The Sower and the Seed – Matthew 13:1-13
KJV 13 The same day
went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side. 2 And great multitudes
were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the
whole multitude stood on the shore. 3 And he spake many things unto them in
parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow; 4 And when he sowed, some
seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: 5 Some
fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they
sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: 6 And when the sun was up,
they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. 7 And
some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: 8 But other
fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some
sixtyfold, some thirtyfold. 9 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
This parable is about the efficacy of God’s Word, the
Holy Spirit always at work in the Word, but also about the ways this activity is
impeded. Sowing seed today is not as unusual as the easy chair gardeners
imagine. Many seeds, like dill and buckwheat, easily take root from being sown
and prosper beyond our dreams. I bought a large bag of buckwheat seed and
scattered it by hand in the Rose Garden, because that would improve the rich
soil even more. That worked so well that the plants grew unexpectantly beyond
knee-high and made it difficult even to see the rose bushes. My yard crew came
to the rescue by carefully wee-whacking the buckwheat without hurting the
roses. The ground covered with greens, which enriched the soil and prevented
weed growth. However, the buckwheat plants were mown after their seeds had
matured, so I soon had another crop of buckwheat, more lush, more shading the
roses than ever before. My Laotian neighbors across the street pointed at my
garden and laughed! Such is the power of God’s Creation – and the Word.
Jesus taught this parable, sitting in the ship, near the
shore. This allowed Him to speak clearly to the large crowd along the shore,
His voice carried clearly over the water to be clearly heard. After teaching
many parables, He taught about the sower and the seed.
The
work of sowing means the seeds will necessarily land in various places rather
than being planted individually or dropped into rows already dug. As everyone
knows, every seed is imbued with the power of life. Though some seed many not
germinate, most will start to grow.
4
And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and
devoured them up:
Growing
areas are bound to have worn, trampled, hard soil for pathways, and those areas
invite birds to get a quick meal. They will sit above the planting area, wise
about their next meal, clucking and chortling about the easy feast coming.
5
Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they
sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: 6 And when the sun was up,
they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.
Rocky
soil seldom nurtures seed, especially when its life depends on depth, moisture,
and sunlight. Initial growth is soon thwarted by frost or lack of rain.
7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up,
and choked them:
One classic measurement of soil fertility is to look at
the thorns. If they are strong and healthy, then useful plants will also do
well there.
8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth
fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold. 9 Who hath ears to
hear, let him hear.
The joy of every gardener and farmer is to plant living
seed and watch it grow, flower, and provide food. This parable teaches about
the power of God’s Creation and the magnificent growth engineered by the Son of
God, the Lord of Creation, the Word that executed the commands of God the Father.
10 And the disciples
came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? 11 He
answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries
of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. 12 For whosoever hath,
to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath
not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. 13 Therefore speak I to
them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not,
neither do they understand. 14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias,
which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye
shall see, and shall not perceive: 15 For this people's heart is waxed gross,
and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at
any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should
understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. 16
But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. 17 For
verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see
those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things
which ye hear, and have not heard them.
10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why
speakest thou unto them in parables? 11 He answered and said unto them, Because
it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to
them it is not given.
The parables are not intended for those who want a quick answer
and a clever quip to go with it. Although the Word of God is simple and plain, the
text is designed to make us study it, compare it to other similar concepts in
the Bible, and challenge each other to believe and understand God’s meaning.
12
For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance:
but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. 13
Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing
they hear not, neither do they understand. 14 And in them is fulfilled the
prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not
understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: 15 For this
people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their
eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and
hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be
converted, and I should heal them.
I
had the difficult but eventual good experience of learning New Testament
studies from ordained unbelievers. Both men earned Ivy League doctorates and
both denied the truth of Jesus’ resurrection, using the same lame excuse,
confused by two angels at the tomb but only one speaking. Both men could recite
what they were told yet they did not concentrate on the Biblical text itself
and its clear meaning. Although these two professors spent years in study, they
did not comprehend the Scriptures. In contrast, Nils Dahl, Abraham Malherbe,
and Robert Wilson concentrated on the meaning of the text. Dahl said, “The text!
The text! That is all we really know!”[1]
Those
who fall into the rationalistic view of the Bible often know the obvious facts
but none of the meaning. In fact, when ordained but rationalistic scholars
teach, they cannot avoid being shallow and sarcastic about the Biblical
narrative. The Isaiah predictive is eerily prophetic about our age of apostasy,
and it also fits previous times of doctrinal darkness and denial.
16 But blessed are your
eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. 17 For verily I say unto you,
That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye
see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have
not heard them.
Jesus encouraged the audience, people listening and
seeing Him, filled with trust that the promised Messiah was before them. These
early witnesses and believers were the foundation for the Christian Faith when the
Savior died on the cross, rose from the dead, and ascended into heaven.
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 wicked one, and catcheth away that which
was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. 20 But
he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the
word, and anon with joy receiveth it; 21 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. 22 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. 23 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.
The explanation of the parable contrasts faith with
indifference and rejection.
1.
The seed on hardened ground, snatched by
birds, is like the interested but wavering souls who have no trust and are
easily made victims of Satan, not growing in the person’s heart but snatched away
for the Opposer.
2.
The seed falling on stony areas is like
the person who hears the Word, rejoices, but soon falls away because he is not
rooted or grounded in the Faith.
3.
The seed falling among thorns is like so
many who hear the Word but let it be choked by the weight of this world and the
deceptive lure of riches.
4.
But seed that falls on good soil includes
those who hear and understand the Word, bear fruit 100, 60, and 30 times over.
This parable is
cautionary and also promising, because the sower must accept the many losses as
well an enormous harvest. The promises are an abundance of grace and
forgiveness through faith in Jesus Christ, an eternity won by Him in the worst
of circumstances, and the fruits of the Spirit in our daily lives.
[1] The Dean of Yale Divinity School said he would not hire any more Lutherans because they were too conservative. Serving at the time were Nils Dahl, Paul Holmer, George Lindbeck, and Jaroslav Pelikan: giants in their field.
