris one of the deep parables of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Even after the Lord Jesus Himself explained it, we canstill learn from it the

depth of Godin eachword used. I really believe that not one word from the
bible is uninspired.
My Christian brothers, please look atthe parable with an open mind. It is not
enough to receive the gospeland believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. We have to
produce the fruits of the gospelofChrist which is IN Christ. That is the new
covenant(Jeremiah 31:31)where we are led by the Spirit of God. Every
branch that is in Christ will produce Spiritual fruits that remain and that are
meet for the harvest. If we think we don’t have to live out the gospelof Christ
every day, if we think that we don’t to keepthe faith until the end, if we
become unfruitful, we will not make it. We are savednow but we have to
remain saved.
My brothers, how is your soil? Do you have depth and is the Word being
rooted deep in your souls? Are you being wateredevery day by the Word?
Are you producing the fruit that God is expecting for His Kingdom on the day
of the harvest?
Don’t fall awaybecause oftribulation. Don’t let the deceptive riches of the
world choke your fruit. May God help keepyour fruit meet for harvest day!
http://eternalcall.com/parables/parable-of-the-sower/
Parable of the Sower Parable ofthe Four Soils Matthew 13:3-8; 18-23
INTRODUCTION:A. As Jesus wentabout preaching the gospelof the
kingdom of heaven (cf. Mt 4:17,23), He did not always find a receptive
audience... 1. Evenwhere He did mighty works, some did not repent - Mt
11:20-24 2. Some sought to trick Him, so they might have reasonto accuse
Him - Mt 12:9-14 3. - It was for this very reasonthat Jesus began
teaching publicly in "parables" - Mt 13:10-13 B. The problem Jesus facedwas

that many people, though they had ears to hear, their ears had become
"hard of hearing" - Mt 13:14-15 C. To illustrate this problem, Jesus told a
parable that has come to be known as 1. "The Parable Of The Sower" 2. It
can also be properly called"The Parable Of The Four Soils" 3. Or "The
Parable Of The Seed" Note: It was told by Jesus to illustrate different
reactions to the gospel message 4. The parable itself is recordedin Matthew
13:3-9 and examined in verses 18-23. Itis also recordedin Mark 4:3-9;
Luke 8:4-8) - PLEASE READ a. It is one of the few parables in which we
actually have Jesus'own interpretation of the parable b. The significance
of this particular parable is enhancedby the words of Jesus recordedin
Mark 4:13 - "Do you not understand this parable? How then will you
understand all parables?"
[The value of this parable becomes clearerin the light of Jesus' explanation,
for by it we can see ourselves as we really are in regards to how we have
receivedthe Word into our lives...]
EXPLANATION OF THE PARABLE
A. "THE SOWER" 1. Not specificallymentioned, but compare Mt 13:37
a. This is in explanation of "The Parable of the Wheat and theTares" b.
In which Jesus explains "He who sows the goodseedis the Son of Man" 2.
So it is likely that the "sower" in this parable had immediate reference to
Jesus
PARABLES – “The Parable of the Sower” 2 d. But it is a fair use of the
parable to apply it today to anyone who faithfully proclaims the messageof
the Sonof Man

B. "THE SEED" 1. The seedis "the word of the kingdom" - Mt 13:19a
2. Luke 8:11 – “The seedis the Word of God.” 3. The gospelof the kingdom,
which was the theme of Jesus'preaching Matthew 4:23
C. "THE WAYSIDE" (The First Soil) 1. Some of the seeds fell along the
path (on the road). Paths (the "roads" in Bible times) ran right through the
fields. a. The hard and compactedsoilof the road made it impossible for the
seedto penetrate. b. So it sat on top, as tempting morsels for birds that
came and ate it up. In 13:19 we learn that the "birds" represent Satan. 2.
This soil represents one who "hears...anddoes not understand" Mt 13:19a
3. Mostlikely, these are those who have hardened their hearts prior to
hearing the Word - cf. Mt 13:15 4. The "birds" represent "the wicked
one" (called "the devil" in Lk 8:12) a. Who snatches awaythe Word
from those whose hearts are hardened b. Their condition therefore is
one of being "blinded" by Satan to the gospel 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 5.
While Satan contributes to their blindness, it is precipitated by their own
hardness of heart!
D. "THE STONYPLACES" (The SecondSoil) 1. Unlike the path, rocky
ground had some soilto acceptthe seed, but not much. The seedsprang up
quickly in the shallow soil. a. Mostof the land in Palestine is rocky. b. The
soil is filled with rocks ofall sizes. Suchsoil traps the moisture so that plants
can grow quickly, but the sun takes the moisture out so rapidly that a young
plant withers 2. This soil represents the one who... a. "Hears the word
and immediately receives it with joy" – Mt. 13:20 b. "Yet he has no
root in himself, but endures only for a while" - Mt 13:21a c. "when
tribulation or persecutionarises because ofthe word, immediately he
stumbles" - Mt 13:21b 3. Some hear the Word and receive it with great
joy... a. But with no root, they are not grounded in the Word
PARABLES – “The Parable of the Sower” 3 b. So that when troubles
arise, there is no endurance and stumbling occurs 4. Here we learn that

an emotional receptionwithout a strong foundation based upon the Word
will not enable one to stand againsttribulation and persecution
E. "AMONG THE THORNS" (The Third Soil) 1. No farmer would
intentionally scatterthe seedinto an area filled with thorns and briers; this
probably refers to the seedfalling among seeds or roots of thorns that
cultivation had not destroyed. a. Thorns rob the sprouts of nutrition, water,
light, and space. b. Thus,whenthe thorns grew up, the goodseedwas choked
out and could not grow to maturity and yield a crop. 2. This soilrepresents
the one who... a. "Hears the word" - Mt 13:22a b. But whose
ability to bear fruit is chokedby: 1. "The cares ofthis world" - Mt
13:22b 2. "The deceitfulness of riches" - Mt 13:22c 3.
"Pleasuresoflife" (added in Lk 8:14) 2. How these three "thorns" can
cause us to be unfruitful is explained in other portions of God's Word...
a. The cares of this world 1. Can cause us to be unprepared - cf. Lk
21:34-36 2. The evil in cares and anxieties is that they can detract our
minds from what is truly important - cf. Lk 12:29-32 b. The
deceitfulness of riches 1. The dangeris describedin 1 Ti 6:9-10
2. Again, the evil in riches lay in diverting our attention awayfrom God,
and feeling self-sufficient - 1 Ti 6:17 c. Pleasures oflife 1. Those
involving the flesh in particular divert our minds from the things of the
Spirit - cf. Galatians 5:17 2. Sowing to the flesh make it impossible to reap
of the Spirit! – Gal. 6:7-9
F. "THE GOOD GROUND" (The Fourth Soil) 1. However, some of the
seedlanded in plowed and readied soil. a. This seedhad the depth of soil,
space, and moisture to grow and produce a crop. b. This seedmultiplied
and yielded thirty, sixty, or even up to a hundred times the amount of seed
sown. c. A farmer would be happy indeed to see his crop multiply eventen
times.
PARABLES – “The Parable of the Sower” 4 Thirty, sixty, or a hundred would
be a marvelous (although not unheard of) yield, for it would mean even more

seedto plant and harvest in the coming year. 2. This soil represents the one
who... a. "hears the word and understands it" - Matthew 13:23a b.
"indeed bears fruit and produces" - Matthew 13:23b b. Luke adds that
he hears "the word with a noble and goodheart", and then "keeps it and
bears fruit with patience" - Luke 8:15 3. Those with "a noble and good
heart", then, are the ones... a. Who will understand the Word b.
Who will keepit, and with patience produce fruit in their lives! 4. They will
be like the Bereans, who were commendedfor being "fair- minded", as
manifested in the waythey: a. "Receivedthe word will all readiness"
b. "Searchedthe Scriptures daily to find out whether these things
were so" - Acts 17:11 5. Note the importance of "understanding" in relation
to "bearing fruit". . . a. Jesus made the connectionbetweenthe two in
this parable - Mt 13:23 b. Paul connects the two when he writes of the
gospelproducing fruit among the Colossians "since the day they heard
(NASV says "understood")the grace ofGod in truth" - Coossians 1:5-6
-- When one "understands", they will more likely "bearfruit"; but the
key to understanding is having a "goodand noble heart" that is willing to
listen and learn! 6. And what kind of "fruit" will one bear? There are
different kinds... a. The fruit of winning souls to Christ - Romans 1:13
b. The fruit of practical holiness - Romans 6:22 c. The fruit of sharing
material things - Romans 15:27 d. The fruit of the Spirit (i.e., a Christ-
like character) Galatians 5:22-23 e. The fruit of goodworks -
Colossians 1:10 f. The fruit of praise & thanksgiving - Hebrews 13:15
7. An important observationis that not all will bear the same amount...
a. "Some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty" - Matthew 13:23 b. As
illustrated in The Parable of the Talents, some may be given more
according to their ability to use what God has given them - Mt 25:14-15
c. Whateverour ability, we should exercise it accordingly - 1 Peter4:10-11 8.
With the explanation provided by Jesus Himself, we should have little
problem understanding The Parable of The Sowerand the spiritual truths
Jesus was teaching. 9. However, it is one thing to understand it, quite another
to make application of it. Seeking to make application in a thought-
provoking way, let me ask "What kind of soil are you?"]
PARABLES – “The Parable of the Sower” 5

APPLICATION OF THE PARABLE
A. ARE YOU LIKE "THE WAYSIDE"? 1. If you have heard the gospel
of Christ and His kingdom, but are not yet a Christian. 2. You may be in
the process ofhardening your heart the longer you wait! 3. You are
susceptible to Satan's deceptionin some form, to blind you and not allow
the Word of God to have its intended effect!
B. ARE YOU LIKE "THE STONYPLACES"? 1. If you respondedto the
gospelat one time, but are not being grounded in the faith. 2. You will
likely fall awaywhen persecutionor temptation comes your way!
C. ARE YOU LIKE THE SOIL "AMONG THE THORNS"? 1. If you
responded to the gospelat one time, but are becoming too preoccupiedwith
the cares, riches, andpleasures of this world... 2. You will not be able to
bear much fruit. And remember what Jesus said about branches that don't
bear fruit! - John 15:1-6
D. ARE YOU LIKE "THE GOOD SOIL"? 1. If you have respondedto the
gospel, and are bearing fruit... 2. Then you have demonstrated several
important things: a. You have a goodand noble heart! b. You
have come to understand the Word! c. You have been keeping it with
patience! 3. And so the Word of God has been able to produce its intended
effectin you! 4. This parable should encourage spiritual "sowers" --those
who teach, preach, and lead others. a. The farmer sowedgoodseed, but not
all the seedsprouted, and even the plants that grew had varying yields. b.
There are so many factors involved with the process ofbelieving in the
truth of the gospelthat we should be reluctant to use percentagesand ratios
(of numbers of presentations to numbers of responses)as anapplication of

this parable. c. Don't be discouragedif you do not always see results as you
faithfully teachthe Word.
PARABLES – “The Parable of the Sower” 6 CONCLUSION
A. When Jesus finished telling His parable of the Sower, He cried out: "He
who has ears to hear, let him hear!" - Matthew 13:9 B. The four types of soil
representdifferent responsesto God's message. 1. People respond differently
because they are in different states of readiness. a. Some are hardened b.
Others are shallow c. Others are contaminated by distracting worries d.
And some are receptive. 1. How has God's Word takenroot in your life? 2.
What kind of soilare you? C. Clearlyfrom the explanation of Jesus Himself,
we learn that not all those who have ears to hear, really listen! D. It is
important that we listen well when God's Word is being proclaimed, for that
is how faith is obtained - Romans 10:17 E. How well have YOU listened to this
parable of Jesus and His explanation? If you are anything other than that
like "the goodsoil", you need to repent today! F. God’s Plan for Man’s
Salvation.
http://www.biblecharts.org/sermons/parablesparableofthesower.pdf
Praying the parable of the sower
Readthe parable of the sowerin Matthew 13:1-9.
Take some time to walk in your garden, a nearby park or field. Feelthe path
beneath your feet, pick up a stone, look for a thorn, touch the earth. Reflecton
which types of ground you most identify with at the moment. Let this inspire
your praying.

Here’s a prayer you can use to accompanythis exercise:
Jesus the sower
whateverI am today, whateverthe mix
of path, rock, thorns or soil
help me to become goodground
for you, for your word and for your presence.
https://churchmissionsociety.org/resources/praying-parables-1-sower/
by Martin G. Collins
Forerunner, "Bible Study," January 2003
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The Parables (General)series:
Parable of the BarrenFig Tree
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When the gospelof the coming Kingdom of God is preachedin all the world
as a witness, the ears that hear it are not always receptive of this priceless
knowledge. In the Parable of the Sower(Matthew 13:3-8, 19-23;Mark 4:3-9,
14-26;Luke 8:4-8, 11-15), Jesus reveals why, using three component elements:
the sower, the seed, and the soils.
This parable describes whathappens after the seedis sown, the different types
of soils on which it falls, and the resultant effects. The parable's focus is not on
the soweras much as on the various soils. Nevertheless,the sower—Jesus
Christ (Matthew 13:37)—is not incidental, for without Him there could be no
sowing and thus no possibility of fruit being produced.
1. What natural conditions regarding seedand soils is Jesus describing?
Matthew 13:3-8; Mark 4:3-9; Luke 8:4-8.
Comment: A farmer places seedin the ground so it will sprout and bear fruit.
Some seeds fall on hard ground that the plow has not turned. Here, the seed
cannot sink into the soil, and the birds easilyfind and devour it.
Some seeds fall on stony places, where there is little or no soil for the roots to
take in sufficient nourishment for the plant. Initially, they appear to grow
quicker because, withless soil to grow through, it does not take them as long
to reachthe surface. When the sun grows hot, however, the sprouts wither
away, the result of insufficient root systems.
The seeds that fall among thorns—in a part of the field where the thorns and
shrubs had been sloppily clearedbut not removed—are crowded, shaded, and
chokedby debris.
The seeds that fall on fertile and rich soilproduce a crop that varies in its
yield. It is common to produce a hundred, sixty, or thirty grains for eachone
that is sown. Some strains of wheatwill produce a crop twelve or fifteen
hundred times the original amount of seedsown.

2. Does God's Wordfall only on the ears of those chosenby Him? Matthew
13:4, 19;Mark 4:15; Luke 8:12.
Comment: The seedrepresents the Word of God communicated in various
ways:in writing, preaching, and acts of divine intervention. Understanding
the gospelcomes onlyby the power of the Holy Spirit; without this spiritual
power, the heareris susceptible to having the knowledge ofGod stolenby
Satan, the accuserand tempter.
God's Word sometimes falls on the ears of people whose heartis callousedby
sin, on whom it makes no real impression. Like seedon a hard-packedroad, it
is consumed before it ever has a chance to develop. Such hardened people
soonlose interest in Christ's goodnews and continue in the ways of the world.
3. Are all who are intrigued by God's Word chosenby Him? Matthew 13:5-6,
20-21;22:14; Mark 4:16-17;Luke 8:13; 13:23-24.
Comment: The stony ground represents those who hear the gospeland feel
intrigued and excited by it because it is new or interesting, yet they have no
depth of understanding. Since they have not changedtheir minds or repented,
they are not true Christians. Seeing no sin in themselves, they do not realize
the true value of Christ's sacrifice. Nothaving internalized God's truth as a
personalconviction, when they face trials and persecution, they fall—as a
rootless seedshrivels before the scorching ofthe sun.
These people suffer anxiety from sin, and when they hear God's offer of
mercy, they seemto respond properly. God's truth offers them peace of mind,
pardon from sin, and salvationwith eternal life. Since they think they are
forgiven, their anxieties seemto disappear, and they feel a temporary peace
and happiness. However, they have no foundation for permanent joy. Their
gladness soonsubsides, as does their desire to live righteously. Without
appreciationfor Christ's sacrifice and convictionto resist temptation, trial
and persecutioncauses themto fall away. All they everhad was mere excited
human emotion, an insufficient motivation to sustaina person throughout the
long process ofconversion.

4. Are God's chosenpeople above being enticedby the world? Matthew 13:7,
22; 7:13-14;Mark 4:18-19;Luke 8:14; I Timothy 6:7-11.
Comment: The thorny ground represents those who are consumed by the
cares and anxieties of this physical life and the deceitful enticements of wealth.
The constantpressures of ordinary life—providing for our needs, education,
employment, socialduties, etc.—canbe distracting, causing us to ignore God
and Christian growth.
The desire for wealthmagnifies this distraction. Wealth is enticing but never
yields the expectedrewards;it promises to make us happy but, when gained,
does not. Further, in pursuing wealth, we are tempted to be dishonest, cheat,
oppress, and take advantage of others.
5. Does God's calling require more than just an emotionalresponse? Matthew
13:8, 23;Mark 4:20; Luke 8:15; Acts 22:14;Ephesians 4:1-6.
Comment: The goodground corresponds to those whose hearts and minds are
softenedby God's calling and receive it genuinely. It is a rich and fine soil—a
mind that submits itself to the full influence of God's truth. They not only
acceptGod's Word—the messageofJesus Christ, as rich soilaccepts a seed
for growth—theyalso live by it and bear fruit.
In agricultural circles, it is commonly thought that three-fifths of the seed
sowndoes not grow to harvest. According to Jesus'parable, three-fourths of
the audience receivedseedbut produced no fruit. Realistically, how much
increase ofspiritual fruit are we producing? Are we returning thirty-fold, a
reasonable return; sixty-fold, a more productive return; or a hundredfold, an
outstanding, God-honoring return?
© 2003 Church of the Great God
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