Parable of Soils

Another Parable

It is said that about 1/3 of the teaching of Jesus was done in parables.

What is a parable? What is the purpose of a parable?

It is commonly known or defined as “earthly story with heavenly meaning.”

Purpose is to teach in a manner that would be simple to remember to those who have eyes to see, ears to hear.

Jesus had just talked about a parable of two debtors (Lk7:40-43)

Jesus then used a known sinful woman as an illustration (Lk7:44-50)

This morning we will see other women first, then will get to the parable and the explanation of it.

Ministering women

Luke 8:1–2 NASB95

1 Soon afterwards, He began going around from one city and village to another, proclaiming and preaching the kingdom of God. The twelve were with Him, 2 and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and sicknesses: Mary who was called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out,

Luke 8:3 NASB95

3 and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others who were contributing to their support out of their private means.

What do you notice in these verses?

What does Luke demonstrate about women and Jesus?

That there were women who followed Him.

That there were many

That they were contributing to their support personally

Jesus was passing through every city and every village and doing what (v.1)?

Preaching the kingdom of God

Note also, the twelve were with Him.

Some women

Mary of Magdalene healed of evil spirits. - - - often thought that Mary was a prostituted, but there is no biblical proof of that, but there is of the spirits, and the devotion to Christ.

Joanna, Chuza’s wife, who was the steward, trusted financial steward to Herod.

Interesting fact that these two women were two that were at the tomb on Resurrection Sunday and the first to see the risen Savior.

You can also see the humility of Jesus in that he was willing to accept the help, contribution of others in the work.

Cooper in his commentary said:

“Many of us are too proud to receive help from others. Sometimes the ability to humbly receive is a better measure of Jesus in our life than the ability to give. Giving something puts us in a higher place, but receiving may put us in a lower place.”

Parable of the soils

Luke 8:4–5 NASB95

4 When a large crowd was coming together, and those from the various cities were journeying to Him, He spoke by way of a parable: 5 “The sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell beside the road, and it was trampled under foot and the birds of the air ate it up.

Luke 8:6–7 NASB95

6 “Other seed fell on rocky soil, and as soon as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. 7 “Other seed fell among the thorns; and the thorns grew up with it and choked it out.

Luke 8:8 NASB95

8 “Other seed fell into the good soil, and grew up, and produced a crop a hundred times as great.” As He said these things, He would call out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

What sticks out to you in this passage?

In previous verses Jesus was going around from city to city, village to village, now what do you see (v.4)?

Large crowd from various cities coming (journeying) to Him.

What did the sower have and do (v.5)?

He had seed and he sowed the seed he had.

Some seed fell where (v.5)?

Beside the road

Some seed fell on (v.6)?

Rocky soil

Other seed fell where (v.7)?

Among the thorns

Other seed fell into what (v.8)?

Good soil

Jesus drew the crowds and never missed an opportunity to teach.

As mentioned earlier about 1/3 of the teaching Jesus did was in form of a parable.

The idea behind a parable are

To throw along side of. It is a story thrown alongside the truth intended to teach.

Some will include proverbs, riddles and wise sayings as well as parables, some draw comparisons.

From word exposed bible commentary:

“Parables generally teach one main point or principle. We can get into trouble by expecting that they be intricate systems of theology, with the smallest detail revealing hidden truths. ‘A parable is not an allegory; an allegory is a story in which every possible detail has an inner meaning; but an allegory has to be read and studied; a parable is heard. We must be very careful not to make allegories of the parables as Barclay says.

Interesting fact in this culture the sower would sow the seed, then would blow the ground. You would not really know the quality of the soil until you plowed the scattered seed.

Whereas this is often referred to parable of the sower, it could be called parable of the soils, since it is the same seed, by the same sower on different soils.

Definitions of soils

Wayside: Path where people walk

On rock: soil that was thing, no ability to grow roots

Among thorns: fertile soil, so fertile that thorns and seed grew together. Thorns would choke out the crop

Good soil: just that, good with no weeds, produces good crop

Jesus calls for the people to listen, to hear, to discern, to be spiritually sensitive and take note.

Purpose of parable

Luke 8:9–10 NASB95

9 His disciples began questioning Him as to what this parable meant. 10 And He said, “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is in parables, so that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.

Any questions arise or anything from these verses?

What is the purpose?

For disciples to know the mysteries of the kingdom

For the rest not to see, hear, understand

To know the reason of a parable you needed the right key to understand it. A parable is about revealing a spiritual truth, but you need the key to gain understanding.

Mystery in the bible is not something that has to be figured out, it is something that has to be revealed by God.

Jesus quotes from Isa6:9

Isaiah 6:9 NASB95

9 He said, “Go, and tell this people: ‘Keep on listening, but do not perceive; Keep on looking, but do not understand.’

“Jesus explained that His parables were not illustrations making difficult things clear to all to be understood. They were a way for presenting God’s message to those who were spiritually sensitive could understand, but the hardened would merely hear a story without heaping up additional condemnation for rejecting God’s word.” (Guzik)

Barclay puts it like this: “A parable isn’t exactly an illustration. A good tacher can illustrate by stating a truth, and then illustrating the truth through a story or an analogy. But when Jesus used parables, He didn’t start by stating a truth. Instead, the parable was like a doorway. Jesus’ listeners stood at the doorway and heard Him. If they were not interested, they stayed on the outside. But if they were interested, they could walk through the doorway, and think more about the truth behind the parable and what it meant to their life.”

Jesus gives key and explanation

Luke 8:11–12 NASB95

11 “Now the parable is this: the seed is the word of God. 12 “Those beside the road are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their heart, so that they will not believe and be saved.

Luke 8:13–14 NASB95

13 “Those on the rocky soil are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no firm root; they believe for a while, and in time of temptation fall away. 14 “The seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with worries and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to maturity.

Luke 8:15 NASB95

15 “But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance.

What do you see, notice, what sticks out to you?

What is the parable (the key) (v.11)?

The parable (the key) is the seed is the word of God.

Knowing the key, what facts do you see (v.12) now?

Beside the road: is those who heard and the word quickly taken away so they will not believe and be saved.

What about the rocky soil (v.13)?

Receive with joy, but no firm root. Believe for a time but when temptation comes they fall away

And, the seed among the thorns (v.14)?

Heard, and go on with life and get choked out by the things (worries, riches, pleasures) of life and they do not mature

Finally, the seed in the good soil (v.15)?

Heard with honest, good heart, and hold fast to it, and bear fruit with perseverance.

Jesus likens the seed to the word of God that is has the power of life and usefulness in it.

“The preacher of the gospel is like the sower. He does not make the seed; it is given him by his divine Master. No man could created the smallest grain that ever grew upon the earth, much less the celestial see of eternal life.” (Spurgeon)

Some receive the word with hardened hearts and the wicked one quickly takes away the sowed word of God.

The devil comes and takes it, it is not a try, it is a take, he has power, he comes, he conquers our prayers need to be for people to have a receptive heart so it cannot be taken away.

The rocky soil still got good seed, good environment, joyful reception of the word, but they lacked moisture to grow so no root grew so were taken away by temptations of the world.

Another good quote from Spurgeon:

“We need the Holy Spirit; and if the Lord does not water us daily from the living springs on the hilltops of glory, we shall certainly die. So take heed, brothers and sisters, that you do not lack the moisture of the Holy Spirit’s gracious influence.”

Among the thorns: These are those who respond to the word, grow for a while, but are choked and stopped in their spiritual growth by outside influences (thorns).

Good soil: Those who receive with good heart and bring forth fruity in generous proportion.

Now, having said all that, before closing consider this.

We maynot always be the good soil

Wayside: Sometimes we do not allow the word of God any room in our lives

Stony places: We have flashes of enthusiasm in reception of the word, but quickly burn out.

Among thorns: The cares of world and the deceitfulness of sin are constantly threatening to choke out God’s word and our fruitfulness for the kingdom.

All receive the same seed (the word); Remember we are to be the sower, God causes the growth, so keep planting and cultivating the see, leave the growth to God.

(Pray) (exit)