THE SOWER, THE SEED AND THE SOILS

LUKE 8:4-21; MATTHEW 13:1-9, 18-23;

MARK 4:1-20


1. In that day (Mt. 13:1). A. T. Robertson called it the “busy day.” Endnote The day took place by the lake in the springtime. In the second year of the Galilean ministry of Jesus the religious leaders grew in opposition. On that day, a crisis day in the ministry of Jesus, Endnote the Pharisees rejected Jesus in the synagogue. Jesus warned them of the unpardonable sin (Mt. 12:31) and turned to open-air preaching, like John Wesley after Him.


2. A great crowd. A great crowd went out of the city (Lk. 8:4) and gathered together to hear Jesus. The crowd kept growing so large that Jesus stepped into a boat and sat to teach the crowd from the sea as they stood along the shore (Jn. 21:4; Acts 21:5).


3. Many things in parables. Jesus taught ten parables on this day (two in Mark not in Matthew). One-third of the teaching of Jesus came in parables (parabolee–“to cast along side”). Jesus’ parables were pictures drawn from daily life (many actual situations)– so simple that a child could understand. Endnote The illustrations of Jesus did not explain the teaching– they were the teaching. Endnote


      The disciples asked for what reason Jesus spoke in parables (Mt. 13:10; Lk. 8:9). Jesus adopted this new form of teaching because of spiritual hardness. Parables both revealed and concealed truth (Ps. 78:2; Is. 6:9-10). Endnote Jesus taught the crowds in parables and explained the parables to the disciples. Endnote


      Jesus gave His disciples knowledge to understand the mystery taught in the parables and to enter of the Kingdom of God (1 Cor. 2:7-8). The rest, outside the Kingdom (Mk. 4:11; Col. 4:5), heard the same parables but the Word did not enter unreceptive hearts. The same Word hardened the hearts of those in unbelief (2 Cor. 2:16; 1 Th. 2:13; 2 Th. 2:10). Those hardened to Jesus Christ committed the unpardonable sin and could not understand (Lk. 8:10), repent, and be forgiven (Mk. 4:12).


Mt. 13:13-15 [ESV]. This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.

 14. Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: "'You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.

 15. For this people's heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.'


      Jesus’ first parable, the parable of the soils, explained how people hear (Eph. 1:13) the Word in the heart (Lk. 8:18). Jesus answered the mystery (Mt. 13:11; Mk. 4:11; Lk. 8:10) of why some received the Word and others rejected the kingdom of God (Mt. 12:24; same day as the blasphemous accusation Endnote ). Edersheim stated, “All the Parables. . . implied some background of opposition, or else of unreceptiveness.” Endnote


      In this parable Jesus emphasized the paradox of receptivity (Mt. 13:12, 25:29; Mk. 4:25; Lk. 8:18, 19:26). Jesus fills the open hearts with more truth in abundance, but Jesus takes away the pearls of the gospel from the closed minds so that unbelievers lose even what supposed truth they know.


      Jesus admonished the disciples concerning that they hear (Mt. 13:9), what they hear (Mk. 4:24), and how they hear (Lk. 8:18). Believers will either be dull of hearing (Heb. 5:11) or doers of the Word (Jas. 1:21-22).


      Jesus sent out the disciples into the field of world like sowers– “Go!” (Ps. 126:5-6; Jn. 4:35-37; 1 Cor. 3:6-9). The sower went out “to sow” the seed (Is. 55:11; 1 Pet. 1:23). The seed represented the Word (Lk. 8:11; life in the seed). The Bible also compared the Word to:•     Hammer (Jer. 23:29)

•          Lamp (Ps. 119:105)

•          Bread (Mt. 4:4)

•          Sword (Heb. 4:12)


      The power of the Gospel came in the Word (Jn. 12:24; Rom. 10:17). The results of the seed sown depended on the soil in which it fell. Endnote


      Robertson explained, “The lesson of the parable as explained by Jesus is precisely this, the variety in the results of the seed sown according to the soil on which it falls. Every teacher and preacher knows how true this is. It is the teacher’s task as the sower to sow the right seed, the word of the kingdom. The soil determines the outcome.” Endnote


      Jesus described four hearers of the Word. Three of the hearers stood in danger of committing the unpardonable sin. What caused the different responses by those who heard the Word of God?


  I. Hearer who is deaf (hard) to the Word (Mt. 13:4; Mk. 4:4; Lk. 8:5)


      The seed fell along the way– “beaten track;” Endnote “grass paths.” Endnote The hard paths represented those “not understanding” (Mt. 13:13-14-15-19-23, 15:10, 16:12; Mk. 6:52, 8:17-21; Lk. 24:45)– not grasping the Word sown in the heart.


      A. Word trampled (Mt. 5:13, 7:6; Heb. 10:29) by the deaf (Lk. 8:5)


      B. Word taken (“immediately”– Mk. 4:15) from the deaf (harpazo– Mt. 13:19; airo– Mk. 4:15; Lk. 8:12; katesthio– Lk. 8:5)


          1. Poneros (Mt. 13:9)


          2. Satanas (Mk. 4:15)


          3. Diabolos (Lk. 8:12– “lest they believe and be saved;” 2 Cor. 4:4)


      Jesus identified the problem as satanic activity–“the activity of the devil during and after the preaching of the sermon.” Endnote Robertson wrote, “The devil is busy with his job of snatching or seizing like a bandit or rogue the word of the kingdom before it has time even to sprout. How quickly after the sermon the impression is gone.” Endnote


“O do not let the Word depart,

  And close thine eyes against the light;

Poor sinner, harden not your heart,

  Be saved, O tonight.

Tomorrow’s sun may never rise

  To bless thy long deluded sight;

This is the time, O then be wise;

  Be saved, O tonight.”


 II. Hearer without depth (shallow) for the Word (Mt. 13:5-6; Mk. 4:5-6; Lk. 8:6)


      The seed fell upon the rocks in “limestone country” Endnote with no depth (1 Cor. 2:10) of earth, thin layer of soil on rock surface Endnote and immediately sprang up. In this parable Jesus tested the reality of salvation by its fruit (Mt. 7:16). Endnote


      A. Word temporary (proskairos pisteuousin) in the hearer without depth (shallow, surface)– “spring up” emotionally (“joy receiving”– Mt. 13:20; Mk. 4:16; Lk. 8:13)


          1. No depth (Mk. 4:5)


          2. No root (Mt. 13:21)


          3. No moisture (Lk. 8:6)


      David Smith wrote, “Jesus had no quarrel with enthusiasm, but He would have men understand that discipleship was a high and heroic enterprise, and would have no one enter upon it unless he had counted the cost and was prepared to carry it out at all hazards.” Endnote


      B. Word tried in the hearer without depth


          1. Affliction (Mk. 4:17– thlipsis– “squeeze”)


          2. Persecution (Mk. 4:17– diogmou)


          3. Temptation (Lk. 8:13– peirasmos [1 Pet. 1:6, 4:12])


              a. Scorched (sun; Rev. 16:8-9)


              b. Withered (Mt. 21:19; Jn. 15:6; Jas. 1:11; 1 Pet. 1:24; Mk. 4:17


                  (1) Scandalized (Mk. 4:17; Jn. 6:61; immediately)


                  (2) Apostatized (Lk. 8:13; Jn. 2:24)


      Wiersbe noted, “Persecution helps believers grow. But the sunshine will kill a plant with no roots. This explains why some ‘believers’ do not last.” Endnote Robertson observed, “It is positively amazing the number of new church members who ‘stumble’. . . do not like the pastor, take offence at something said or done by somebody, object to the appeals for money, feel slighted. . . . these superficial, emotional people who have to be periodically rounded up if kept within the fold.” Endnote


III. Hearer which is divided (double-minded) toward the Word (Mt. 13:7; Mk. 4:7; Lk. 8:7)


      The seed also fell “upon the thorns” (en meso– Lk. 8:7)– thorns unseen beneath the surface. Endnote The seed and the thorns sprang up together (crowded).


      A. Word compromised (Mt. 6:24) by the divided hearer


          1. Cares of the age (Mk. 4:19; Mt. 6:25)


          2. Deceitfulness of riches (Mk. 4:19; Heb. 3:13)


          3. Lust of other things (Mk. 4:19)


          4. Pleasures of life (Lk. 8:14)


      B. Word choked (completely) by the divided hearer


          1. Unfruitful (Mk. 4:7)


          2. Uncompleted (Lk. 8:14)


      Jesus identified the problem as love of the world. This hearer came closest to salvation but lost the opportunity through love of the world (Mk. 10:22).


 IV. Hearer who is a disciple (obedient) of the Word (Mt. 13:8-9; Mk. 4:8-9; Lk. 8:8)


      This hearer (good ground) “understands” (Mt. 13:23), “receives” (Mk. 4:20; Acts 22:18), and “holds” (Lk. 8:15; 1 Th. 5:21) the Word.


      A. Word is followed by the disciple (Lk. 9:23)– “with patience” (Heb. 12:1; Rev. 1:9)


      B. Word is fruitful in the disciple (Jn. 15:8)– “growing and increasing” (Mk. 4:8)


      Jesus promised that without fail some seed would bear fruit (1 Cor. 9:22). Some disciples are more fruitful than others (thirty, sixty, hundred), but all the saved have some fruit (Jn. 15:2). Endnote