“Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. Such large crowds gathered around him…He told them…”A farmer went out to SOW HIS SEED. AS HE WAS SCATTERING THE SEED, SOME FELL ON:
- ALONG THE PATH, and the birds came and ATE IT UP.
- 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.
- 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:
- This is the seed SOWN ALONG THE PATH, 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.
- 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)
Jesus’ explanation of the Parable of the Sower highlights four different responses to the gospel. The seed is “the word of the kingdom.”
- The hard ground represents someone who is hardened by sin; he hears but does not understand the Word, and Satan plucks the message away, keeping the heart dull and preventing the Word from making an impression.
- The stony ground pictures a man who professes delight with the Word; however, his heart is not changed, and when trouble arises, his so-called faith quickly disappears.
- The thorny ground depicts one who seems to receive the Word, but whose heart is full of riches, pleasures, and lusts; the things of this world take his time and attention away from the Word, and he ends up having no time for it.
- The good ground portrays the one who hears, understands, and receives the Word—and then allows the Word to accomplish its result in his life. The man represented by the “good ground” is the only one of the four who is truly saved, because salvation’s proof is fruit.