Hear and Understand

Introduction

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In John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress Christian, the main protagonist, comes to the house of the interpreter. Here he is shown all sorts of things that will help him on his journey. At one point he is shown a man in an iron cage. The man was formerly a fair and flourishing Christian. Yet now, he sits in despair in the cage. Strangely, the cage is open, but the prisoner refuses to see that. No matter what Christian may try to do to persuade, he remains in despair.

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Sometimes we end up in a prison of our own making. Have you ever felt as though God’s word falls flat in your life? How do we cultivate hearts that actually hear and understand and cultivate fruit?

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In today’s passage, Jesus gives the parable of the sower. He shows various responses to the message of the kingdom. In this parable, we can see some of the dangers to avoid.

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Matthew 13:1-23

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We will see how to make the word bear fruit in the Soils, the Secret, and the Solution.

middle school check yes or no (if you know the answer to the question)

Kanye - initial excitement, album, now?

example parable (AI takeover) - parables involve the hearer in the process

How can God’s kingship be resisted by his own people?

Proclaiming the kingdom reveals the soil, for good or for ill

Purpose: strengthen kingdom heralds in the face of opposition

The Gospel of Matthew J. The Kingdom of Heaven—Proclamation and Response: The Parable Discourse (13:1–53)

Far from giving explanations, parables themselves need to be explained, and three are given detailed explanations in this chapter

The Soils (1-9)

Matthew 13:1–9 ESV

1 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. 2 And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach. 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.”

Revelation

Jesus is teaching while sitting on a boat. The crowd is standing around and listening. And notice that it says he told them many things in parables. What exactly is a parable? Maybe you’ve heard the oft quoted definition “a earthly story with an heavenly meaning.” This definition does not seem to help most often. Here we can see this is an earthly story, but the meaning could be quite earthly too. Sometimes, like with the parable of the rich man and lazarus, the story is heavenly and the meaning is earthly. One commentator defines a parable thusly:

The Gospel of Matthew 1. Teaching by the Lake (13:1–3a)

So understood, a parabolē is an utterance which does not carry its meaning on the surface, and which thus demands thought and perception if the hearer is to benefit from it

He broadens the idea of parable to include, proverbs, things like the beatitudes. Notice the definition though: it demands thought and perception if the hearer is to benefit.

Easy to get off focus in the parable of the sower : Who is the sower? What exactly is the seed? Who prepared the soil? The focus, however, is on individual responses to Jesus. The responses which are demanded by Jesus method of teaching.

The Gospel of Matthew 1. Teaching by the Lake (13:1–3a)

Learning from and responding to a parabolē is not a matter of simply reading off the meaning from the words, but of entering into an interactive process to which the hearer must contribute if true understanding is to result

Notice that none of the first three scenarios, no matter what the plant does, it is of no good to the farmer because it does not produce a crop. So the idea of the plant springing up has nothing to do with someone being saved. Rather, each of these are various responses to the message of the kingdom. I will focus on this aspect more when we get into the explanation.

For now, I want to focus on how this parable describes the kingdom of heaven.

When one things of a kingdom coming, the expectation may be one of conquering. Someone conquers and now a kingdom is here. And this is what many people in the crowd expected for the Messiah to do: to overthrow Roman oppression and establish an earthly kingdom.

The parable of the sower shows the kingdom comes in an unexpected way - a message. In the four responses to this message notice something about it: the sower does not coerce, use force, or manipulate; he simply broadcasts the seed.

Relevance

In the 600’s Muhammad began proclaiming his message of only one God in the city of Mecca. Mecca was a religion center where all sorts of pagans would come to worship all their gods. Muhammad’s message was bad for business and he was kicked out. Years later he came back with an army of over 10,000. The city surrendered without a fight and many converted rather than face the sword.

But Jesus says his kingdom comes in a different way: a seed, not a sword. He does not coerce or manipulate. He proclaims and lets hearts respond. This kingdom advances not by conquest, but by hearing and believing.

faithfulness requires proclamation, not coercion or manipulation

This is a reminder that we do not have the ability to change hearts and minds. And faithfulness on our part does not mean that we succeed at changing hearts, but that we are consistent in spreading the gospel. Faithfulness is measured in how much seed is scattered, not how much fruit is produced. We don’t have to resort to emotionalism, gimmicks, or any type of manipulative practice, we share Christ.

Bridge

Like a man on death row rejecting when told he’s free, rejecting Christ’s message has dire consequences.

The Secret (vv. 10-17)

Matthew 13:10–17 ESV

10 Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” 11 And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: “ ‘ “You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.” 15 For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’ 16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. 17 For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

The disciples take Jesus aside and ask him about the purpose of parables. Jesus then begins with a clear division between the disciples and the crowd. He says that to the disciples it has been given to know the secret. What is this secret? One commentator writes:

Mystery defined:

The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Volume 8: Matthew, Mark, Luke 1) On Understanding Parables (13:10–17)

that the Kingdom which is to come finally in apocalyptic power, as foreseen by Daniel, has in fact entered into the world in advance in a hidden form to work secretly within and among men

This another reason why we see Jesus keeping his Messianic identity secret. Jesus is not after political allegiance or religious homage. He’s after the heart. The heart that yearns for the kingdom and bows to the king of kings.

And this is why he says what he does in Matthew 13:12 “12 For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”

Commentator R.T. France says:

The Gospel of Matthew 3. About Teaching in Parables (13:10–17)

Once you have started on the road of spiritual enlightenment, the blessings multiply, but those who do not accept the “message of the kingdom” will lose everything

The dividing line is clear and deepening. And parables work to deepen that divide by provoking response.

Matthew 13:13 “13 This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.”

For so long, I thought this meant the parables were given to hide things. But I don’t think that is the case at all. The parables don’t work to conceal knowledge that only the in-group could understand. Even the “understanding” disciples have to have an explanation. Neither is it Christ’s goal to hide truth from the crowd. If that were the case, he could just refuse to teach them.

Parables aren’t meant to hide things, they are meant to reveal things. But they reveal things in an unexpected way. They reveal the hearer’s heart. Jesus’s parables work to expose a heart’s precommitments when interpreted

“Hearing, they do not hear” - not because something is hidden from them, but because they don’t want to hear.

The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Volume 8: Matthew, Mark, Luke 1) On Understanding Parables (13:10–17)

This places the responsibility for the divine rejection of those who fail to become disciples on their own shoulders while guaranteeing that none of what is taking place stands outside God’s control

The parables do not work to conceal, but evoke response. And though the response may be unclear at first, it will eventually become plain to all.

Jesus says that this fulfills the Isaiah passage. Isaiah is called to go proclaim the truth to his people and that truth would cause them to harden their hearts.

The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Volume 8: Matthew, Mark, Luke 1) On Understanding Parables (13:10–17)

Isaiah was not given this charge because the result was desirable but because it inevitably came on people who were calloused

This is a difficult thing to grasp. Back when I used to teach, my younger classes would go especially out of control whenever we would do review games. So imagine I announce to my sixth graders, “Today, I’m going to make you talk uncontrollably, have trouble staying in your desks, and get so out of control that the neighboring teacher will have to come in here and tell you to quiet down.”

I’m telling them this in sort of a sarcastic way, and then go on to express these are the things that better not happen, even though review games often cause this.

In Isaiah, God is giving the people what they need, a message of truth for the chance of repentance. But that very message becomes a judgement to the person who rejects it.

But notice something else about the parable that I believe to be true here as well:

The failure of the seed to accomplish its intended purpose (bear fruit) is not a failure of the seed, its a failure of the soil. . .

Relevance

The secret of the kingdom isn’t hidden from us—it’s revealed in Christ. The only question is: how will we respond? Because the Word of God never leaves us neutral—it either softens us into discipleship or hardens us in rejection.

If Christ’s parables word to reveal the soils in our hearts, what has Christ’s parable done for you this morning? Does hearing these words lull you to sleep in apathy? Do they sound too difficult to grasp so you want to shrug them off? Or even if you lack understanding, do you want it?

I can tell you, again speaking from my teaching experience, I would much rather have the dumb student who wanted to learn than the smart student who was lazy and apathetic.

In the ears of a disciple, Christ’s words drives him to want to know more. Is that how you respond to the Word?

Bridge

If not, maybe there’s something bad in your soil. Jesus gives three things that lead to rejection.

The Solution (vv. 18-23)

Matthew 13:18–23 ESV

18 “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 has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along 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 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. 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. 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.”

Revelation

Each seed and soil interaction is a response to the message of the kingdom. The first hears the message and does not understand. I know of someone who testified to this as their experience. He was raised as a pastor’s son, always went to a Christian school, always was in church. He heard about sin. He heard about Christ dying for sin. But he never made that connection that he himself was the sinner Christ died for. He heard the message many times, but his lack of understanding did not lead to a yearn for more, but rejection as the bird came to pluck away the seed.

The next soil is the rocky one. The plant springs up right away. Remember, this does not mean salvation, but a favorable response to the message. However, as one commentator writes:

The Gospel of Matthew 4. Explanation of the Parable of the Sower (13:18–23)

their enthusiasm is based on external stimulus, not on inner conviction, and so it will not last when the external is no longer there

External stimulus like the emotional manipulation of our day. This is the case anytime a celebrity claims to convert. I always respond with a “we’ll see. . .”

The last soil is one choked out and distracted by the cares of the world. This person, when faced with the decision, would chose gold over God, security over salvation.

The last person is the one who hears and understands. And notice something about the plants. They each produce different amount of fruit. There is a measure of grace here.

The Gospel of Matthew 4. Explanation of the Parable of the Sower (13:18–23)

discourage an approach to discipleship which focuses on “keeping up with the Joneses;” the requirement is to produce the best crop each is capable of, and to recognize that not all will be the same

What does it mean to understand? (v. 23: “one who hears the word and understands it”)

Matthew 13:16–17 “16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. 17 For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.”

I don’t believe that understanding means that you know the ins and outs of the kingdom, you know everything about it. I don’t even think it refers to real comprehension. I think someone who rejects the kingdom can comprehend it.

I think understanding here refers to those who accept the message of the kingdom and live their lives in light of it. They embrace God’s rule even in their hearts, not just some external religious allegiance.

Application

So, what do we do with all of this?

All of this, I believe invokes the question in our hearts, what sort of soil am I? Am I one who is receptive to the message of the kingdom, or one who is ready does not care, driven by other passions, or ready to reject in the face of adversity?

Becoming receptive to the kingdom means cultivating a heart that listens, trusts, and acts on God’s word, no matter the trials, distractions, or temptations that come your way.

If you feel that the Word of God has fallen flat in your life ask yourself: 1. Hard Soil – Resistant Heart

What truth from God’s Word have I heard but quickly dismissed because I didn’t want it to confront me?

Am I more interested in controlling my own life than submitting to the Lord’s reign?

2. Rocky Soil – Shallow Heart

Where have I resisted letting the Word go deep because I fear sacrifice, loss, or suffering?

3. Thorny Soil – Distracted Heart

What worries, pleasures, or ambitions most often choke out my attention to God’s Word?

What do my daily habits reveal I treasure more than Christ?

The Word falls flat in our lives when we allow the soil to grow hardened through unrepentant sin, allow rocks in by fearing something other than God, and forget to pull weeds. We make a cage of our own, place ourselves in it, and sigh in despair that things aren’t like that used to be.

The cage is open. Find that sin you need to repent of. Find that rock you need to throw out. Pull out that week. Allow the soil of your hearts to be rich, receive God’s words, all with the goal of seeing him more clearly.