Jesus often spoke in parables, stories or allegories that illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson. With the natural amplification of His voice reflecting off the water, did Jesus hold a large meeting? Let’s find out in Matthew 13.
On the same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea. And great multitudes were gathered together to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore. (Matthew 13:1-2 NKJV)
Part 1: The Sower
Are we deep or shallow? Are we quitters or do we last the distance? Are we choking on worldly cares? Is the word of God fruitful in us? Let’s understand the Parable of the Sower in Matthew 13:1-23.
He said many things to them in parables: “A farmer went out to scatter seed. As he was scattering seed, some fell on the path, and birds came and ate it. Other seed fell on rocky ground where the soil was shallow. They sprouted immediately because the soil wasn’t deep. But when the sun came up, it scorched the plants, and they dried up because they had no roots. Other seed fell among thorny plants. The thorny plants grew and choked them. Other seed fell on good soil and bore fruit, in one case a yield of one hundred to one, in another case a yield of sixty to one, and in another case a yield of thirty to one. (Matthew 13:3-8 CEB)
Jesus spoke of the kingdom like an indiscriminate sower. There is no target audience for the gospel here. The seed of the kingdom is sown with wild abandon, like spreading the Gospel with faith instead of formulas. Who did Jesus say would build His church?
… I will build My church … (Matthew 16:18 NKJV).
Did Jesus want us to listen?
If you have ears, pay attention! (Matthew 13:9 CEV)
Secrets of the Kingdom
Did Jesus speak in parables to make things clearer or to hide the meaning?
Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 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.” (Matthew 13:10-13 ESV)
Did this fulfill a prophecy from Isaiah? Because of callous hearts did people decide to shut their eyes?
Isaiah’s prophecy is fulfilled in them, which says: You will listen and listen, yet never understand; and you will look and look, yet never perceive. For this people’s heart has grown callous; their ears are hard of hearing, and they have shut their eyes; otherwise they might see with their eyes and hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn back—and I would cure them. (Matthew 13:14-15 HCSB)
Was this also new knowledge that even God-fearing prophets had not known?
But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them. (Matthew 13:16-17 KJV)
The Sower Explained
How did Jesus explain the seed that fell on the wayside (KJV, NKJV), path (CEB, HCSB, NIV, ESV), footpath (NLT), road (CEV, NASB), or roadside (WEB)?
Listen then to the parable of the sower. 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 the one sown with seed beside the road. (Matthew 13:18-19 NASB)
Rocky soil is a nuisance for farmers. Over generations, stones are removed and laid aside or used for building walls or houses. Some fields are just too rocky for anything but grazing.
How did Jesus explain the seed that fell on rocky ground (CEB, CEV, HCSB, NIV), stony places (KJV, NKJV), rocky places (NIV, WEB), or rocky soil (NLT)? Do we let the word sink deeply into our souls or are our hearts like stone?
The seed on stony ground took root, but was shallow and didn’t last. Shallow faith focuses on temporary things of this world, not deep spiritual things, persecution or suffering. Shallow Christianity cannot handle the whole truth and so avoids it. But deep-rooted faith lives on.
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. (Matthew 13:20-21 NIV)
Two plant species competing for the same soil rarely works well. Though some cases of symbiosis do work well, that is not the purpose of this parable. Like thorns, worldly cares and material wealth can choke the life out of us.
The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth, so no fruit is produced. (Matthew 13:22 NLT)
Three main types of soil are sand, silt and clay. To tame deserts experts may mix clay with the sand to hold moisture. In other areas, there may be too much clay and sand is mixed in to improve the soil. Creating and keeping good soil is a constant challenge.
What was sown on the good ground, this is he who hears the word and understands it, who most certainly bears fruit and produces, some one hundred times as much, some sixty, and some thirty. (Matthew 13:23 WEB)
Church growth formulas using target groups overlook this parable. Let’s share the kingdom with wild abandon. Are we deceived by the devil? Is our faithfulness short-lived? Are we being choked by worldly cares? Does the kingdom find deep roots in our hearts, producing abundant spiritual fruit? You decide!
