This week’s parable can be found in Matthew 13, which is the third of five discourses by Jesus as recorded in Matthew. In fact, 8 of the next 9 parables are found in Matthew 13. Jesus recognizes the separation of his followers from others and began to reveal the secrets of the kingdom to them in parables. This chapter begins to deal with the question of “What will happen to the kingdom when the rejected king goes back to heaven without having actually ruled over the earth?” To answer the question, Jesus used an unusual word in the Bible. He spoke of secrets (13:11) and indicated he was revealing to his disciple’s truths hidden since the creation of the world (13:35).
In the Bible, a mystery or secret is not something hard to understand, as we commonly use the word. Rather, it refers to a truth that was never revealed in the Old Testament but now is made plain in the New Testament. The apostle Paul defined it as a truth “that has been kept hidden for ages and generations but is now disclosed to the saints” (Colossians 1:26).
The Old Testament has revealed the earthly reign of Christ on the throne of David, but Matthew 13 introduces a different form of the kingdom, the spiritual reign of the king over his own servants while he is physically absent before his second coming.
13 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. 2 Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. 3 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. 9 Whoever has ears, let them hear.”
10 The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?”
11 He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. 12 Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables:
“Though seeing, they do not see;
though hearing, they do not hear or understand.
14 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:
“‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
15 For this people’s heart has become calloused;
they hardly hear with their ears,
and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them.
16 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. 17 For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.
18 “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19 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. 20 The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 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. 22 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. 23 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.”
This parable is in three parts, verse 3 through 9 is the actual parable, verses 10 through 17 is Jesus explanation on why he used parables in his teachings, and finally verses 18 through 23 is Jesus explanation of the parable.
This parable in verses 3 through 9 needs little explanation here, because Jesus himself explained the parable in verses 18 through 23. Note that the farmer sowed seed on several different kinds of soil. The soil along the path (13:4) would likely have been hard-packed from much traffic. There would be little vegetation of loose soil to hid or bury the seeds, so the birds could easily find them. The birds represent the devil, “the evil one” (13:9).
Think About the Sower
Jesus tells us that the farmer scattered seed (the Word of God) on all types of ground. He didn’t say that the farmer was meticulously planting the seeds in designated ‘good soil’ areas in nice neat rows, Jesus says he was scattering the seed everywhere.
Doesn’t that seem wasteful though? I mean, if I were planting a field, why would I throw seed on rocks, thorns, and the side of the road? Wouldn’t you want to be careful and put the seed in only the good soil right from the beginning?
Actually, this method of planting wasn’t so strange back in Biblical times because the custom of planting was to first scatter the seed and then plow it into the soil.
But to help us understand the parable, we should remember what Jesus said earlier in Luke 5:31, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.” In this statement Christ makes it clear that he came to rescue sinners. His purpose was to bring salvation to everyone.
The Soils
We can’t ignore the soil types completely, but it is important that we first recognize the message of the generous sower.
Jesus knew that most of the people in the crowd would say, “Wow, great story,” and move along with their lives. When he ended the parable with, ‘he who has ears to hear, let him hear,’ Jesus was challenging them to think about the meaning of the parable.
That’s the message for us too. Think about these different types of soil not only with respect to other people, but with respect to yourself as well. It’s tempting to say, “oh, well, he’s like the rocky soil or he’s like the soil with all the thorns and brambles.” But Jesus is suggesting that you think about it with respect to your own life and the several types of soil that you personally might have experienced.
‘Some fell along the path’
This is the ‘in one ear, out the other’ crowd. Picture a middle-eastern road hardened by years of travel by men and animals. What happens to the seed when it falls here? It sits out in the open for the birds to come and eat it. Have you ever been like that? Sat in a sermon or Bible study yawning, nodding off, thinking about something else, not caring enough to pay attention? If you don’t take God’s Word seriously, you don’t even represent soil at all, you’re like a concrete sidewalk. The devil is happy to take God’s word away and plant all kinds of new thoughts in your mind. And what’s then end result? I like how it’s phrased in the New Living Testament: “the devil takes the message from their hearts, prevents them from believing and from being saved.” Not a pretty outcome.
‘Some fell on rock’
These people stayed awake. They were happy to receive the Word of God and even understand it to some extent, but when they’re tested, they collapse. They give in to temptation. They have no real roots. They’re just not planted deep enough in the soil. They know God’s word, but it hasn’t truly become their foundation.
It’s a superficial faith that springs up when times are good. But when the heat comes, just like the sun on a hot day, the small seedling that shot up on the rock will wither and die for lack of soil and water.
We’re all faced with temptations: women, lust, money, gossip, hateful thoughts and not just a temptations to do the wrong thing, but to not obey God’s commands and to not do the right thing, to ignore a person who could use your help. This is what Jesus is talking about here – a superficial faith for Sundays, for Bible studies, for when things are going well, but that all too easily gives in to temptation and fails when the going gets rough.
‘Other seed fell among thorns’
They hear the word, but do nothing with it.
They know the word, but don’t truly accept it.
They teach it, but don’t practice it.
They let themselves get overwhelmed by the worries and problems of life.
They don’t grow in maturity.
If we’re not earnestly seeking the Word of God, it leads to indifference about devotions, about the church, about the Bible, and our relationship with Jesus.
What happens then? The source for our satisfaction comes from external things (the thorns): riches, pleasures, good times with the old crowd, getting a buzz, whooping it up. Even though the seed was planted in good soil, the thorns choked it, just like these things can choke us from depending on God.
Again, you’re not alone it you’ve ever felt like this or fallen into this trap. It’s all around us. It’s the real world. Who doesn’t like a good party? Who doesn’t want a piece of eye candy clinging to them?
And conversely, who doesn’t occasionally get overwhelmed by the worries of life? What’s one of the major problems in today’s society? Yep, depression. Feelings of guilt and worthlessness. Feelings of hopelessness. Always feeling sad or anxious. Restlessness. Being irritable. Let these things grab you and they can easily overwhelm those seeds of God’s Word that will never be able to grow to maturity.
‘Still other seed fell on good soil’
. . . and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown. It may seem like funny math and bad business, but God knew what he was doing when he sent Christ to scatter the seed everywhere.
There’ll be times in your life when you feel like you’re firmly planted in the good soil. Use this opportunity to share God’s Word with others. That’s when you become the sower!
When Jesus speaks of a huge harvest, 30, 60, or 100 times what was sown he’s not taking about just the seeds that he planted. He planted some seeds 2,000 years ago. Those couple of hundred have grown to something like two billion Christians today. And Jesus is saying, he wants this to continue. He wants each of you sitting here today to be a sower of seeds. Yes, some will fall on concrete, some on rocky soil, and some with the weeds. But some will fall on fertile soil.
But remember, the fruit of sharing the Gospel doesn’t just happen on its own. It takes a humble heart and meditation on the Word of God to produce a good harvest and to further the Kingdom of God. The way you sow your seed will be different. All of you can tell your own story. You own testimony. Some of you might be in a position to lead a small group. Some of you could become preachers. Some of you could start a small Bible study where you work. Some of you could go on missions’ trips. There are so many opportunities to become a sower if you just keep your eyes open. That’s what Jesus wants you to do. Don’t disappoint him.