The Kingdom Of Heaven Is Like… – Part 1
The Parable Of The Sower And The Seed
Matthew 13:1-23
The very first phrase of the first verse of our passage today says a great deal about our Lord and His approach to ministry.
We have already seen what a full day He has had. We know from the flow of the last chapter and from the corresponding passages in the gospel of Luke, that from the point where Jesus casts out the demon that has made a man blind and dumb, through His interchange with the Pharisees about blaspheming the Holy Spirit, His admonition to those gathered about the accounting we will all give for the words we have spoken in this life, His warning about those who search for miraculous signs instead of listening to the testimony of Jesus, to the point where we are now in the narrative, Jesus has taught, ministered and done verbal battle without a break.
In our study of Matthew 12 over the past several weeks, we have gotten a sense that all of this occurred on the same day. Morning and evening, He is teaching, ministering, working for the Lord. You know, that is one of the primary reasons that the early Church, as recorded in the book of Acts and a predominant practice clear up until the last several years, met and had “services” both morning and evening – they were following the example laid out before us right here in this section of Scripture.
The text often quoted when someone chaffed against “doing church” twice on Sunday was Ecclesiastes 11:6; “Sow your seed in the morning and do not be idle in the evening, for you do not know whether morning or evening sowing will succeed, or whether both of them alike will be good.” Something to think about.
At any rate, as I said, Jesus has taught, ministered and done verbal battle without a break. Now He steps outside, perhaps saying hello and chatting briefly with His family on the way out, and walks to the banks of the Sea of Galilee.
The crowd following Him on His little walk is enormous (“And large crowds gathered to Him, so He got into a boat and sat down, and the whole crowd was standing on the beach. Matthew 13:2).
He has things He needs to say. Important things; a great many things, as Matthew tells us in verse 3, “And He spoke many things to them in parables…”
How “many things” we do not know, but we know from what the Scriptures tell us in several other places that only a few of the things that Jesus did and taught were recorded for us in the gospels.
Remember John’s statement at the very end of his gospel: “And there are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they *were written in detail, I suppose that even the world itself *would not contain the books that *would be written.”
Now here we have the first occasion where Matthew uses the word parable. And, as we have seen in the past, the first time that something occurs in the Bible is very important to note and pay special attention to.
We’ve already seen how important words are to Jesus. Jesus spoke a great deal, and every word had weight and significance. His parables exploit His deep, intuitive understanding of the heavenly and the earthly, the spiritual and the physical, the supernatural and the natural.
Parables explain the things of God by using the truth of everyday things that we can understand and relate to as a point of delineation. The most amazing aspect of Jesus’ parables is the exact matching of characteristics that takes place in them between the heavenly and the earthly.
What I mean is this: when Jesus says, “The kingdom of heaven is like…,” we know we are going to look at the characteristics of something that is natural in our world and be able to see those characteristics paralleled in that which is natural in the spiritual realm of God’s kingdom.
There are very real differences between parables and allegories, and it is important that we know what those differences are. One of the fundamental reasons we need to know and understand the difference between the two is that many a false doctrine has sprung up from the allegorizing of a parable.
So, what are the differences? First, let’s look at the two words and what they mean.
A parable is the placing side by side or comparing the earthly truths expressed with the heavenly truths to be understood. The starting point of Christ’s parables is that man is made in the image of God, and that there is a God-ordained and God-created continuity between the human and the divine. The strength of Christ’s parables lies in the very real connection imprinted by the Creator on His creatures, the physical characterizing and demonstrating the higher spiritual and moral world.
As one theologian put it, “Both kingdoms develop themselves according to the same laws; Jesus’ parables are not mere illustrations, but internal analogies, nature becoming a witness for the spiritual world; whatever is found in the earthly exists also in the heavenly kingdom.”
An allegory, on the other hand, is figurative and symbolic, not descriptive. Perhaps one of the best examples is when Nathan the prophet comes to King David, as recorded for us in 1 Samuel 12:1-4, with the allegory about the rich man and the poor man and the ewe lamb the poor man owned. Let’s read it.
The truth about who it was that Nathan was speaking of was hidden until David grew angry. “Then David’s anger burned greatly against the man, and he said to Nathan, ‘As the LORD lives, surely the man who has done this deserves to die. He must make restitution for the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing and had no compassion’ (1 Samuel 12:5-6)."
Jesus used many figures of speech to convey His message. We have witnessed in recent studies His speaking directly and straightforwardly, we have witnessed Him using allegory and analogy. He has spoken openly, and He has spoken figuratively. Now we delve into a brand new area – the realm of the parable.
In His parables, Jesus combines both open and figurative speaking in a way that serves to separate those who will believe and those who will not; those who will open their hearts and their minds, and those who will not; those who are going to be saved, and those who are not.
That really is the meaning of the lengthy quote from Isaiah 6, found in Jesus’ answer to the questioning by the disciples as to why He was now speaking in parables. His answer is found in Matthew 13:11-15, and Mark 4:11-12.
There are those who are unwilling to listen to the deeper truth being spoken, those who are willfully ignorant and have no desire to be made otherwise.
Think of a parable as the peel of an orange or the shell of a nut. Some people are so unconcerned about or undesirous of what is inside the peel or the shell that they will expend no effort to peel the orange or crack the nut. They can hold it in their hands, but they will receive no benefit at all from what is inside. In fact, what they are holding has no real value for them, and instead becomes a burden and an encumbrance – an annoyance, if you will.
That is what Jesus means when He says, "For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him. Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand (Matthew 13:12-13).”
Parables were not a new thing invented by Jesus. God has used many parables through His prophets [“I have also spoken to the prophets, And I gave numerous visions, And through the prophets I gave parables (Hosea 12:10).”], and parables were a common form of teaching for Jewish rabbis and other religious teachers in Arabic speaking countries for many centuries.
Yet, Jesus took teaching in parables to a new level. He was able to perfectly match the characteristics of the earthly example He used to those of the heavenly concept He was teaching. If some wanted to delve deeper into the meaning and significance of the parable, there was great depth they could go to. For those who chose not to go beyond the surface, they heard the truth yet it meant nothing of any real substance to them. This, in fact, is the epitome of this very first parable that Jesus is recorded to have taught: The Parable of the Sower.
Now, if you have been here even a few times, you have heard me reference this parable at least once.
The setting Matthew lays out for us is picturesque as well as instructive. If you have ever been out on the water in a boat, especially on a lake, you know how well sound carries over the water. A normal speaking voice can be heard for a very great distance.
If you are sitting in a boat, a sound coming from the shore will sound louder than the same sound heard by a person on land. Sound seems to be amplified when it travels over calm water. The reason is that the water cools the air above its surface, which then slows down the sound waves near the surface. This causes a refraction or bending of the sound wave so that more sound reaches the boat passenger because the sound waves are traveling along, bouncing between the surface of the water and the slightly warmer air.
For those standing on the shore, a person speaking toward them from the water would be even more easily heard, since it would be directed specifically in their direction. Jesus understood and utilized a great deal in the natural world to gain and hold the attention of those He was trying to reach. I am convinced that He still does today.
All eyes are focused down from the bank onto the lake, to the man sitting in the lone boat in front of them. Everyone can hear, even over coughs and shuffles, because sound doesn’t carry very far on the land. Jesus begins to speak, and He speaks of things His listeners are very familiar with. In fact, if you examine the parables of Jesus, you will find that He used examples from agriculture and animal husbandry about 25% of the time.
Remember where all of life began? In a garden, correct? In this first parable, Jesus demonstrates for us that the principles at work in the realm of agriculture are very closely related to the principles in the spiritual realm; and, in particular, to the principles at work in the kingdom of heaven itself, which is a spiritual kingdom at its core.
So, here we have the Parable of the Sower, and its explanation, recorded for us here in Matthew 13:1-23, in Mark 4:1-25, and Luke 84-15. You recall, I’m sure, that anytime more than one of the gospels records an event or teaching, it is of special importance.
Jesus has done the hard wok for me in unpacking this parable and explaining what it means. Yet, even in His explanation, there are deeper lessons to be learned than those that are obvious, just as in the parable itself.
There are a few rules we have to keep in mind when we seek to interpret the parables:
TWO EXTREMES TO AVOID
1) Seeking to find some spiritual truth in every little detail
2) Saying that there is only ONE spiritual truth in each parable
GUIDELINES FOR PROPER INTERPRETATION
3) Learn from the explanations Jesus gave in those parables He explained
a) Understanding the parable of the Sower helps us to understand other parables - Mark 4:13
(1) Jesus therefore went on to explain that parable...
(2) Look for the CENTRAL truth of the parable, making sure that any other truths gleaned from the parable are in harmony with that central truth
4) Carefully consider the CONTEXT of what Jesus is saying
a) Look for an introduction or an application which may give insight as supplied by either the Lord Himself, or His inspired writers
5) Don’t use the parables to formulate new doctrine
a) Remember, parables were originally told to conceal, so they are not always that immediately clear in their meaning
b) Don’t try to build a case for a doctrine based solely on what you think is being taught in a parable
Let’s begin this exercise in parabolic interpretation (that is a theological term and all of us are theologians whether we like it or not) by reading the parable in its entirety (Matthew 13:3-9).
Not a long or complicated description of things, is it? And, on the surface, everything seems quite easy to picture and to understand. In His explanation of the parable, Jesus adds nothing to the story except to demonstrate the connection between the natural elements of the story with their corresponding spiritual elements.
What do we have? One Sower, one seed, four types of soil, four different results. The word picture is very easy to grasp because it makes perfect sense. Ground that is untilled and unprepared to receive the seed does not allow the seed to penetrate the surface, take root and grow.
Soil that has not been cleared of rocks and where the earth is shallow will not allow the seed to take firm root either. When seeds germinate, they burrow deep into the soil so the roots will grow deep and have a firm hold. Shallow soil does not allow for this, and the little plant that springs up quickly has no source of water or nutrients from which to thrive and grow. The hot sun dries it up and it dies.
Then there is the soil that has not been cleared of all of the weeds and thistles that will grow naturally wherever they can take root. This soil, unprepared for the new seed, is already crowded. There is little room and fewer of the necessities for a young healthy plant to grow up healthy. The weeds and the new plant battle it out, vying for the water and nutrients that are available. The weeds and thorns win the war.
Finally, there is the good and healthy soil, soil that has been adequately prepared to receive the seed and provide the ideal environment for the seed to germinate properly, get good roots anchored in the soil, and then the new plant can grow as it was intended to, drawing its necessities for living from the soil and the sun and the rains. The amount of nutrition each of the little plants draws will vary and the amount of crop that each one will yield will be somewhat different, but all of them will bare fruit.
Jesus, in His explanation of this parable, makes it clear that the seed is the gospel message of Jesus Christ, sown first by Him and then by those who would be His disciples – immediately and in the centuries to come. The four different soils are four different types of human hearts. One of the key points to note here is that, of the four, only one produces fruit.
For those of us who are disciples of Jesus Christ already, we know under which category of soil our hearts fell. For those who do not as yet know Jesus as their Lord and Savior because they have not really heard the gospel message, they could be any of the four.
What this parable describes is the fact that the gospel will be preached in a variety of places to a variety of people, and that for some, there will be no reaction at all. For others, there will be an almost immediate response, but it will fizzle out very quickly because the persecution that comes from being a self-proclaimed follower of Jesus Christ is too much for them. They would rather have the life and friends and family and comfort they have always had, not willing to lose all of that because they are different, standing up for what they say they believe.
For still others, they will hear the gospel of Jesus Christ, respond to it, and, over time, the worries of life and the seeking after riches and the comforts they bring will become the focus of their lives. The weeds and thorns of worries over material things and creature comforts become a greater priority in their lives than being obedient to the Word of God.
We need to understand that the demise of the plants that grow up in this latter type of soil or heart takes a much longer period of time to be strangled out. I have observed the last two types of responses to the gospel more than once, as I’m sure some of you have.
Where the one is an example of people who hear and respond to the gospel, get all excited and jump right in and get involved in anything and everything, since there is no real firm root taking place, they quickly fade away and disappear.
The other group, the ones who grow and change for a while, are not so flashy in their response. They actually appear to be maturing in their walk with the Lord more and more as time goes on. Lack of accountability, lack of true discipling, personal pride and a variety of other handicaps allow the weeds of riches and comfort to crowd out the personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
These people can remain involved; even serve in leadership capacities within the Body. But, eventually, the focus of their hearts, the focus of their lives and conversations and interests and pursuits changes and becomes cooled toward the things of God and warm for the things of this world.
We need to guard our own hearts against these things We need to take stock of our relationship with Jesus Christ on a daily basis, asking Him with the psalmist, “O God, let the secrets of my heart be uncovered, and let my wandering thoughts be tested: See if there is any way of sorrow in me, and be my guide in the eternal way (Psalm 139:23-24, BBE).”
You see, even though we may have a life that is bearing fruit because we have experienced a very real conversion and become a follower and disciple of Jesus Christ, just as in any garden, the seeds of weeds and thorns can be sown on the wind and take root amongst the healthy plants that are our life in Christ. Jesus even makes reference to this in another parable that we will study next time; the Parable of the Tares Among the Wheat.
The good news is that, according to what Jesus teaches us about the Master Gardener in John 15:1-11, He daily tends the vineyard and prunes the branches (that’s us). As long as we cooperate with the process, He will get rid of the dead or dying stuff and allow us the freedom to continue to grow in righteousness and fruitfulness. If not, then we get lopped off and thrown into the fire because our lives no longer bear fruit for Him.
What is the personal application we are to draw from all of this? Some of it I have mentioned already. The rest of it really depends on where you are today in your relationship with Jesus Christ.
You see, not only is salvation itself represented by the truths in this parable, but there is a picture here of our continuing life with Jesus as long as we remain on this earth. Not that our salvation will be lost, but what will happen to the joy and the peace that God intends for us to know and enjoy? What of the pleasantness of being at peace with the Lord in our everyday lives?
What of the promises of having our prayers heard and answered when we are living in loving obedience to our God? And, what of the rewards that He intends to give us to enjoy in eternity? What of those?
We can rob ourselves of so much of what God intends for us. We can also rob others of how God would use us in their lives. A weak and sickly plant is of no real use to the farmer or the gardener. It requires special care and attention, and it puts the others plants at risk.
It is for us to choose to petition the Lord to keep our hearts tender towards the gospel and toward the things of His kingdom. Only then will our life bear good and healthy fruit, glorifying God and edifying others. And that, after all, is what we’re here for, isn’t it?
Let’s pray.
