Jesus' Parable of the Sower, the Seed, and the Soils

Have you heard about the middle-aged and somewhat troubled man who made up his mind to pay the doctor a visit? He went because he was distraught over his wife's adamant refusal to admit she had a hearing problem. The doctor promptly told him that when he got home he was to confirm the problem by opening the front door and from there ask his wife what's for dinner. Then, the doctor said, if she doesn't answer, move closer to the kitchen. Repeat the question again, and if she still doesn't answer, move right up to her ear and whisper in it, "What's for dinner, honey?" In this way, the doctor assured him, she'll have to admit she has the problem. So the man raced home with joy in his heart and opened the front door. "What's for dinner, honey?" he asked. When there was no reply he moved closer to the kitchen and asked again. "What's for dinner, honey?" No reply. When he looked into the kitchen, sure enough, there she was. So he tiptoed over to her and whispered in her ear, "What's for dinner, honey?" Immediately she turned and looked straight at him: "For the fourth time," she said, "we're having Spaghetti!"

There are times when we all have “hearing” problems. Sometimes our problems stem from “selective listening”. We “fail” to hear our spouse tell us to take out the trash! Or, maybe we are half listening to our children recount their day and are distracted by something like a TV show or our work so that we miss an important part of our child’s day. Or, some of us can remember becoming “hard of hearing” when it came to our parents ordering us to pick up our rooms for the millionth time! Our physical ears aren’t always used properly and hearing problems increase with age. The same might be said about our spiritual ears.

Today, we are looking at a famous parable from Jesus in Mark 4:1-20. And according to Jesus, this parable is the key to understanding all the rest of His parables. Essentially, this parable is all about hearing Jesus properly. This sort of hearing isn’t an absent-minded, in-one-ear out-the-other sort of hearing. Nor is it selective listening, hearing only what you’d like to hear. Nor is it a half-hearted, distracted hearing. Jesus’ words inform us that anyone can hear His words, but not everyone will really hear Him. Jesus is challenging us in His parable of the sower, the seed, and the soils to:

Theme: Listen carefully and respond genuinely to God’s Word.

And so, this parable is a call for us to examine our own hearts. How do you hear God’s Word? Do you have ears to hear?

This passage in Mark 4 fits nicely under four main headings. There is the setting described; the story declared; a secret disclosed; and the significance detailed. We will breeze through the first two headings and spend most of our time in the second two headings.

The Setting (v. 1-2)

The first heading is in verses 1-2 where we find the setting of the parable.

Mark 4:1–2 ESV

1 Again he began to teach beside the sea. And a very large crowd gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat in it on the sea, and the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land. 2 And he was teaching them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them:

Once again Jesus has left Capernaum and is by the Sea of Galilee teaching. While He is teaching, a large crowd gathers around Him; probably His largest crowd as of yet in Mark’s Gospel. Jesus’ popularity with the masses is on the rise. Thousands, perhaps, have come to Him and are interested to see who this Miracle-worker is and what He can do. Jesus masterfully turns this into another teaching opportunity as He began to speak in parables from a boat slightly off shore to the vast multitude.

The Story (v. 3-9)

And this is the story He taught them in parabolic form in verses 3 to 9:

Mark 4:3–4 ESV

3 “Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it.

Mark 4:5–6 ESV

5 Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and immediately it sprang up, since it had no depth of soil. 6 And when the sun rose, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away.

Mark 4:7–9 ESV

7 Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. 8 And other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.” 9 And he said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

Appropriately, Jesus’ teaching through this story of His first parable has to do with different responses to His words! Here we have this massive crowd listening to Jesus; a crowd comprised of people with differing responses to Jesus already. There were His disciples, who wanted to follow and learn from Him. There were those who were fascinated by Jesus; but nothing more. There were those in the audience who, no doubt, wanted something from Jesus like healing or cleansing. And then there were probably some of the religious leaders, the scribes and Pharisees, who had already made up their minds to reject Jesus and put Him to death.

So, Jesus begins and ends His parable by urging the audience to listen to Him carefully. The Greek word “akouo”, meaning “to hear or to listen” is used 13 times in Mark chapter 4. 9 of the 13 occur in our passage today, verses 1 to 20. And it also bookends Jesus’ parable in verses 3 to 9. He begins with the imperative command for His audience to “Listen!” and He ends His parable with the same imperative saying, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

What Jesus has just told His audience is of utmost importance and relevance to each of them. How they would respond to His teaching would serve as a diagnostics test of their hearts. He wants them to heed and respond accordingly to what He has taught about the soils. We’ll come back to the meaning of this story later, so bear with me!

The Secret (v. 10-13)

Some time after Jesus had ended His parable, His disciples and 12 apostles came to Him for clarity.

Mark 4:10 ESV

10 And when he was alone, those around him with the twelve asked him about the parables.

They couldn’t quite comprehend the meaning of the parable, so they asked Jesus for His interpretation. Before Jesus would explain the parable to them, He mentions a secret, then quotes from Scripture, and ends with a challenge.

The secret is mentioned first in verse 11.

Mark 4:11 ESV

11 And he said to them, “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables,

Apparently, Jesus’ parable has divided His listeners into two groups. Those on the inside, who are with Him; and those on the outside, who are without Him. Those who are on the inside with Jesus have been given this secret of the kingdom of God.

Now, we have a few clues in the context of Mark and from the rest of the New Testament as to what this secret is. First and foremost, this word “secret” is mostly, if not always, used in the New Testament to refer to a divine mystery. In fact that is what the Greek word is, “mysterion”. That is to say, what we have here is a secret or mystery that belongs to God and cannot be understood apart from His revelation. And I take that from the immediate context here in verse 11. This “secret” we read “has been given”. That’s a passive verb, meaning it is something that is done to or for someone else. This secret of the kingdom is a gift that must be given by God and cannot be attained by human means or achievement.

Next, when it comes to the use of this word “secret” in the New Testament, it is repeatedly used in reference to Jesus Christ; His person, words, and work, especially in reference to the gospel, that is God’s redemptive plan through His Son. This is what Paul wanted the Colossians to pray for on his behalf.

Colossians 4:3 ESV

3 At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison—

Based on the context of Mark’s Gospel, Jesus’ own preaching backs this assumption up that the secret of the kingdom of God is manifested in His person, words, and work. He proclaimed the gospel of God throughout Galilee

Mark 1:15 ESV

15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

That is, the kingdom of God is near because its King was present! However, the fact that God has come in the flesh through Jesus is not obvious for all to see and receive. That’s why this is called a secret, or divine mystery. He must first be revealed by God’s grace and then received by faith.

Jesus then quotes a passage of Scripture from Isaiah 6, saying that this is why some do not have this secret of the kingdom and why He chose to teach in parables:

Mark 4:12 ESV

12 so that “ ‘they may indeed see but not perceive, and may indeed hear but not understand, lest they should turn and be forgiven.’ ”

At first glance, this is a hard saying, isn’t it? In effect, Jesus is using a quote where God instructed Isaiah to preach His Word to God’s people so that God would sovereignly harden their hearts from receiving the truth lest they find forgiveness! We might be tempted to think, “Isn’t this unfair of God to do?” Not at all! If you study Isaiah you will quickly discover that the people were already being stubborn, selfish, and sinful. They had already hardened their hearts to God’s Word. So when Isaiah preached to them, God was now going to use His Word, not as a means of salvation for them, but as a means to condemn their negative responses to Him.

I love how John Calvin comments on this text in Mark. He uses an illustration of the effects of the sun on a person who has weak eyesight and applies it to the gospel of Christ. Calvin says, “The gospel is not the cause of blindness properly speaking or in itself or in its nature… It is like the dim-sighted going out in the sunshine. It only makes their eyes weaker still. Yet, the fault lies, not in the sun, but in their eyes. When the Word of God blinds and hardens the reprobate, it is through their own native depravity.” [Calvin, John. “Mark 4:12.” In A Harmony of the Gospels, Matthew, Mark and Luke 2, 2:67. Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1972.]

All over Scripture, both in the Old and New Testaments, we have this tension between God’s sovereignty and human responsibility in the accomplishment of God’s will. And Jesus doesn’t relax that tension for us here in His private conversation with His “inside” followers. Instead, He holds divine sovereignty and human responsibility in juxtaposition. That is to say, in one sense, God will not reveal His truth to some so that they will not receive His truth. Yet, on the other hand, people are still held responsible for their disbelief and rejection. A fine example of this is Pharaoh in the Exodus account. Paul even uses Pharaoh as a prime example that God is sovereign yet man is held accountable in Romans 9.

Again, I want to point out that the gospel of the kingdom of God made manifest in the person, words, and work of Jesus is a secret or mystery. It needs to be revealed by God’s grace. And those who are given that grace and respond to that grace with faith are “insiders”, but those who do not have this grace and have not responded with faith are “outsiders”, to use Jesus’ own terms.

To illustrate, think of the secret of the kingdom of God and the understanding of Jesus’ parables like stained glass windows. If you haven’t noticed, stained glass windows are a prominent feature of this sanctuary! Now, those of us who are inside the sanctuary are able to see and appreciate the beautiful artistry and glasswork depicting biblical themes and words. And the reason we can make out what is on the stained glass is because we are on the right side of the glass and the sunlight is shinning through, illuminating and revealing the artwork.

However, to anyone passing by the outside of this sanctuary, the windows appear dark and dim. The images are backward to them; they can’t really make out the details of what the windows are depicting even if they can distinguish the different colors of the glass. What’s the issue? Firstly, they are on the wrong side of the glass! But, secondly, they can’t perceive the artwork because the sun is only shinning upon it, not through it from their position. They might be able to make an educated guess as to what these windows depict, but it is ultimately unclear to them. And that’s because stained glass windows are wonderfully designed so that the images can only be properly understood, appreciated, and made clear from one side of the glass as light shines through it. Otherwise, it remains a mystery.

All this to say, Jesus’ parable has two functions. It reveals truth for those on the inside and it conceals truth for those on the outside. For those on the inside, God graciously gives illumination through the light of His Beloved Son. No one on the inside is thus able to boast that they have discovered the divine mystery of the kingdom of God by their own investigation and intelligence. And the reason these people are on the inside with Jesus in the first place is because of grace! It’s all of grace; all of God!

If this were not the case, we who are believers here today would have something to boast about. We would be able to puff out our chests and stick up our noses at those on the outside because we were the ones who discovered Jesus and are now on the inside. We were somehow smarter, more skilled, or special because we unearthed the secret of the kingdom of God through our own achievement, while others haven’t been able to understand the Bible and believe in Jesus like us!

What foolishness! No, it must only be by God’s grace that we are on the inside. Without that, we would still be on the outside! We often think that Jesus spoke in parables in order to clarify spiritual truths. But, Jesus essentially says His parables were meant to do the opposite! His parables are not low hanging fruit. It requires revelation from God and a genuine response from His listeners who would apply the truth to their hearts. For some, Jesus’ parables only clouded the minds and hearts of those who were merely curious or unwilling to accept the truth in their own hearts. Unlike the disciples, these people wouldn’t go to Jesus and ask for the meaning, but would only continue in their spiritual blindness, while others would be enlightened by the grace of God and receive the truth by faith.

Finally, before Jesus would explain the parable to His inner circle, He challenges them with two questions.

Mark 4:13 ESV

13 And he said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables?

The point is that understanding this parable is the key to unlocking an understanding of all the parables that Jesus would utter after it. It has much to say about Christ and how people are to respond to Him and His kingdom message. To Jesus, His parable of the sower, seed, and soils is crucial and relevant. And graciously, Jesus does not leave the understanding of the parable up in the air for His close followers.

The Significance (v. 14-20)

This brings us to Jesus detailing the significance of the parable in verses 14 to 20. This is the only place where we as readers receive Jesus’ own interpretation of His parables. In His own ministry, “Jesus”, we read toward the end of Mark 4, “would not speak to them without a parable, but privately to His own disciples He explained everything” (Mk. 4:34). So, in these verses we have a window into just one of the many times when Jesus would reveal what He was teaching. Which only further emphasizes the importance of listening carefully!

Jesus introduces His explanation of the parable by defining some terms.

Mark 4:14 ESV

14 The sower sows the word.

The sower is the preacher and the seed is the Word of God. In the immediate context, I think Jesus used the sower to refer to Himself and the seed represents what He was doing in His ministry. He was faithfully broadcasting the gospel of God. And notice this sower does so indiscriminately. We might think that this sower is wasting seed by spreading it on ground that won’t ever be viable for fruit. Yet, as we have seen already, Jesus’ words have a two-fold purpose: it will change some and condemn others. To those who will receive, more will be given. To those who reject, even what they have will be taken away (Mk. 4:25). Use it or lose it!

Certainly, the image of the sower and the seed offers us much encouragement even today. Despite the circumstances or the receptivity of the soil, the sower still goes out and sows faithfully for all to hear. And, as was read earlier in Isaiah 55, we know the Word of God will not return to Him void. The seed will achieve its designed purpose. We know that God’s Word saves souls.

James 1:21 ESV

21 Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

And we know that God’s Word is alive and active, able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart, which means God uses His Word to judge.

Hebrews 4:13 ESV

13 And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Whatever the result of the seed/Word of God: commendation or condemnation, depends on the quality and hospitality of the soil. Jesus basically explains that the types of soils refer to the hearts of people, who hear the Word of God faithfully proclaimed and how they respond to it.

Overall, there are four different responses to the Word of God or the gospel, as illustrated by the soils. And it’s important to point out that these responses are not momentary responses to the Word at one time or season, but define a response to the God’s Word and gospel over an entire lifetime. That gives us much hope in the present, doesn’t it!?! It means that if we find our hearts to be unproductive or unreceptive, God has graciously given us time to repent and change our ways. The really good news is that by God’s grace through regeneration or new birth, any one of us can experience the poisoned soil of our hearts being transformed into nutrient-rich soil able to yield an abundant harvest.

As Jesus explains the soils, we see that there are four heart-responses to His kingdom message, which can be grouped into two categories. The first three soils can be categorized as “unfruitful hearts”. Jesus offers no word of encouragement or comfort for these responses because they never end up producing any fruit. But the fourth soil has a note of commendation from Jesus for the positive outcome. This soil can be filed under “fruitful heart”.

Unfruitful Hearts

Let’s flyover the three unfruitful hearts.

The first is explained in verse 15.

Soil #1 = A Deaf Heart

The soil of the path represents a deaf heart. We could even say a dead heart. It is totally unresponsive to the Word. The image of this heart is that of a well-beaten path, hard as concrete, where the seed is constantly trampled under foot. On top of that, because of the hard ground, the seed remains unable to penetrate the soil and birds come to eat the seed.

These birds, Jesus interprets, represent Satan’s work. Something we all need to understand is that every time you open and read your Bible and every time God’s Word is faithfully proclaimed from the pulpit, there is spiritual warfare taking place. Satan hates when you look into God’s Word. He despises Christ-exalting, Gospel-centered, faithful, biblical preaching. And He will do whatever it takes to deter you from receiving the treasures found within the Word. He will do anything to make the sweet nectar of the Word taste bitter and unappetizing.

But the fault does not lie entirely with Satan. This soil also represents those whose heart is constantly being exposed to the truth and yet never receive it. And for them, the Word of God actually judges them because they will not respond accordingly. They have the hard hearts that Paul condemns in Romans 2.

Romans 2:5 ESV

5 But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.

Soil # 2 = A Depthless Heart

The second soil on rocky ground represents a depthless heart. The soil is too shallow and has no root system. Palestinian farmland has many areas where a layer of limestone lies directly beneath the soil. Because of the limestone, it is impossible for seeds to develop a healthy root system in order to receive good nutrients as well as moisture from the soil. So, the seed will sprout up fast, but is met with the hot Middle-Eastern sun and it dies.

This soil depicts a superficial, impulsive response to God’s Word and gospel. They “welcome the Word with joy”, but they didn’t count the cost. Maybe they heard that Jesus would magically solve their problems. The issues of their marriage would be fixed. Their bank account would grow. Their life would immediately become better and brighter. They like some of the benefits of the kingdom and what the King can do for them. They like the idea of His love, acceptance, and forgiveness.

But, they fail to take into account a commitment to obedience and endurance. The moment trials enter into their life, they opt out. They say, “Jesus isn’t worth all the trouble.” Their faith was merely a profession, nothing more. And a faith that is only professed, but never possessed, will never progress and persevere onto glory.

And then the third unfruitful heart is explained in verses 18 and 19.

Soil #3 = A Divided Heart

This is the thorny soil, which signifies a divided heart. A heart distracted by worldly things. Out of the soils thus far, this one seems to be the most promising. The seed takes to the soil, roots start to dig down, and the plant sprouts up. But, eventually it is choked out by thorns.

Jesus identifies three thorns that prevent this seed from reaching full maturity. The cares of the world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things. In other words, worry, greed, and lust or covetousness. This is a person who has received the Word, but wants the best of the world and the kingdom. He says he believes in Jesus and can recite the message of the gospel, but his heart is discontent. He is drawn after what the world can give him. He isn’t fully committed to seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.

This person’s response is, “Jesus is great, within reason of course. I want Him to be a part of my life, but only a part. Yes, I’ll go to church on Sundays, maybe get involved a little, just so long as it doesn’t interfere with something else I really want to do. There are certain things I need to make me happy in life and if Jesus can provide it, I’ll look to Him for it. But, why can’t I straddle the fence and have the best of both pastures? Sometimes the grass is greener on one side and other times the grass is greener on the other.”

Ultimately, this person fails to heed Jesus teaching in the Sermon on the Mount:

Matthew 6:24 ESV

24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

Or replace “money” with anything else and the truth still remains that Christ requires our full allegiance and devotion. “If anyone would come after Me,” Jesus said, “let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me” (Matt. 16:24).

The common denominator of these three soils or hearts is that none of them ever bear fruit. For a time, some may look promising. But, what good is a tall corn stalk that never yields an ear of corn? Or what good is an apple tree that never produces any apples?

Fruitful Heart

What’s left then is the fourth soil, which is the only fruitful one.

Mark 4:20 ESV

20 But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.”

Soil #4 = A Disciple’s Heart

This good soil represents a disciple’s heart. Notice what this heart does with God’s Word. Not only does it hear the Word, but it also accepts the Word. It is a heart that welcomes the truth and reacts favorably to it. The soil of this heart is a hospitable environment for learning, change, and growth that results in bearing fruit.

Luke’s version of this parable adds that this soil are:

Luke 8:15 ESV

15 As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.

No doubt, all of us want to see results in our walk with Christ. But, Jesus says growth takes time and therefore requires patience on our part. And this patience is that which “holds the Word fast”. That is to say, we must be diligent and careful to keep it in its entirety. We need to have ears to hear it all. Not just the parts that sound nice. Not just the bits that give us warm fuzzy feelings. All of it. A true disciple of Jesus Christ is one who recognizes and proclaims with Paul that:

2 Timothy 3:16–17 ESV

16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

A disciple of Jesus is one who says, “God has opened my eyes to see that Jesus is the one, true King, who is establishing His kingdom in the hearts of those that receive Him by faith. And one day this kingdom will be made manifest in Christ’s visible, bodily reign on this earth. Right now, sin is the enemy of His kingdom and all who belong to it. But, by God’s grace and through my faith in Jesus’ righteous life, atoning death, and glorious resurrection, I am saved from sin, death and judgment. I eagerly welcome and willingly obey all the words of my King and Savior.”

Conclusion

Jesus challenged people to listen carefully to the words He spoke in this parable. And He still challenges us today to do the same. Our hearts are detailed in this parable. Examine your own heart. How do you hear God’s Word? What type of heart do you have?

Is it a deaf heart, unresponsive to the gospel and to God’s commands? Is it a depthless heart, too shallow for roots and fails to consider the cost of following Jesus? Is it a divided heart, burdened and consumed with worry, greed, or covetousness? Or is it a disciple’s heart? A heart that has been cultivated by God’s Spirit, which is ready to receive, believe, obey, and stake your life upon God’s Word. A heart that, because it responds genuinely to God’s saving, living, and active Word, it is a heart that will bear the fruit of good works, holiness and righteousness, praise and thanksgiving, among many other spiritual fruits like: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Ask God today for a responsive heart that holds His Word fast and will bear fruit pleasing to Him with patience.

“He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

Prayer

Lord,

Where my words have failed, may Your Word prevail.

Fill in the gaps that I have missed.

Work in our hearts this day.

Cultivate the soil

Implant Your perfect Truth

and Cause us to bear fruit

For Jesus’ sake.

AMEN

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