The Parable of the Sower: Reasons for Jesus' Use of Parables in the Gospel of Matthew, Study notes of English Literature

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Page  1  of  9   Hope  Christian  Church   7  February  2010     D.  Todd  Cravens     Series:  The  Parables  of  Jesus     The  Parable  of  the  Sower     Matthew  13:3-­‐9  (ESV)     3  And  he  told  them  many  things  in  parables,  saying:  A  sower  went  out  to  sow.   4  And  as  he  sowed,  some  seeds  fell  along  the  path,  and  the  birds  came  and  devoured  them.   5  Other  seeds  fell  on  rocky  ground,  where  they  did  not  have  much  soil,  and  immediately  they  sprang  up,   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  produced  grain,  some  a  hundredfold,  some  sixty,  some  thirty.   9  He  who  has  ears,  let  him  hear.       Introduction   Last  week  we  began  a  new  series  on  the  parables  of  Jesus.    I  offered  four  reasons  for  doing  such  a   series  and  I  would  like  to  remind  you  of  them  once  again.    We  you  please  pray  these  with  me?    Would   you  pray  that  the  Lord  would  grant  these  four  requests?       Four  Reasons  For  A  Series  In  The  Parables       1) So  that  we  might  know  more  of  Jesus  and  His  kingdom  (Matt  13:11).     2) So  that  we  might  experience  the  realities  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  in  our  daily  lives.     3) So  that  our  eyes  might  be  opened  to  very  practical  and  natural  ways  of  sharing  spiritual   truths  with  those  around  us  by  using  common  human  experiences.     4) So  that  He  might  save  those  who  are  lost.       A  Definition  of  Parable   Recall  that  the  Greek  word  for  ‘parable’  comes  from  two  Greek  words  para  and  ballō,  which  together   mean,  ‘to  throw  alongside.’”1    It  means  to  compare  two  things.    It  means  taking  one  thing  and  laying   it  along  side  another  thing  for  the  sake  of  a  comparison.     James  Boice  defined  parable  as  “a  story  taken  from  real  life  (or  a  real-­‐life  situation)  from  which  a   moral  or  spiritual  truth  is  drawn.”2                                                                                                                   1  The  Bible  Knowledge  Commentary:  New  Testament.    Second  edition  (Victor  Books).   2  James  Montgomery  Boice,  The  Parables  of  Jesus  (Chicago:  Moody  Publishers,  1983)  p.  14.   Page  2  of  9     If  we  look  up  the  Greek  word  parabole  as  defined  in  a  Greek  dictionary,  we  find,  “an  illustration,  a   comparison,  or  an  analogy,  usually  in  story  form,  using  common  events  of  every  day  life  to  reveal  a   moral  or  spiritual  truth.”3     Just  keep  in  mind  that  core  to  the  definition  of  parable  is  the  idea  of  a  comparison.    One  of  the   questions  that  we  should  continue  to  ask  ourselves  as  we  come  to  each  parable  is,  ‘what  is  being   compared?’     Why  Did  Jesus  Speak  In  Parables?     Last  week  we  focused  on  the  disciples’  question  found  in  Matthew  13:10,  “Why  do  you  speak  to  them   in  parables?”    We  noted  that  the  word  ‘parable’  first  appears  in  Matthew  here  in  13:3.    Up  to  this   point  in  Matthew’s  gospel  Jesus  had  not  spoken  or  taught  in  parables.    So  His  disciples  wanted  to   know  what  the  change  was  for.     Reason  #1)  To  Reveal  Secrets  of  the  Kingdom  to  Those  Who  Received  Him   Jesus  answered  by  offering  two  reasons.    First,  the  parables  were  a  means  of  revealing  the  truth  of   the  kingdom  to  His  disciples  (i.e.  including  all  who  are  following  him,  and  not  only  the  twelve).4         Matthew  13:11a,  12a   11  And  [Jesus}  answered  them,  To  you  it  has  been  given  to  know  the  secrets  of  the  kingdom  of   heaven…    12  For  to  the  one  who  has  more  will  be  given…     Jesus  chose  to  use  the  parables  as  occasions  to  reveal  the  secrets  (i.e.  mysteries5)  of  the  kingdom  to   those  who  received  him  (the  twelve  and  others).    Jesus  explained  the  meaning  of  the  parables  to  His   followers.    This  further  reinforces  the  fact  that  understanding  divine  truth  comes  through  gracious   revelation  of  God  and  not  by  any  innate  human  wisdom.         Reason  #2)  To  Conceal  Secrets  of  the  Kingdom  from  Those  Who  Rejected  Him   The  second  reason  Jesus  spoke  and  taught  in  parables  was  to  conceal  the  secrets,  or  mysteries,  of   the  kingdom  from  those  who  had  rejected  Him.    Jesus  did  not  explain  the  parables  to  the  crowds.     He  only  explained  the  parables  in  private  to  His  followers.     Matthew  13:11b,  12b   …to  them  [on  the  outside6]  it  has  not  been  given.    12  …from  the  one  who  has  not,  even  what  he  has   will  be  taken  away.     The  Pharisees  and  the  crowds  had  been  following  Jesus  and  witnessing  all  manner  of  miracles7  and   yet  they  had  rejected  Him  and  attributed  His  power  to  Satan  rather  than  God.    So  in  the  face  of  this   blasphemous  rejection  of  Him,  Jesus  quoted  Isaiah  6:9-­‐10.    This  passage  indicates  that  a  continual                                                                                                                   3  Robert  H.  Stein,  An  Introduction  to  the  Parables  of  Jesus  (Philadelphia:  Westminster,  1981)  p.  16.   4  See  Mark  4:10.   5  Greek  mysterion,  meaning  that  which  was  previously  concealed  but  now  has  been  revealed  by  God.    See  Paul  1   Cor  2:6-­‐10;  Eph  3:3-­‐6.   6  See  Mark  4:11.   7  In  the  immediately  preceding  chapter,  Jesus  healed  a  man  with  a  withered  hand  on  the  Sabbath  (Matt  12:9-­‐ 13),  “all”  who  were  sick  (Matt  12:15),  and  a  demon  oppressed  man  who  was  blind  and  mute  (Matt  12:22).   Page  5  of  9   This  leaves  you  with  the  nagging  sense  that  there  is  something  more  to  the  story,  doesn’t  it?    If  you   heard  this  for  the  first  time,  you  tend  to  think,  “OK,  you  just  told  us  what  we  already  knew  and  each   of  us  has  witnessed  a  hundred  times.    Why  did  you  tell  us  this?    I  know  you  probably  have  more  to  say   about  this  little  story  but  you’re  not  saying  it.    Why?    And  why  did  you  say  at  the  end,  ‘He  who  has   ears,  let  him  hear?’    Of  course  we  all  have  ears!?    What  are  you  driving  toward?”           Observations  About  the  Subject(s)     What  is  this  parable  about?    The  sower  is  referred  to  twice  in  this  parable,  once  in  verse  three  and   once  in  verse  four.      However,  ‘seeds’  are  referred  to  either  directly  or  indirectly  sixteen  times.9    The   focus  of  this  parable  is  overwhelmingly  upon  the  fate  of  seeds.     Go  To  Jesus  To  Get  Answers   The  question  is,  what  do  you  do  with  that  nagging,  unsatisfying  feeling  in  the  pit  of  your  stomach?     How  do  you  get  rid  of  it?    The  answer  is,  you  do  what  Jesus’  followers  did.    You  go  to  Him  and  you   ask  Him  for  help  (13:10).           The  Parable  of  the  Sower  Explained  (18-­‐23)   Matthew  13:18   18  “Hear  then  the  parable  of  the  sower:     Hear  This  Parable   Jesus  begins  explaining  the  parable  in  verse  18.Jesus  commands  His  questioning  followers  to   “Hear…”  this  parable.    He  wants  them  to  listen  to  this.    Remember  He  finished  telling  the  parable  to   the  crowds  with  the  command,  “He  who  has  ears,  let  him  hear.”    Marks  gospel  records  Jesus   beginning  the  parable  to  the  crowds  with  the  command,  “Listen!”  (Mark  4:3).     This  parable  is  surrounded  with  admonitions  by  Jesus  to  “listen,  and  hear”  what  is  being  said.    Jesus   tells  the  crowds  to  listen,  He  says,  “He  who  has  ears  to  hear10,  let  him  hear,”  and  as  explains  this  to   His   disciples   He   tells   them   to   “hear.”     There   is  much   of   great   importance   to   be   heard,   but  must   attend  to  it.    We  must  focus  our  minds  on  what  Jesus  says  and  pray  the  will  give  us  ‘ears  to  hear.’     The  Parable  of  the  Sower   Note  that  Jesus  calls  this  the  parable  of  the  sower.    Some  people  have  called  this  the  parable  of  the   soils,  but   this   is  not  what   Jesus   calls   it.    Remember   to  understand   the  meaning  of   the  parable  we   must  ask  who  or  what  is  being  compared.         1)    The  Seed  Sown  Along  the  Path  (v.19)   Matt  13:19     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  what  was  sown  along  the  path.     The  Seed?    The  Sowing?    The  Soil?   This  verse  answers  many  questions.    What   is  the  seed?    What   is  the  sowing?    What  or  where   is  the                                                                                                                   9  Vs.  4  –  2  times,  vs.  5  –  4  times,  vs.  6  –  3  times,  vs.  7  –  2  times,  vs.  8  –  5  times  (2+4+3+2+5=16).   10  See  Luke  8:8.       Page  6  of  9   soil?  The  seed  is  the  word  of  the  kingdom,  this  is  the  gospel,  the  good  news  that  the  kingdom  of  God   is  at  hand  and  that  God  forgives  those  who  repent  and  heals  the  sick  (Matt  4:17;  9:35).     Jesus  mentions,   “hearing”  again.    Hearing   the  word  of   the   kingdom   is   represented  by   the   idea  of   sowing   seed.   The   proclamation   of   the   gospel   is   the   sowing,   the   casting   out   of   the   seed   as   the   message  is  ‘broadcast.’    The  real  question  is  how  and  where  does  it  land  and  what  is  it’s  result.    We   learn   that   the  soil   represents   the  hearts  of   the  hearer.     The  word   is   sown   in   the  heart.    But  what   happens  to  it.    Jesus  offers  four  different  responses  of  the  heart  to  the  seed,  which  is  ‘the  word  of  the   kingdom.’     The  Word  Is  Not  Understood:  Seed  Sown  Along  the  Path   Jesus  tells  us  first  about  the  seeds  that  land  along  the  path.    In  this  case,  the  word  of  the  kingdom  is   not   understood.   The   Greek   word   translated   as   ‘understood’   is   νοεω11   (noeo).     It   derives   from   the   Greek  word  for  mind,  nous.    Noeo  means  to  perceivie  with  the  mind,  to  understand,  to  consider,  or  to   ponder.12   The  word  of   the  kingdom   is  not  understood,   considered,  or  pondered.    The  hard-­‐packed   dirt  of  the  path  corresponds  to  the  hardened  heart  that  refuses  to  ponder  or  to  consider  the  word  of   the  kingdom.         Snatched  Away  By  Satan   This  refusal  to  think  deeply  about  what  is  being  said  provides  an  opportunity  for  the  evil  one,  that  is   Satan,  to  come  quickly  and  snatch  away  what  has  been  sown  in  the  heart.    The  last  thing  Satan  wants   you  to  do  is  to  think!    Satan  is  opposed  to  thinking.    God  is  not.         Paul   told  Timothy,  “Think  over  what   I   say,   for   the  Lord  will  give  you  understanding   in  everything”  (2   Timothy  2:7).      Satan  would  rather  you  dismiss  this  idea  of  the  gospel  as  foolishness  rather  than  have   you  thougthfully  consider  all  the  claims  of  the  gospel.    He  would  come  and  say,    “Don’t  think  about   this.    This  nonsense  is  not  worthy  of  your  mental  energy.”     When   the   gospel   is   told,   sometimes   the   person  who   hears   it   is   too   hard   hearted   to   think   deeply   about  what  is  being  said.    What  is  heard  is  not  easily  understood  and  so  Satan  comes  quickly  to  the   end  that  no  further  thought  or  investigation  is  given  and  so  the  hardened  heart  does  not  receive  the   gospel.    This  is  that  which  was  sown  along  the  path.       2)    The  Seed  Sown  On  Rocky  Ground   Matthew  13:20-­‐21    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  he  has  no   root   in  himself,  but  endures   for  a  while,  and  when   tribulation  or  persecution  arises  on  account  of  the  word,  immediately  he  falls  away.     Immediate  Reception  &  Immediate  Rejection   The  second  heart  response  to  the  word  of  the  kingdom  Jesus  likens  to  seed  sown  on  rocky  ground.     Notice   the   immediate   reception   and   the   immediate   rejection.     There   is   an   immediate   response   of   receiving  it  with  joy.    Matthew  this  response  is  a  quick  response  but  only  a  surface  response.    There  is   no  depth.    There   is  no  depth  of   thought  going   into  a  deliberate  pondering  of   the  gospel  message.     “Sure,  I  don’t  have  to  go  to  hell?    OK,  I’ll  take  that!”    If  that  is  all  there  is,  there  is  no  counting  of  the                                                                                                                   11Ephesians  Four  Group,  Greek  Dictionary,  electronic  ed.,  2.   12Ibid.   Page  7  of  9   cost  that  Jesus  calls  for.13     Jesus  says  this  response  has  no  root.  This  response  is  merely  superficial.    The  truth  of  the  gospel   is   not  internalized  into  the  depths  of  the  heart,  but  is  only  welcomed  in  the  most  superficial  way.    This   response  can  only  be  sustained  for  a  while.    The  time  of  testing  reveals  the  true  nature  of  this  heart   response.     When  the  blazing  sun  of  adversity  arises,  this  heart  fails.    When  tribulation  or  persecution  because  of   the  word  of   the  kingdom,   i.e.   the  gospel,   intensifies   there   is  no  depth  of   root   to  sustain  this  heart   and  so  it  immediately  falls  away.    There  is  no  depth  of  love  for  the  word  of  the  kingdom  in  this  heart   and  so  it  quickly  gives  way  under  the  heat  of  intentional  pressure  that  arises  specifically  because  of   the  gospel.       This   response  was   to   immediately   receive,   but  when   things   get   hot,   there   is   immediate   rejection.     This  is  that  which  was  sown  on  rocky  ground.       3)    The  Seed  Sown  Among  Thorns   Matt  13:22  As  for  what  was  sown  among  thorns,  this  is  the  one  who  hears  the  word,  but  the  cares  of  the   world  and  the  deceitfulness  of  riches  choke  the  word,  and  it  proves  unfruitful.     The   third   response  endures  a  bit   longer,  but   in   the  end   is  nonetheless  unfruitful.     There   is  not   the   immediate  response  as  is  the  case  of  the  rocky  ground.    In  this  case  there  is  slower  revealing  of  the   inadequacy.         There  is  appears  to  be  enough  soil  for  a  healthy  beginning,  but  it  is  not  a  cleared  soil.    There  are  many   other  issues  that  are  not  taken  away  to  give  room  for  the  new  growth.    Two  are  mentioned;  first,  the   cares  of  the  world  and  second,  the  deceitfulness  of  riches.         There   are   so   many   things   of   the   world   that   demand   our   attention.     In   this   case,   more   care   and   attention   is   given   to   temporal   things   rather   than   to   spiritual   things.     The  attention  of   this   heart   is   further  distracted  by  the  desire  to  be  rich.    Riches  promise  so  much  but  deliver  so  little.     1  Timothy  6:10   For  the  love  of  money  is  a  root  of  all  kinds  of  evils.  It  is  through  this  craving  that  some  have  wandered   away  from  the  faith  and  pierced  themselves  with  many  pangs.       The  heart  that  is  more  in  love  with  wealth  than  with  the  gospel  is  slowly  choked  to  death.    The  cares   of   the  world   and   the  pursuit  of   riches  gradually  overshadows  any   room   for   the  gospel   and   slowly   strangles  any  hope  of  spiritual  life.    This  is  that  which  was  sown  among  thorns.       4)    The  Seed  Sown  on  Good  Soil   Matthew  13:23  As  for  what  was  sown  on  good  soil,  this  is  the  one  who  hears  the  word  and  understands   it.  He  indeed  bears  fruit  and  yields,  in  one  case  a  hundredfold,  in  another  sixty,  and  in  another  thirty.                                                                                                                     13  See  Luke  14:25-­‐33.