THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN PART THREE: THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER

The Oxford Dictionary defines a parable as a simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson.”  Jesus made extensive use of parables in explaining the principles of the Kingdom of Heaven in down-to-earth terms to those who were unfamiliar with them.  He used analogies of familiar activities that the farmers, shepherds, vinedressers and fishermen that heard Him could easily understand and relate to.  Late in Jesus’ ministry, before He was betrayed, He told His disciples that the time was coming when He would no longer speak to them in parables, but would plainly reveal the Father and His ways to them (see John 16:25).  He was referring to the time after His resurrection when the Holy Spirit would be poured out upon His disciples on the day of Pentecost.  Of that day Jesus said, “…when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth.” (John 16:13).

 

Chapter 13 of St. Matthew holds a wealth of parables.  The first of these is the Parable of the Sower.  After teaching this parable, His disciples asked Jesus why He spoke to the people in parables.  He told them, “Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but to them it is not given.” (Matthew 13:11).  From very early in Jesus’ ministry it became clear that there was a dividing line between those who wished to follow Him and become disciples, and those who merely wanted to see and benefit from His works, but not walk in His footsteps.  No matter how plainly Jesus would explain the Kingdom to this latter group, they were just not going to get it.  He said of them “…they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.”  As the Apostle Paul explains, “…the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” (1 Corinthians 2:14).  Even Jesus’ disciples couldn’t grasp the idea of His being betrayed and put to death, let alone that He would rise from the dead.  Later, after Jesus’ had ascended to heaven, and after the Holy Spirit was poured out upon them at Pentecost, the disciple’s eyes and hearts were opened and they were able to fully see and hear the mysteries of the Kingdom of God.

 

“And He [Jesus] spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow; and when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: and when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.  And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: but other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.  Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.” (Matthew 13:3-9).

 

In this parable, Jesus is the Sower and His seed is the Word of God.  Sowing seed in a field was not an exact science in New Testament times.  The sower would put a large amount of seed in his/her apron, or in a bag, and then walk down the field while “broadcasting” (or scattering) the seed on either side as they walked.  The kernels of seed would fall randomly across the field as they went, with varying degrees of potential for growth depending on where they landed. 

 

Some of the seeds would be scattered outside the border of the field.  This was where the earth had not been cultivated and was packed down by foot and cart traffic.  The seed that fell there would be easy food for the birds to find since the seed would not be able to bury itself into the dirt. 

 

Other seed would fall on stony ground where there was enough dirt covering the stones to give the plants a quick start.  The stone was just below the surface, so the young roots could not reach deep enough to find the moisture in the soil and, so, the sun would scorch the plants, and they would die. 

 

Still other seed fell into soil that had thorny vines which wrapped themselves around the plants as they began to grow and choked the life from them. 

 

Many of the seeds fell on good ground where their roots grew deep and drank from the moisture that was in the soil, and where there was no competition from weeds and vines.  These latter seeds germinated, sprouted, and eventually came to maturity, produceding fruit in varying amounts. 

 

This first parable of the Kingdom was a good place to start in explaining some important things about the Word of God and its importance in the Kingdom of Heaven.  God’s Word is the source of all spiritual growth, and of the fruit that God wants to sow in our hearts.  The ultimate product that God wishes to see in you and me is unselfish love, unhindered joy, unshakable peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control – this is the fruit that the Word will produce if we abide in Christ and let His Words abide in us.  Every type of seed produces a different type of fruit.  The message of salvation isn’t the only crop that God is wishing to grow.  Once we are born again, God continues to sow His Words in our hearts in order to perfect all of the Fruits of the Spirit in His children.

 

We need to understand that for all the potential that is contained in every seed, it comes down to how people receive it that determines whether it will grow and come to fruition or not.  Simply being exposed to the Word is no guarantee of success.  The priests and religious sects of Jesus’ time knew the scriptures forward and backward and, yet, it was they who conspired to kill the Lord.  St. Paul knew the Word intimately having been taught by the great teachers of his time, but he still sought to imprison and have executed all those who were Jesus’ followers.  The whole focus of this parable is the production of good fruit as the result of sowing good seed.  The quality of the seed is never in question, and neither is its’ ability to produce good fruit.  It is the condition of men’s hearts that will determine the ultimate outcome and whether or not the precious seed will mature and bear fruit or not.      

 

“Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.  When any one heareth the Word of the Kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart.  This is he which received seed by the way side.” (Matthew 13:18, 19).  There are very many people who receive the Word of God by the wayside.  They may hear a snatch of the Gospel while they are scanning stations in their car, scrolling through the channels on their television, or surfing the internet.  They may run across a Christian pamphlet or be approached by someone at work or at the market who shares a bit of the Word with them.  They may even be sitting in church listening to a sermon.  Regardless of how or where it happens, these tiny seeds of truth have the potential to sprout and grow in their lives.  Too often, however, these events come and go and because there is no understanding on the part of the recipient, Satan is able to pluck the seeds away and devour them before they have a chance to germinate and mature. 

 

“But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the Word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while.  For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the Word, immediately he stumbles.” (Matthew 13:20, 21).  Every farmer knows that large stones left in a field will hinder the growth of some of his crop.  Even today, as you drive through the New England states you will see old stone walls standing between fields or orchards.  The stones of these walls were tediously dug up and hauled to the edges of the fields where they were fit into permanent barriers between properties.  In Bible times, many farmers may not have had the means to remove very large stones and so were forced to leave them.  Jesus said when the seed would fall where these stones were, it would sprout quickly because of the thin layer of dirt that lay over the stone, but they would soon wilt.  He likened this to those folks who hear the good news of the Kingdom and receive the message gladly, but when trouble arises because of their faith, they fall away.  Smaller rocks and stones that lie on the surface of the ground can be easily collected and removed when a field is being prepared for planting.  It’s the stones that lie under the soil and close to the surface that cause a problem, though.  It’s only when the field is being cultivated that the farmer becomes aware of them.  It is true of our hearts, too.  Those rocks that are on the surface are easy to see and remove.  Things like addictions, filthy language, etc., can be spotted right away and surrendered to the Lord.  Later on in our walk, the Holy Spirit will uncover stones of pride, unkindness, covetousness, etc., and we will be given an opportunity to surrender those things as well and recover more “good ground.”  

 

“He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the Word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the Word, and he becometh unfruitful.” (Matthew 13:22).  St. Mark adds “the lusts of other things” to this list of influences that cause us to become unfruitful.  The mere presence of the thorns indicates that they are sapping away the nutrients and stealing the light from the good plants.  Any gardener can tell you what must be done - weeding!  The things in our lives that are competing for our spiritual health must be pulled up by the roots!  They cause us to be unfruitful if we allow them to remain.  St. Paul tells us to “…set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” (Colossians 3:2).  Paul goes on to say, “Mortify, therefore [put to death; destroy the strength of], your members which are on the earth…” (verse 5).  We Christians must be willing to make the hard choices in our lives.  Either we will serve the flesh, the devil, and the things of the world; or we will serve the Lord, and the things of the Spirit.  Jesus made it clear that we CANNOT serve two masters at the same time. 

 

“But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.” (Matthew 13:23).  The Word of God is an amazing force.  It is capable of producing the fruit of righteousness in the hearts and lives of those who obey it, and apply it to themselves.  Resolution and will power are helpless against all of the conditions that are working against us, but by faith in the power of His Spirit working in us, we can overcome every one.  Before God’s people ever entered the Promised Land, He told them, “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: that thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey His voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto Him: for He is thy life, and the length of thy days…” (Deuteronomy 30:19, 20).  Amen!

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