"Behold, the sower went out to sow." Missing from this parable are the words, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to.” There must be some good reason why Jesus omitted these words from the first parable. The reason why they are omitted is not a mystery. The kingdom of heaven is an expression which, in the present age has reference to Christianity. But the "kingdom of heaven" did not assume this form until after Christ had returned to the Father. This first parable deals with the period of time covered by our Lord’s earthly ministry. He is the Sower. The first parable forms an introduction to those which follow: it describes the work of Christ prior to the establishment of His kingdom among the Gentiles, though the principle of it has a wider application.
In Mark 4:3 we find that this same parable introduced by the words, "Listen to this! Behold the sower went out to sow.” The word “listen” indicated that the Savior was about to communicate something of unusual importance. The figure He was using was so simple as to be almost unimpressive, so that there was a danger of His hearers regarding it as of little account; therefore the "Listen!" "Behold" was designed to get the attention of those He was talking to. They are words used to get us to pay close attention to what follows. The beginning of this parable speaks of both tragic and blessed. Speaking from the human side, it ought to have been, "A Reaper went forth to reap," or "An Husbandman went forth to gather fruit." For fifteen hundred years there had been a liberal sowing of the seed in Israel, by Moses, David, the prophets, and last of all John the Baptist. But harvest for Jehovah there was not. Touchingly is this brought out in Isaiah 5: "My well-beloved has a vineyard in a very fruitful hill: And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and He looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes" (vv. 1, 2).
The blessedness of Christ’s works are seen in His wondrous condescension and grace in stooping so low as to take the humble place of a "Sower," The words “went out to sow” point to a change that will soon be introduced. There was no longer to be a planting of vines or fig-trees in Israel, but a going out of the mercy of God to the Gentiles; therefore what we have here is the broadcast sowing of the seed in the field greater than Israel. In verse 38 we are told "the field is the world.”
The purpose of this parable is to tell us the measure of success which the Gospel would receive among the Gentiles. In other words, we are shown what the results of this broadcast sowing of the Seed would be. First of all, most of the ground upon which it fell would prove unfavorable: the hard, shallow, and thorny soils were uncongenial to productiveness. Second, external opposition would be encountered: the birds of the air would come and catch it away. Third, the sun would scorch, and that which was lacking in moisture at its roots would wither away. Only a fractional part of the seed sown would yield any increase, and thus all expectations for the ultimate universal triumph of the Gospel were removed.
This parable answers the questions, what is to be the result of the broadcast sowing of the seed? Will the entire world receive it and every part of the field produce fruit? Will the seed spring up and bear a universal harvest, so that not a single grain of it is lost? Jesus said the greater part of the seed produces no fruit, so that no world-wide conquests by the Gospel or the Christianizing of the race are to be expected. Nor is there any hint that, as the age progressed, there would be any change, and that later sowers would meet with greater success, so that the wayside, stony, and thorny ground hearers would cease to exist or would rarely be found. Instead Jesus warns that instead of the fruitage from the Gospel showing an increase, there would be a marked decrease; for when speaking of the fruit borne He said, "which also bears fruit, and brings forth, some an hundred fold, some sixty, some thirty" (v. 23). These words are too plain to be misunderstood. Does the "hundred fold" have reference to the yield in the days of the apostles; the "sixty" at the time of the Reformation; the "thirty" the days in which we are now living? Look into the world, into our nation, into our cities and towns. What do you see? The history of the last twenty centuries has witnessed the fulfillment of Christ’s prediction; only a fractional percentage in any land, city or village has responded to the Gospel.
Most of the details of this parable are concerned with the soils and not the seed or the sower. In His interpretation Jesus tells us the different soils represent various classes of those who hear the Word. They are four in number, and may be classified as hard-hearted, shallow-hearted, half-hearted, and whole-hearted. It is important to see that in the parable Jesus is not speaking from the standpoint of the natural of the seed or the sower for there is not fault in the seed or the sower. The problem is human accountability. What we have here is the Word of the kingdom addressed to man’s responsibility, the effect it has on him, and his response.
The way side hearers. "As he sowed, some seeds fell by the wayside, and the birds came and ate them up…when any one 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 on whom seed was sown beside the road” (vv. 4, 19). Here, the heart is unreceptive and unresponsive. Though the Word is said to be "sown in his heart" the heart is like the public highway, hardened by the constant traffic of the world. Here is where the responsibility of the one who hears the word comes in. Those who hear the Word responsibility is understand it. It is true that the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God and they are foolishness to him. Understanding of the Word comes from God. This requires the humbling of self. If there is no humbling of the heart before God, no seeking wisdom from above, there will be no "understanding" of the Word; and the Devil will "catch away" that which we have heard or read: but we have only ourselves to blame.
The stony-ground hearers. "Others fell on the rocky places, where they did not have much soil; and immediately they sprang up, because they had no death of soil. But when the sun had risen they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away…The one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet it has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away” (vv. 5, 6, 20, 21). The type of ground that is here referred to is that where the bed is of rock, with only a thin layer of earth over it. In this shallow soil the seed is received, but the growth is but superficial. Jesus’ interpretation identifies this hearer of the word as one, whose emotions have been moved, but the conscience has not been searched; there is a "joy" in the heart but no deep conviction or true repentance. When a Divine work of grace is wrought in a soul, the first effects of the Word upon it are not to produce peace and joy, but contrition, humility and sorrow.
The sad thing is that today almost everything connected with modern evangelistic effort is aimed at producing this type of hearer. The "bright singing," the sentimentality of the hymns, the preacher’s appeals to the emotions, and the demand of the churches for visible and quick "results," produces nothing but superficial returns. Sinners are urged to make a prompt "decision," and assured that all is well with them; and the poor deluded soul leaves with a false peace and joy that endures for awhile. They come so near to the kingdom of God only to fall away.
The thorny ground hearers. "Others fell among the thorns; and the thorns came up, and choked them out... And the one on who seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world and the deceit fullness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful (vv. 7, 22). In Mark 4:9 the "lusts of other things entering in" and in Luke 8:14 the "pleasures of this life" are named as additional hindrances represented by the "thorns." Here it is not inward causes as it is external snares that render the third class of hearers unfruitful.
Jesus has told us why the sown seed is unproductive, why the preaching of the Word does not produce a spiritual harvest in all who hear it. First there is the natural hardness of man’s heart and the opposition of Satan; second, the superficiality of the flesh; third, the attractions and distractions of the world. These are the things which produce barrenness, and they are recorded for our learning and warning and what the servants of Christ can expect, and who will oppose their labors, the Devil, the flesh and the world.
The good ground hearers. "And others fell on the good soil and yield a crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty and some thirty”…But other fell into good ground and brought forth fruit... And the one whom seed was sown on the good soil, this is the man who hears the word and understands it; who indeed bears fruit, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty” (vv. 8, 23). It is to be carefully noted that when He was defining the good-ground hearer, Christ did not say "this is he in whom a Divine work of grace has been wrought," or "whose heart has been made receptive by the operation of the Holy Spirit." It is true, that this must proceed any sinner’s receiving the Word so that he becomes fruitful, yet, this is not the aspect of the Truth with which Jesus is here dealing with. He is not addressing human responsibility. Jesus is making known what the hearer of the Word must himself; seek the grace to do what he must do if he is to be fruitful. In Luke 8:15 we are told, first, that that Word must be received "in an honest and good heart." Second that they keep an honest and good heart and third, "bring forth fruit with patience. These are the conditions of fruitfulness: an unprejudiced mind and an open heart; understanding the Word received; holding it fast, perseverance.
If there were only one grain of wheat left in the world today, and it was lost, all the efforts of man could not reproduce it. The same holds true with the Word of God. If it were it taken from us all the knowledge and wisdom of man could not replace it. Then let us value, love, and. study it more.
If we have learned anything from this parable it should be the simple fact the emphasis is upon the Seed, the various kinds of soil and the obstacles to and conditions of fruitfulness. Why is this? The personality of the sower and the method of sowing are of secondary importance. A little child may drop a seed as effectively as a man; the wind may carry it, and accomplish as much as though an angel had planted it. Everyone, not only preachers can be a sower.
There is a great deal of "rocky ground" in this world. There are many "thorns" in each of our lives which must be plucked up if there is to be more room for fruit! Finally, there needs to be much prayer for "understanding," "patience," and hiding of the Word in our hearts so that we shall "keep" it. There are some who claim it isn’t necessary to seek the meaning of every detail in our Lord’s parables, we should be content with discovering only its general significance. This is contrary to Jesus’ example. In His interpretation He left nothing uncovered. This shows us we need to carefully study and the prayerfully meditating upon every jot and tittle of the Word of God. If we don’t what little we know will be taken from us.
