The Parable of the Sower

1. The Parable ofthe Sower – 25th
August 2016
“Fortruly I tell you, manyprophets andrighteouspeople longedto see what yousee but didnot see it,
and to hear what youhear butdid not hear it”(Matthew13:17).
The Parable of the Sower,alsoknownasthe Parable of the Four Soils,isfoundin Matthew 13:3-9; Mark
4:2-9; and Luke 8:4-8. Afterpresentingthisparable tothe multitude,JesusinterpretsitforHisdisciples
inMatthew 13:18-23; Mark 4:13-20; and Luke 8:11-15. We can readthe parable in Matthew 13:3-9,
“Then he toldthem many thingsinparables,saying: “A farmer went out to sow hisseed. 4
Ashe was
scattering the seed, some fell alongthe path, andthe birdscame and ate it up. 5
Some fell on rocky
places,where it didnot have much soil.It sprangup quickly,becausethe soil was shallow. 6
Butwhen
the sun came up, the plantswere scorched,and they withered because they had no root. 7
Other seed
fell amongthorns, whichgrew upand choked the plants. 8
Still other seed fell on goodsoil,where it
produceda crop—ahundred,sixtyor thirty times what was sown. 9
Whoever hasears, let them hear.”
WhenHe finishedspeakingJesusknewthatsome couldnotunderstandwhatHe saidand therefore He
explaineditfurtheraswe can learnthisfrom Matthew 13:18-23, “Listen then to what the parableof
the sower means: 19
Whenanyonehears the messageabout the kingdomanddoes not understandit,
the evil one comes andsnatches away what was sown intheir heart. Thisis the seed sownalongthe
path. 20
The seed fallingonrocky groundrefers to someonewho hears the word and at once receives it
with joy.21
But since they have no root, they lastonly a short time. Whentrouble or persecutioncomes
because ofthe word, they quicklyfall away. 22
The seed fallingamongthethorns refers to someone
who hears the word, but the worries of thislifeand the deceitfulnessof wealthchoke the word,
makingit unfruitful. 23
Butthe seed falling ongood soil refers to someone whohears the word and
understandsit. Thisis the one who produces a crop, yieldingahundred,sixty or thirty times whatwas
sown.”
Jesus’explanationof thisParable highlightsfourdifferentresponsestothe gospel whichis applicable to
Christianstoday. The seedis“the wordof God.” First whichisthe hard groundrepresentssomeone who
ishardenedbysin;he hears butdoesnot understandthe Word, andSatan plucksthe message away,
keepingthe heartdull andpreventingthe Wordfrommakinganimpression. Secondbeingthe stony
groundpicturesa man whoprofessesdelightwiththe Word;however,hisheartisnotchanged,and
whentrouble arises,his so-calledfaithquicklydisappears.
The third beingthe thornygrounddepictsone whoseemstoreceive the Word,butwhose heartisfull of
riches,pleasures,andlusts;the thingsof thisworldtake histime andattentionawayfromthe Word,
and he ends up havingnotime forGods word.Finallythe goodsoil portraysthe one whohears,
understands,andreceivesthe Word—andthenallowsthe Wordtoaccomplishitsresultinhislife.The
man representedbythe “goodground”is the onlyone of the four whoistruly saved throughsalvation.
Because salvation’sproof is ones‘fruit’,whichmeansthe actionsandbehaviorthathe or she produces
that can be observedbyall.We can get an understandingwhenwe read Matthew7:15-20, “Watchout
for falseprophets. They come to you in sheep’sclothing,butinwardlythey are ferociouswolves. 16
By
their fruit youwill recognize them. Do people pick grapesfrom thornbushes,or figs from thistles?

2. 17
Likewise,every goodtree bears goodfruit, but a badtree bears bad fruit. 18
A goodtree cannot bear
bad fruit,anda badtree cannotbear goodfruit. 19
Every tree that doesnot bear good fruitis cut down
and throwninto the fire. 20
Thus,by their fruit youwill recognizethem”.
To summarize the pointof the Parable of the Sower:“A man’sreceptionof God’sWordis determinedby
the conditionof hisheart.”A hardenedheartfilledwithsinfulnesswill rejectandNOTexceptGodsword
and continue intheirevil ways.A heart thatallowstobe filledwithworryandtrouble will hearbutnot
gainanythingfromsame. A heartfilledwithriches,pleasures,andlustswill have theseinterests
supersedingthe worldof God.Therefore ourheartneedstoabsolutelydesireastrongand continuous
relationshipwithGod…more thananythingelse inthe whole world! A secondarylessonwouldbe
“Salvationismore thana superficial,albeitjoyful,hearingof the gospel.Someone whoistrulysavedwill
be noticeable toanybodyandas suchwill notneedto prove it. Therefore we pray: “May our faithand
our livesexemplifythe "goodsoil" asinthe Parable of the Sower”.