We all know the parable of the sower, for I recently spoke about that. But let us now see what it means.
Jesus Himself gives the explanation, but seeing the questions, I get the impression that some of you still need some further clarification. So let me give it a try.
The parable is named “the parable of the sower”, but I think it better could have been named “the parable of the soil”, as the sower and the seed stay the same, but the soil has different conditions.
● In this parable the sower is the one who spreads the Gospel.
● The seed is the Bible, the word of God. Which we may freely give to anyone.
I know there are churches who twist this parable in such a way, that the seed becomes your money which you have to sow into the church (often into the pockets of the greedy pastor). Promising you that you will reap a harvest of more money for yourself.
In fact, those pastors are sowing GREED into your heart. GREED that the Lord hates, as we remember of the people of Israel in the desert.
Numbers 11:33-34 — ³³The anger of the Lord was kindled against the people, and the Lord struck the people with a very severe plague. ³⁴So the name of that place was called Kibroth-hattaavah, because there they buried the people who had been GREEDY.
● The soil has different conditions, so we will look at that one by one.
○ The seed that dropped by the wayside stands for the situation where the word of the kingdom is told to someone who doesn’t understand what he heard, the sense of it is not clear to him, then the evil one will come, and quickly take away what was put in his heart so it cannot come to growth.
A way in the field would generally be of the same soil as the rest of the field. The only difference is that it was hardened by people walking over it. A good plowing will make that soil ready to receive the seed as well.
So if you are like that hardend soil, ask for some plowing. If your heart has hardened, then ask of God to make it softer again, so you too will be able to receive the word.
○ The seed that dropped on, and between the stones stands for the situation where the word of the kingdom is told to someone, who hearing the word, straight away takes it with joy, but because the word couldn’t root in him, he goes on for a time, but when troubles come, or pain because of the word, he will become full of doubts, and start leaning on others, taking lots of their time and preventing them to grow properly as well.
If the hardness of a stone heart, is preventing you to receive the word and let it grow properly, you can ask the Lord to change your heart and make it receptive to the word.
Ezekiel 11:19 — And I will take the heart of stone out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh.
○ The seed that dropped among the thorns, stands for the situation where the word of the kingdom is told to someone who received the word, but the worries and cares of this life, the deceits of wealth, and the influence of teachings that learned him to run after material blessings, will make the growth of the word in him, to come to a stop, and he will not come to bearing fruit.
○ And as last, the seed that dropped in good soil, stands for the situation where the word of the kingdom is told to someone who listens to, and obeys the word, and gets the sense of it.
Such a person will bear fruit, some a hundred, some sixty, some thirty times as much as he himself received.
In the King James Version of the Bible we read this explanation in Matthew 13:19-23 with the following words. “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. But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and with joy receiveth it; Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. 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. 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.”
About Author
