Matthew 13:1-3 says, “…Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. And great crowds gathered about Him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables…”
The Parable of the Sower was an apt analogy for the people of that time. When it came to growing crops, farmers would throw the seed down and then plow the seed into the ground afterward (opposite of what we do today). Wherever the seeds landed determined whether plants would grow and flourish or not.
With that in mind, let’s look at Matthew 13:1-9, the parable of the sower.
13 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. 2 And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach. 3 And he told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. 5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, 6 but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8 Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 He who has ears,[a] let him hear.”
Matthew 13:1-9
When you first read this parable, did you understand it? More importantly, were you marveled at the graciousness of God at the end? The parables actually disclose our true spiritual condition. Those who lean on their own understanding cannot comprehend the parable. However, those whom God has given the ability to understand the mysteries of the kingdom (Christians) will understand the text.
Jesus’ disciples often asked why he spoke in parables instead of telling the followers what he meant. Jesus explains this to the disciples in verses 10-17. In verse 11, Jesus said, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.” But what does that mean? Dr. Sinclair Ferguson says, “Jesus spoke in parables because He found it the best way to expose the true spiritual condition of those to whom He was preaching.”
The Parable of the Sower Explained
Seeing that the disciples still didn’t comprehend the parable, Jesus explained it in detail in verses 18-23.
18 “Hear then the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. 20 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away.[b] 22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. 23 As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”
Matthew 13:18-23
Let’s apply this to our generation.
The seed is the Word of God. That’s why we’re told to share the gospel, because “faith comes from hearing and hearing through the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17).
Verse 19 gives us the picture of someone who was invited to church, hears the Word of God, and then goes back out to the world and lives by the status quo.
Verses 20 and 21 show us someone who hears the Word of God and starts to attend church regularly. However, their boss won’t give them every Sunday off so they stop coming and fall away quickly.
Verse 22 is the story of someone who hears the Word of God but the words of their friends and family, which are opposite of the Bible, mean more to them. They care more about what people think of them than what God thinks of them and they follow the rules of the world instead of the narrow path.
Finally, verse 23 shows us a person whom God has called to Himself. They hear the Word and the Holy Spirit helps them understand it. Soon the Fruits of the Spirit can be seen in their lives and it is evident to others around them. They grow closer to God and enjoy reading the Bible. They share the gospel whenever they have a chance and their family and friends can see that they are a different person than they were before.
What else can be learned through the parables?
Dr. Sinclair Ferguson also said, “Parables are not merely illustrations. In a sense, they are tests of where we are spiritually, and that’s why it’s so important that when we read them we really need to be surprised by them and to ask the question, What is it that’s so surprising about the grace of God here?”
God’s grace is surprisingly unending to those He loves. However, R.C. Sproul said, “Parables were given not only to reveal but to conceal. To those whom God had given ears to hear, it was revelation. But for those whose hearts were hardened, who did not have ears to hear, whose necks were stiff, who didn’t want to hear the Word of God, who had a basic antipathy and hostility to the things of God, the parables were a form of divine judgment.”
Remember not to lean on your own understanding when trying to discern God’s Word. We cannot understand the kingdom of God without the Spirit of God.
For Christians, parables reveal the mysteries of the Kingdom of God. For those who aren’t Christians, it exposes their true spiritual condition. Which one are you?
Dawn Zauner 