The Sower
Preaching
Preaching The Parables
Series III, Cycle A
1. Text
That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. [2] Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach. [3] And he told them many things in parables, saying: "Listen! A sower went out to sow. [4] And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. [5] Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. [6] But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. [7] Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. [8] Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. [9] Let anyone with ears listen!"
"Hear then the parable of the sower. [19] When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path. [20] As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; [21] yet such a person has no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away. [22] As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing. [23] But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty."
2. What's Happening?
First Point Of Action
When Jesus leaves the house to sit by the sea, a crowd so large gathers that he enters a boat where he tells them many things in parables. He starts by saying, "Listen."
Second Point Of Action
He tells the crowd the parable of the sower. A sower goes out to sow.
Third Point Of Action
As he sows, some of the seeds fall on the path. The birds come and eat them.
Fourth Point Of Action
Other seeds fall on rocky ground where there is little soil. They germinate but become sun--scorched and wither away because they have no depth of soil for root development.
Fifth Point Of Action
Other seeds fall among thorns. The thorny plants grow, choking out the seedlings.
Sixth Point Of Action
Other seeds fall on good soil and bring forth grain, a lot of grain - some hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
Seventh Point Of Action
Jesus ends by inviting anyone with ears to listen.
Eighth Point Of Action
Excluded from the present reading are verses 10--17. In these verses, the disciples ask Jesus to explain why he speaks to the crowds in parables. Because his disciples are willing to hear, he retells this parable and explains it to them.
Ninth Point Of Action
Jesus says what is sown on the path means what is sown in the heart: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart.
Tenth Point Of Action
What is sown on rocky ground refers to the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy. Such a person has no root but endures for only a while. When trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away.
Eleventh Point Of Action
What is sown among thorns refers to the one who hears the word but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word and it yields nothing.
Twelfth Point Of Action
What is sown on good soil refers to the one who hears the word and understands it, who bears fruit and yields in abundance.
3. Spadework
Bear Fruit
The first of six usages of this phrase in Hebrew Scripture speaks of the literal bearing of fruit. It begins with the creation story. "Then God said, 'Let the earth put forth vegetation: plants yielding seed, and fruit trees of every kind on earth that bear fruit with the seed in it.' And it was so" (Genesis 1:11).
Note that the goal is not only to bear fruit but to bear fruit with seed in it for the continuation of creation. The other Hebrew references are in metaphor. In order for the "surviving remnant" to bear fruit upward, it first must "take root downward" (2 Kings 19:30 and Isaiah 37:31). Put first things first.
Jeremiah likens those who trust in God to a tree that is planted in the right place for production, that is, planted by water. (See Jeremiah 17:7--8.) Rather than know fear when heat and anxiety accompany a year of drought, the tree continues to send out its roots by the stream. It continues to bear fruit.
In Ezekiel's reference, good husbandry is paramount. The vine grew not where it willed but where it was transplanted. The farmer took care where he planted it, giving it good soil for root growth and plenty of water for nourishment. In this it held a threefold purpose: the production of branches, the bearing of fruit, and becoming "a noble vine." Whether in setting out of a sprig taken from the lofty top of a cedar or a grape vine, the farmer cared about more than what he would reap. He honored the plant for itself, for its own fulness of being. (See Ezekiel 17:8 and 17:23.)
The Bible contains 149 references to fruit, four references to good fruit, and two to bad fruit. While Matthew avoids speaking directly in the present text about the quality of fruit produced, he does so in the third chapter. (See Matthew 3:8 and 3:10.) Most usages of fruit in the New Testament are in metaphor. Mark 4:20ff and Luke 8:15ff offer parallels to the present parable. The writer of John's Gospel connects us with our metaphorical root, that of Christ and of God. (See John 15:4 and 15:16.)
Listen
"Listen!" is like our present day, "Listen up, people!" Here it gained the attention of a crowd of people. "Listen" is more than this. It is the command God gave when giving Christ authority: "Then from the cloud came a voice that said, 'This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!' " (Luke 9:35). See also Matthew 17:5 and Mark 9:7. "The Lord God has given me the tongue of a teacher, that I may know how to sustain the weary with a word. Morning by morning he wakens - wakens my ear to listen as those who are taught" (Isaiah 50:4). Each time Jesus uses this word, he echoes what God said.
"Listen" appears on 38 occasions in the New Testament, eleven times in Matthew, eight in Mark, fourteen in Luke, and five times in John. Jesus interjects the phrase, "Let anyone with ears [to hear] listen," at least seven times when speaking in parables to the crowds. In addition to the conclusion of the present parable (13:9), see Matthew 11:15 and 13:43; Mark 4:9 and 4:23; and Luke 8:8 and 14:35.
Whether this phrase begins or ends a parable, it suggests a fuller meaning, a code phrase for thinking beyond the obvious level of its words to its deeper meaning. Jesus wants persons to listen with the intent to understand: "Then he called the crowd to him and said to them, 'Listen and understand' " (Matthew 15:10). See also Mark 4:12 and 7:14.
Jesus' task is urgent. He does not want his words or those of the disciples wasted: "If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet as you leave that house or town" (Matthew 10:14). "Listen to me, my people, and give heed to me, my nation; for a teaching will go out from me, and my justice for a light to the peoples" (Isaiah 51:4).
Those who listen do so because they recognize the integrity of the speaker, because they can identify with what is being said, or because they want to learn. Those who listen to Jesus know he has something important to say to them: "And all the people would get up early in the morning to listen to him in the temple" (Luke 21:38). See also Luke 15:1.
Conversely, those who do not listen believe a speaker has no authority: "Many of them were saying, 'He has a demon and is out of his mind. Why listen to him?' " (John 10:20). See also John 10:16.
Parables are about listening and hearing truth. Parables are about understanding. Parables are about connecting. Always remembering to connect the work of Jesus' words with the fulfillment of the Hebrew Scripture, the writer of Matthew quotes the prophet Isaiah:
The reason I speak to them in parables is that "seeing they do not perceive, and hearing they do not listen, nor do they understand." With them indeed is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah that says: "You will indeed listen, but never understand, and you will indeed look, but never perceive. For this people's heart has grown dull, and their ears are hard of hearing, and they have shut their eyes; so that they might not look with their eyes, and listen with their ears, and understand with their heart and turn - and I would heal them."
- Matthew 13:13--15 from Isaiah 6:10
Isaiah said, "All you inhabitants of the world, you who live on the earth, when a signal is raised on the mountains, look! When a trumpet is blown, listen!" (Isaiah 18:3). Jesus is that trumpet. Jesus gives this message to those who listen: "But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you" (Luke 6:27).
Additional "listen" references from Isaiah include the following: "Listen, and hear my voice; Pay attention, and hear my speech" (Isaiah 28:23); "Then the eyes of those who have sight will not be closed, and the ears of those who have hearing will listen" (Isaiah 32:3); "Listen to me in silence, O coastlands; let the peoples renew their strength; let them approach, then let them speak; let us together draw near for judgment" (Isaiah 41:1); and "Listen to me, O Jacob, and Israel, whom I called: I am He; I am the first, and I am the last" (Isaiah 48:12). See also Isaiah 42:23, 51:1, 51:7, and 66:4.
Hear Then
Matthew inserts an echo from Isaiah. This phrase appears in one other place in the Bible, also Isaiah: "Then Isaiah said: 'Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary mortals, that you weary my God also?' " (Isaiah 7:13).
In Parable
Quoting Psalm 78:2 below, Matthew relates Christ's use of parables to the fulfillment of Hebrew Scripture: "Jesus told the crowds all these things in parables; without a parable he told them nothing. This was to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet: 'I will open my mouth to speak in parables; I will proclaim what has been hidden from the foundation of the world' " (Matthew 13:34--35). See also Mark 4:11 and Luke 4:8.
In the present texts, the writer of Matthew uses the phrase "in parable[s]" twice; verses 3 and 10. Matthew also refers to parables in 13:13 and 22:1. See also Mark 3:23, 4:2, 4:34, and 12:1.
4. Parallel Scripture
Both Matthew and Mark use nine verses to tell this parable. Luke tells it in five verses.
Teaching The Crowds From A Boat
All three reporters record that Jesus went into a boat and preached from the water because of the crowds. Matthew says "he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach" (v. 2). Mark reports: "Such a very large crowd gathered around him that he got into a boat on the sea and sat there, while the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land" (Mark 4:1).
In the fifth chapter, Luke reports the most elaborate description of Jesus' "boat ministry" in an otherwise unrelated story. He describes Jesus as spotting two boats at the shore and asking Simon to "put out a little way from the shore," saying "the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God." "Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat" (Luke 5:1--3).
Luke 8:4 makes no mention of speaking from a boat, reporting: "When a great crowd gathered and people from town after town came to him, he said in a parable."
Matthew says "Such great crowds gathered around him" (Matthew 13:2).
Sun
Matthew says "But when the sun arose" (v. 6) while Mark says "And when the sun rose" (Mark 4:6). Luke says nothing about the rising sun.
Seed[s]
Throughout this parable, Matthew uses the plural "some seeds" and "they," whereas Mark uses the singular "seed" and "it." (See Mark 4:1--9.) Luke uses "his seed" and refers to it as "it" (Luke 8:4ff). Luke says "as he sowed some of it fell on the path and was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up" (Luke 8:5).
Aside from Mark's use of the singular, Mark and Matthew are identical here: "Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil" (v. 5 and Mark 4:5). "Some fell on the rock; and as it grew up, it withered for lack of moisture" (Luke 8:6).
Matthew says the thorns choked other seeds (v. 7). Mark says this and adds "and it yielded no grain" (Mark 4:7b). Luke says "Some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew with it and choked it" (Luke 8:7).
Matthew says other seed "fell on good soil" (v. 8) while Luke and Mark say it "fell into good soil" (Luke 8:8 and Mark 4:8).
Matthew says this seed "brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty" (v. 8) while Mark says "brought forth grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirty and sixty and a hundredfold" (Mark 4:8). Luke says "and when it grew, it produced a hundredfold" (Luke 8:8).
Matthew and Mark begin Jesus' narrative with "Listen!" Matthew concludes "Let anyone with ears listen" (v. 9). Luke and Mark conclude "And he said, 'Let anyone with ears to hear listen!' " (Mark 4:9) with Luke's preface "As he said this, he called out ..." (Luke 8:8b).
Speaking In Parables
Matthew says, "And he told them many things in parables" (Matthew 13:3). Luke says, "he said in a parable" (Luke 8:4). Mark reports: "He began to teach them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them" (Mark 4:2).
Meaning Of Parable
Understanding The Parable. In verses 10--17, the interlude between the two assigned Matthean passages, the writer of Matthew responds to the disciples' inquiry about the meaning of his parables. Beginning with verse 18, he returns to the specific parable in today's passage: "Hear then 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 is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path" (Matthew 13:18--19). Matthew refers to the singular whereas Luke and Mark refer to the plural in describing the hearer[s] of the word.
The writer of Luke also makes a straightforward statement in response to the disciples' questioning of its meaning: "Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God" (Luke 8:11).
Mark's opening statements carry a hint of Jesus' impatience with the disciples or his frustration perhaps because of the amount of teaching he needs to offer in a short time. "And he said to them, 'Do you not understand this parable? Then how will you understand all the parables? The sower sows the word' " (Mark 4:13).
Note that Luke says the seed is the word of God and Mark says the sower sows the word. Matthew's explanation is open to interpretation. Is "what was sown in the heart" what was sown on the path? Is "the word of the kingdom" what is sown in the heart?
Seeds On The Path. Mark and Luke suggest that the seeds on the path "where the word is sown" are persons and that their hearing the word is pivotal: "When they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them" (Mark 4:15). "The ones on the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved" (Luke 8:12).
Seeds On Rocky Ground. Here is the first of Matthew's three uses of "as for." This person "hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet such a person has no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away" (vv. 20 and 21). Mark uses the same words with different phrase connectors. In Matthew and Mark, these people fall away immediately. For Luke, "they believe only for a while and in a time of testing fall away" (Luke 8:13).
Seeds Among Thorns. These folk hear the word but are distracted: "the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing" (v. 22). Mark adds "and the desire for other things comes in" (Mark 4:19). Luke, like Matthew, saying "As for what," elaborates saying "they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature" (Luke 8:14).
Seed On Good Soil. "But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty" (v. 23). Luke says "But as for that in the good soil, these are the ones who, when they hear the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart" (Luke 8:15).
Mark says they hear the word. Rather than Matthew's "and understands it," Mark says "and accept it" (Mark 4:20). Mark also, rather than Matthew's "who indeed bears fruit and yields" says "and bear fruit" (Mark 4:20).
Matthew speaks of the yield "in one case ... and in another ... and in another" then lists the yield in decreasing amount; whereas Mark lists the yield in increasing amounts, saying "and bear fruit, thirty and sixty and a hundredfold" (Mark 4:20).
Luke says "and bear fruit with patient endurance" (Luke 8:15).
5. Chat Room
First Reader: Seed on the path;
Second Reader: The birds get it. The person hears but does not understand; the evil one comes and snatches away.
First Reader: Seed on rocky ground; no depth of soil so it dies without roots.
Second Reader: The person hears and receives with joy but falls away at first hint of trouble.
First Reader: Seeds among thorns are choked by them.
Second Reader: The person hears the word but worldly concerns press in and there is no yield.
First Reader: Seed on good soil produces.
Second Reader: The person who hears and understands is productive.
First Reader: There you have it, a quick synopsis. This nature parable comes with a ready explanation, so what do we do with it?
Second Reader: For one thing, the interpretation may have been a later political addition. That, however, need not prevent us from considering its relevance for us.
First Reader: The parable tells us about the variety of people that mirror the receptivity of seed to assorted soil conditions. It reveals little about the sower.
Second Reader: I think otherwise. We learn much about the sower. Regardless of the risk, the sower shows great persistence in scattering the seed on the ground. Consider that the good soil, the weed patch, the rocky ground, and the path may or may not be within the same area.
First Reader: The sower scatters the seeds without regard to where they will fall. That is not agri--savvy. Does the sower not care about waste of precious seed or fuel? Is the sower as random as the wind that blows milkweed seeds or parachutes of dandelion, knowing that some seed will thrive and some will not?
Second Reader: Does the sower not want to miss a chance of seed falling on ground that is fertile for that seed? The sower is optimistic. The sower is hopeful. The sower is generous. All are essential qualities for the choice to continue to sow. What may seem to some as being without a plan may rather be the enthusiasm of creativity. The role of the sower is to recognize a good idea and get its precious seed out there while it is still viable. This is what the sower has to offer.
First Reader: As an organized person, I want the sower to have an understanding of the requirements of each seed. Why be as indiscriminate as the phone calls of a mass marketer? How do we get people to listen to the truth of God's word and hear it in such a way that it makes a difference in hearts and lives? How can we know ahead of time who is receptive and who will be fruitful?
Second Reader: The sower needs an understanding of what each seed requires for germination. Some seed needs scarification of the hull before it can germinate. Some seeds are so tender or fine that they cannot be covered while most require a depth of soil covering twice their thickness. Some cacti wait for months or years before they sprout. Some seeds need darkness and others need light, some require heat and some must have cold treatment first. Each unique seed has its own requirements.
First Reader: So the successful sower is aware of the particular environment of those for whom the seed is sown. Successful seed, in turn, thrives and produces seed. This parable addresses more than the sowing. The sowing is only the beginning of a partnership, that between God and the receptive person.
Second Reader: The successful farmer wastes no precious seed but pays attention to the place of sowing. All of this ground was probably not in one place.
First Reader: The good soil is somewhat of a mystery to me. Even good, fertile soil must be prepared before it will accept seed. The crust after rain and wind must be broken up. The field needs to lie fallow for a season so it can revitalize its soil. The same soil must not be used for the same seed year after year lest it become nutritionally depleted. What does the sower have control over?
Second Reader: The sower, if wise, tends the sowed seed as tenderly as the shepherd tends a new lamb.
That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. [2] Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach. [3] And he told them many things in parables, saying: "Listen! A sower went out to sow. [4] And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. [5] Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. [6] But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. [7] Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. [8] Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. [9] Let anyone with ears listen!"
"Hear then the parable of the sower. [19] When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path. [20] As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; [21] yet such a person has no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away. [22] As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing. [23] But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty."
2. What's Happening?
First Point Of Action
When Jesus leaves the house to sit by the sea, a crowd so large gathers that he enters a boat where he tells them many things in parables. He starts by saying, "Listen."
Second Point Of Action
He tells the crowd the parable of the sower. A sower goes out to sow.
Third Point Of Action
As he sows, some of the seeds fall on the path. The birds come and eat them.
Fourth Point Of Action
Other seeds fall on rocky ground where there is little soil. They germinate but become sun--scorched and wither away because they have no depth of soil for root development.
Fifth Point Of Action
Other seeds fall among thorns. The thorny plants grow, choking out the seedlings.
Sixth Point Of Action
Other seeds fall on good soil and bring forth grain, a lot of grain - some hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
Seventh Point Of Action
Jesus ends by inviting anyone with ears to listen.
Eighth Point Of Action
Excluded from the present reading are verses 10--17. In these verses, the disciples ask Jesus to explain why he speaks to the crowds in parables. Because his disciples are willing to hear, he retells this parable and explains it to them.
Ninth Point Of Action
Jesus says what is sown on the path means what is sown in the heart: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart.
Tenth Point Of Action
What is sown on rocky ground refers to the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy. Such a person has no root but endures for only a while. When trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away.
Eleventh Point Of Action
What is sown among thorns refers to the one who hears the word but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word and it yields nothing.
Twelfth Point Of Action
What is sown on good soil refers to the one who hears the word and understands it, who bears fruit and yields in abundance.
3. Spadework
Bear Fruit
The first of six usages of this phrase in Hebrew Scripture speaks of the literal bearing of fruit. It begins with the creation story. "Then God said, 'Let the earth put forth vegetation: plants yielding seed, and fruit trees of every kind on earth that bear fruit with the seed in it.' And it was so" (Genesis 1:11).
Note that the goal is not only to bear fruit but to bear fruit with seed in it for the continuation of creation. The other Hebrew references are in metaphor. In order for the "surviving remnant" to bear fruit upward, it first must "take root downward" (2 Kings 19:30 and Isaiah 37:31). Put first things first.
Jeremiah likens those who trust in God to a tree that is planted in the right place for production, that is, planted by water. (See Jeremiah 17:7--8.) Rather than know fear when heat and anxiety accompany a year of drought, the tree continues to send out its roots by the stream. It continues to bear fruit.
In Ezekiel's reference, good husbandry is paramount. The vine grew not where it willed but where it was transplanted. The farmer took care where he planted it, giving it good soil for root growth and plenty of water for nourishment. In this it held a threefold purpose: the production of branches, the bearing of fruit, and becoming "a noble vine." Whether in setting out of a sprig taken from the lofty top of a cedar or a grape vine, the farmer cared about more than what he would reap. He honored the plant for itself, for its own fulness of being. (See Ezekiel 17:8 and 17:23.)
The Bible contains 149 references to fruit, four references to good fruit, and two to bad fruit. While Matthew avoids speaking directly in the present text about the quality of fruit produced, he does so in the third chapter. (See Matthew 3:8 and 3:10.) Most usages of fruit in the New Testament are in metaphor. Mark 4:20ff and Luke 8:15ff offer parallels to the present parable. The writer of John's Gospel connects us with our metaphorical root, that of Christ and of God. (See John 15:4 and 15:16.)
Listen
"Listen!" is like our present day, "Listen up, people!" Here it gained the attention of a crowd of people. "Listen" is more than this. It is the command God gave when giving Christ authority: "Then from the cloud came a voice that said, 'This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!' " (Luke 9:35). See also Matthew 17:5 and Mark 9:7. "The Lord God has given me the tongue of a teacher, that I may know how to sustain the weary with a word. Morning by morning he wakens - wakens my ear to listen as those who are taught" (Isaiah 50:4). Each time Jesus uses this word, he echoes what God said.
"Listen" appears on 38 occasions in the New Testament, eleven times in Matthew, eight in Mark, fourteen in Luke, and five times in John. Jesus interjects the phrase, "Let anyone with ears [to hear] listen," at least seven times when speaking in parables to the crowds. In addition to the conclusion of the present parable (13:9), see Matthew 11:15 and 13:43; Mark 4:9 and 4:23; and Luke 8:8 and 14:35.
Whether this phrase begins or ends a parable, it suggests a fuller meaning, a code phrase for thinking beyond the obvious level of its words to its deeper meaning. Jesus wants persons to listen with the intent to understand: "Then he called the crowd to him and said to them, 'Listen and understand' " (Matthew 15:10). See also Mark 4:12 and 7:14.
Jesus' task is urgent. He does not want his words or those of the disciples wasted: "If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet as you leave that house or town" (Matthew 10:14). "Listen to me, my people, and give heed to me, my nation; for a teaching will go out from me, and my justice for a light to the peoples" (Isaiah 51:4).
Those who listen do so because they recognize the integrity of the speaker, because they can identify with what is being said, or because they want to learn. Those who listen to Jesus know he has something important to say to them: "And all the people would get up early in the morning to listen to him in the temple" (Luke 21:38). See also Luke 15:1.
Conversely, those who do not listen believe a speaker has no authority: "Many of them were saying, 'He has a demon and is out of his mind. Why listen to him?' " (John 10:20). See also John 10:16.
Parables are about listening and hearing truth. Parables are about understanding. Parables are about connecting. Always remembering to connect the work of Jesus' words with the fulfillment of the Hebrew Scripture, the writer of Matthew quotes the prophet Isaiah:
The reason I speak to them in parables is that "seeing they do not perceive, and hearing they do not listen, nor do they understand." With them indeed is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah that says: "You will indeed listen, but never understand, and you will indeed look, but never perceive. For this people's heart has grown dull, and their ears are hard of hearing, and they have shut their eyes; so that they might not look with their eyes, and listen with their ears, and understand with their heart and turn - and I would heal them."
- Matthew 13:13--15 from Isaiah 6:10
Isaiah said, "All you inhabitants of the world, you who live on the earth, when a signal is raised on the mountains, look! When a trumpet is blown, listen!" (Isaiah 18:3). Jesus is that trumpet. Jesus gives this message to those who listen: "But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you" (Luke 6:27).
Additional "listen" references from Isaiah include the following: "Listen, and hear my voice; Pay attention, and hear my speech" (Isaiah 28:23); "Then the eyes of those who have sight will not be closed, and the ears of those who have hearing will listen" (Isaiah 32:3); "Listen to me in silence, O coastlands; let the peoples renew their strength; let them approach, then let them speak; let us together draw near for judgment" (Isaiah 41:1); and "Listen to me, O Jacob, and Israel, whom I called: I am He; I am the first, and I am the last" (Isaiah 48:12). See also Isaiah 42:23, 51:1, 51:7, and 66:4.
Hear Then
Matthew inserts an echo from Isaiah. This phrase appears in one other place in the Bible, also Isaiah: "Then Isaiah said: 'Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary mortals, that you weary my God also?' " (Isaiah 7:13).
In Parable
Quoting Psalm 78:2 below, Matthew relates Christ's use of parables to the fulfillment of Hebrew Scripture: "Jesus told the crowds all these things in parables; without a parable he told them nothing. This was to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet: 'I will open my mouth to speak in parables; I will proclaim what has been hidden from the foundation of the world' " (Matthew 13:34--35). See also Mark 4:11 and Luke 4:8.
In the present texts, the writer of Matthew uses the phrase "in parable[s]" twice; verses 3 and 10. Matthew also refers to parables in 13:13 and 22:1. See also Mark 3:23, 4:2, 4:34, and 12:1.
4. Parallel Scripture
Both Matthew and Mark use nine verses to tell this parable. Luke tells it in five verses.
Teaching The Crowds From A Boat
All three reporters record that Jesus went into a boat and preached from the water because of the crowds. Matthew says "he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach" (v. 2). Mark reports: "Such a very large crowd gathered around him that he got into a boat on the sea and sat there, while the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land" (Mark 4:1).
In the fifth chapter, Luke reports the most elaborate description of Jesus' "boat ministry" in an otherwise unrelated story. He describes Jesus as spotting two boats at the shore and asking Simon to "put out a little way from the shore," saying "the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God." "Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat" (Luke 5:1--3).
Luke 8:4 makes no mention of speaking from a boat, reporting: "When a great crowd gathered and people from town after town came to him, he said in a parable."
Matthew says "Such great crowds gathered around him" (Matthew 13:2).
Sun
Matthew says "But when the sun arose" (v. 6) while Mark says "And when the sun rose" (Mark 4:6). Luke says nothing about the rising sun.
Seed[s]
Throughout this parable, Matthew uses the plural "some seeds" and "they," whereas Mark uses the singular "seed" and "it." (See Mark 4:1--9.) Luke uses "his seed" and refers to it as "it" (Luke 8:4ff). Luke says "as he sowed some of it fell on the path and was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up" (Luke 8:5).
Aside from Mark's use of the singular, Mark and Matthew are identical here: "Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil" (v. 5 and Mark 4:5). "Some fell on the rock; and as it grew up, it withered for lack of moisture" (Luke 8:6).
Matthew says the thorns choked other seeds (v. 7). Mark says this and adds "and it yielded no grain" (Mark 4:7b). Luke says "Some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew with it and choked it" (Luke 8:7).
Matthew says other seed "fell on good soil" (v. 8) while Luke and Mark say it "fell into good soil" (Luke 8:8 and Mark 4:8).
Matthew says this seed "brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty" (v. 8) while Mark says "brought forth grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirty and sixty and a hundredfold" (Mark 4:8). Luke says "and when it grew, it produced a hundredfold" (Luke 8:8).
Matthew and Mark begin Jesus' narrative with "Listen!" Matthew concludes "Let anyone with ears listen" (v. 9). Luke and Mark conclude "And he said, 'Let anyone with ears to hear listen!' " (Mark 4:9) with Luke's preface "As he said this, he called out ..." (Luke 8:8b).
Speaking In Parables
Matthew says, "And he told them many things in parables" (Matthew 13:3). Luke says, "he said in a parable" (Luke 8:4). Mark reports: "He began to teach them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them" (Mark 4:2).
Meaning Of Parable
Understanding The Parable. In verses 10--17, the interlude between the two assigned Matthean passages, the writer of Matthew responds to the disciples' inquiry about the meaning of his parables. Beginning with verse 18, he returns to the specific parable in today's passage: "Hear then 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 is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path" (Matthew 13:18--19). Matthew refers to the singular whereas Luke and Mark refer to the plural in describing the hearer[s] of the word.
The writer of Luke also makes a straightforward statement in response to the disciples' questioning of its meaning: "Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God" (Luke 8:11).
Mark's opening statements carry a hint of Jesus' impatience with the disciples or his frustration perhaps because of the amount of teaching he needs to offer in a short time. "And he said to them, 'Do you not understand this parable? Then how will you understand all the parables? The sower sows the word' " (Mark 4:13).
Note that Luke says the seed is the word of God and Mark says the sower sows the word. Matthew's explanation is open to interpretation. Is "what was sown in the heart" what was sown on the path? Is "the word of the kingdom" what is sown in the heart?
Seeds On The Path. Mark and Luke suggest that the seeds on the path "where the word is sown" are persons and that their hearing the word is pivotal: "When they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them" (Mark 4:15). "The ones on the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved" (Luke 8:12).
Seeds On Rocky Ground. Here is the first of Matthew's three uses of "as for." This person "hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet such a person has no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away" (vv. 20 and 21). Mark uses the same words with different phrase connectors. In Matthew and Mark, these people fall away immediately. For Luke, "they believe only for a while and in a time of testing fall away" (Luke 8:13).
Seeds Among Thorns. These folk hear the word but are distracted: "the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing" (v. 22). Mark adds "and the desire for other things comes in" (Mark 4:19). Luke, like Matthew, saying "As for what," elaborates saying "they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature" (Luke 8:14).
Seed On Good Soil. "But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty" (v. 23). Luke says "But as for that in the good soil, these are the ones who, when they hear the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart" (Luke 8:15).
Mark says they hear the word. Rather than Matthew's "and understands it," Mark says "and accept it" (Mark 4:20). Mark also, rather than Matthew's "who indeed bears fruit and yields" says "and bear fruit" (Mark 4:20).
Matthew speaks of the yield "in one case ... and in another ... and in another" then lists the yield in decreasing amount; whereas Mark lists the yield in increasing amounts, saying "and bear fruit, thirty and sixty and a hundredfold" (Mark 4:20).
Luke says "and bear fruit with patient endurance" (Luke 8:15).
5. Chat Room
First Reader: Seed on the path;
Second Reader: The birds get it. The person hears but does not understand; the evil one comes and snatches away.
First Reader: Seed on rocky ground; no depth of soil so it dies without roots.
Second Reader: The person hears and receives with joy but falls away at first hint of trouble.
First Reader: Seeds among thorns are choked by them.
Second Reader: The person hears the word but worldly concerns press in and there is no yield.
First Reader: Seed on good soil produces.
Second Reader: The person who hears and understands is productive.
First Reader: There you have it, a quick synopsis. This nature parable comes with a ready explanation, so what do we do with it?
Second Reader: For one thing, the interpretation may have been a later political addition. That, however, need not prevent us from considering its relevance for us.
First Reader: The parable tells us about the variety of people that mirror the receptivity of seed to assorted soil conditions. It reveals little about the sower.
Second Reader: I think otherwise. We learn much about the sower. Regardless of the risk, the sower shows great persistence in scattering the seed on the ground. Consider that the good soil, the weed patch, the rocky ground, and the path may or may not be within the same area.
First Reader: The sower scatters the seeds without regard to where they will fall. That is not agri--savvy. Does the sower not care about waste of precious seed or fuel? Is the sower as random as the wind that blows milkweed seeds or parachutes of dandelion, knowing that some seed will thrive and some will not?
Second Reader: Does the sower not want to miss a chance of seed falling on ground that is fertile for that seed? The sower is optimistic. The sower is hopeful. The sower is generous. All are essential qualities for the choice to continue to sow. What may seem to some as being without a plan may rather be the enthusiasm of creativity. The role of the sower is to recognize a good idea and get its precious seed out there while it is still viable. This is what the sower has to offer.
First Reader: As an organized person, I want the sower to have an understanding of the requirements of each seed. Why be as indiscriminate as the phone calls of a mass marketer? How do we get people to listen to the truth of God's word and hear it in such a way that it makes a difference in hearts and lives? How can we know ahead of time who is receptive and who will be fruitful?
Second Reader: The sower needs an understanding of what each seed requires for germination. Some seed needs scarification of the hull before it can germinate. Some seeds are so tender or fine that they cannot be covered while most require a depth of soil covering twice their thickness. Some cacti wait for months or years before they sprout. Some seeds need darkness and others need light, some require heat and some must have cold treatment first. Each unique seed has its own requirements.
First Reader: So the successful sower is aware of the particular environment of those for whom the seed is sown. Successful seed, in turn, thrives and produces seed. This parable addresses more than the sowing. The sowing is only the beginning of a partnership, that between God and the receptive person.
Second Reader: The successful farmer wastes no precious seed but pays attention to the place of sowing. All of this ground was probably not in one place.
First Reader: The good soil is somewhat of a mystery to me. Even good, fertile soil must be prepared before it will accept seed. The crust after rain and wind must be broken up. The field needs to lie fallow for a season so it can revitalize its soil. The same soil must not be used for the same seed year after year lest it become nutritionally depleted. What does the sower have control over?
Second Reader: The sower, if wise, tends the sowed seed as tenderly as the shepherd tends a new lamb.
