Parable of the Sower

Jesus went out of the house a sat by the lake. Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat while all the people stood on the shore. Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. Whoever has ears, let them hear.”--Matthew 13:1-9.

“Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” --Matthew 13:18-23.

The thirteenth chapter of Matthew's Gospel contains seven parables of Jesus. They are about a sower, weeds, mustard seed and yeast, hidden treasure and the pearl, and the net. The phrase "the Kingdom of Heaven is like" introduces six of the parables. Studying this chapter and these seven parables will give us a better understanding about God's Kingdom.

The first parable which deals with a farmer who sowed his seed is the longest and is perhaps the most familiar. In this story Jesus was instructing his disciples by using an illustration from the agrarian society that they were part of. First of all, Jesus wanted his disciples to understand that like the farmer they ought to be out in the field, which is the "world," sowing the seed which is the "Gospel." Just as a farmer cannot produce seed or cause it to germinate, both he and a disciple can and should plant the seed. Christians should definitely be sowing more seed than most of us do. You could do this through a spoken witness, printed literature, etc. Secondly, Jesus described the four different soils on which the seed fell. Those soils actually represent various heart conditions of people who hear the Gospel. An analysis of these "soils" indicates that only one of the four is "good" soil. Therefore, the Lord's disciples should be realistic about the results and not be discouraged by rejection or a lack of response. Thirdly, just as all soils are not the same, neither are the results from the plants that produce a yield. While the outcome may be different -- 30, 60, or 100 times -- from what was sown, the point is that reproduction and multiplication should occur. Translation: All Christians may not be effective evangelists as Billy Graham but we should reproduce other believers.