The Sower and the Soil

Introduction

We are in a series studying parables that introduce the kingdom of heaven.

Remember, the kingdom of heaven is God’s reign (perfect will) coming to earth as it already is in heaven.

Right now in our first messages we’re looking at the kingdom taking root - basic ideas about the kingdom. Last time we saw that Christ’s kingdom is not something that we add to our stuff, our thinking, our religion, our way, or even anything on this earth. His kingdom, as a new patch of cloth, would tear an old garment, and as new wine, would burst old bottles/wineskins.

Today we want to look at a situation that occurs, and how Jesus uses that to use a quick parable to teach an important lesson about the freedom that people in His kingdom enjoy.

Mark 4:1–9 AV

1 And he began again to teach by the sea side: and there was gathered unto him a great multitude, so that he entered into a ship, and sat in the sea; and the whole multitude was by the sea on the land. 2 And he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine, 3 Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow: 4 And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up. 5 And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth: 6 But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away. 7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. 8 And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred. 9 And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

1. The Teaching of Jesus

vv. 1-9

Matthew 13:1-2; Luke 8:4

A. The Format of Jesus’ Teaching

vv. 1-2

The setting beside the Sea of Galilee is familiar. Large crowd - obstacle and opportunity. Forces Jesus to use a boat as a floating pulpit (3:9). But this provides an opportunity for teaching - created a natural amphitheater - “Bay of Parables.”

Verse 2 - Jesus had previously used a parable in 3:23 and also 2:19-22. But this is his first sustained parable from which we have a full explanation. In all three synoptic gospels it stands at the head of a series of parables. This was a pattern of Jesus’ teaching.

A good general rule of interpretation is to remember that a parable is normally designed to convey one central truth only. Don’t try to find spiritual meaning in every fine point. Some details are only background. Otherwise it is an allegory and that has little place in the NT and no place in the teachings of Jesus.

Parable means something that is placed alongside something else for the purpose of clarification. The most common subject is the Kingdom of God. Many of Jesus’ parable are confounding, knocking hearers off balance so that they must see things in a new light.

In this respect a parable is like a story with a punchline. The unusual twist in the story is what gives the parable its impact and biting force (Wenham 1989, p. 14). Parables jolt people into seeing things in a new way, bringing them to a point of decision and action

B. The Parable of the Sower

vv. 3-9

Maybe a sower was in sight. The story is always a possible true life situation.

Summons to hear, “Hearken!” Shows urgency and importance.

Deuteronomy 6:4 AV

4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:

Hearing is the only possible way of understanding Jesus’ parables

Romans 10:17 AV

17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Hearing (and heeding) requires engagement and receptivity to what is said.

Sower went out to sow - scatters seed - farming in Palestine was hard. And the farmer sows unsparingly. Jesus’ description of sowing here is far from orderly or methodical; it is profligate, almost wasteful. Plowing after sowing - he sows every corner in hopes that good soil might be somewhere found. But these are not good odds.

Isaiah 55:10–11 AV

10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: 11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

Verses 4-8

The sower sows everywhere.

Verse 8 – here we see growing metaphors for the breathtaking harvest. (yield fruit, sprang up, increase). Some seed on good ground yielded 30, 60, even 100 times (number of grains harvested over sown). Average harvest seems to be 3 or 4 fold. A yield of 30 fold would be exceptional if not miraculous.

The parable deals with the problem that is greatest of all to the thoughtful mind: how is it that the scribes and Pharisees can so misrepresent Jesus? How is it that even his kindred and disciples can so totally fail to comprehend Him? Why does not the hearing of the doctrine produce the same result in every heart? Answer: the operation of the divine word is not automatic and that while the doctrine never changes, the nature of the response is dictated by the nature of the heart that receives it.

The harvest is a metaphor (OT) for the inbreaking of the kingdom of God

The parable of the sower is usually interpreted as a parable of soils, hardened ground, rocks, thorns and good soil as examples of wrong or right discipleship.

But the parable is more than a metaphor of human attitudes, as interesting as those may be. The parable represents the historical inbreaking of God’s kingdom in Jesus, the sower of the Gospel. The Kingdom of God breaks into the world even as seed which is sown upon the ground. The central point concerns the coming of the Kingdom of God.

The astounding growth in v. 8 is a clue that the growth is not owing to normal human activity but to God’s providential power. God is at work in Jesus and the gospel - human effort generally could never produce 30 fold or more. His ministry or sowing activity looks wasteful, nonsensical in some ways, but the harvest proves it.

A warning to the hearers that the parable requires thought and action in response. Let him hear! The framing of the parable in vv. 3 and 9 leaves one thing for the disciples to do: hear. Discipleship is not what we make of ourselves, but allowing both the Sower and the seed to produce a harvest of which we alone are incapable.

God should feel lucky to have me serving Him!

2. The Purpose of Parables

vv. 10-13

A. For Private Revelation

vv. 10-12

Verse 10

Between the parable and its interpretation we see Jesus’ reason for speaking parables. This is the key to understanding the 1-20 sandwich and is one of the most important sections in the Gospel. Also, one of the most difficult passages. Mark takes liberty to arrange his stories as he wishes

He spoke in parables to the multitude but explained all things privately to his disciples. This verse clearly happened some time later. They wanted to know the ‘deeper significance’ of the parable - why didn’t Jesus express his thoughts to the multitude in a more direct way.

The parable is simple but it puzzled the disciples.

They had to ask its meaning,

Matthew 13:10 AV

10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?

Mark doesn’t record the question but he records the answer. But the parable was used to determine if the hearers had ears to hear or not. Whether or not they earnestly desired to understand God’s ways. If their will is pointed right, then intellect would present no problem

John 7:17 AV

17 If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.

If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.

Verse 11

Irony - although Jesus is the fulfillment of the mystery, people do not see it;… because Jesus tells the truth about himself that they do not believe

John 8:45 AV

45 And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.

It is the mystery that the kingdom of God has come in the person and words and works of Jesus. Only faith can recognize the Son of God - the mystery of the kingdom of God is the mystery of the person of Jesus.

The mystery in v. 11 is the point of the parable of the sower - the providence of God is active in Jesus to produce a fruitful harvest in the world.

Those who hear in faith are given the mystery of the kingdom. The Word of God grows in them (30, 60, 100). The difference between the lost seed and the fruitful seed depends on hearing in faith.

The secret is that in Jesus the Kingdom of God has begun to infiltrate the experience of mankind.

In v. 11 - Jesus sees the Kingdom as it is embodied in his own person. 4:11-12 distinguishes two classes of people confronted with a single event. The disciples are enabled by God to see in this mission ‘ the secret Kingdom of God’ while those whose eyes are blinded and whose ears are dulled see nothing but a disturbing riddle. Unbelief makes every phase of that mission a riddle, alien to the perspective of man.

Increased knowledge brings increased responsibility. Warning to be teachers - further spiritual knowledge / perception is perilous, it only condemns us unless we act upon it.

Verses 12

Isaiah 6:9–10 AV

9 And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. 10 Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.

Here Jesus confirms the states of people’s hearts: insiders who are with Jesus will be given the understanding of the mystery; and outsiders who are not with Jesus will be confirmed in their disbelief. In Isaiah 6 God sends his prophet to a people who would not respond. In Pharaoh’s hardness, it is attributed alternatively to his own choice (Ex 7:14) and to God’s will (Exod 4:21). In the parable, the farmer sows seed on ground that cannot produce a yield (seen in Judas).

The God who gives the mystery also blinds the unwilling.

Is. 6:9 does not mean that those the unbelievers are denied the possibility of belief. It indicates that they are excluded from the opportunity of being further instructed in the secret of the Kingdom so long as unbelief continues. That the Kingdom has come in this initial phase in Jesus can only be discerned by faith. Jesus presence is both a revealing and a veiling, both grace and judgment.

B. The Importance of this Parable

v. 13

Getting to the second half - this parable is key to all parables. Failure to hear this one, means failure to understand parables in general. The parable of the sower combines the 2 elements that form the core of Mark’s story and that are necessary for understanding the gospel, Christology and discipleship. The first telling in 3-9 explains the meaning of Jesus and the second in 14-20 explains the meaning of discipleship.

This parable has the first position in Mark because of its meaning. It is the starting-point and the ground for understanding of the parables of growth which follow. Their failure to grasp the meaning indicates that its point lies in a distinctly redemptive-historical element - the relationship between the events depicted in the parable and the revelation of the kingdom of God. In Jesus’ explanation the essential part is a clarification of this relationship. The sole spectacular fact is that in the parable, with its focus upon sowing, the real issue is the revelation of the Kingdom of God.

3. The Explanation of the Parable

vv. 14-20

The parable of the sower reflected in comprehensive terms upon the coming of the Kingdom of God. To understand the parable, the interpretation must be understood in terms of their appropriateness to the historical situation in which the parable was spoken - the chief emphases in the interpretation falls upon the sowing of the seed. The diversity of response is present, but it is not central.

A. The Sower

v. 14

The sower (Jesus) sows the word - the word of proclamation containing the secret of the Kingdom of God. This is Jesus’ word as he proclaims the Kingdom. Jesus calls attention to the negative response to the word. The responses are expected on the basis of various motives.

Satan is introduced as a part of his opposition. An unwillingness to endure tribulation and persecution, a desire for security in the world, an unwillingness to suffer characterize those to whom the word is presented. These elements are the way of the world. Therefore, the secret contained in the word remains veiled to them. — the event of revelation itself is what causes men to be offended and to turn away - the desire to avoid suffering as the desire to evade the ‘wilderness’ - it is Jesus’ determination to remain in the wilderness that constitutes the ultimate paradox.

Col 1:5-6; I Peter 1:23-25; Acts 8:4

B. The Soil

vv. 15-20

The shift to the theme of discipleship is unmistakable.

The stress here is on hearing - discipleship hangs on this term. Disciples - are those who have received the mystery of the kingdom (v. 11) and hear what Jesus says. The first three types of hearing are described by Mark in the aorist tense - momentary action, something done simply and finally. The first three types of hearing thus imply a quick, superficial hearing, in one ear and out the other, without effort or heeding. Their failure to hear confirms them as outsiders, and the word of God becomes fruitless to them in v. 19

But in v. 20 a different kind of hearing is implied. We have present tense - continual, ongoing hearing as opposed to a careless or inattentive hearing. They hear, receive, and bear fruit - these are the marks of a disciple of Jesus. Producing then a miraculous harvest.

What is the overall meaning of the sandwich? The key is the central part. The clue to receiving the mystery of the kingdom of God is found in Jesus. Those who are with Jesus and do the will of God are insiders who receive the revelation. It’s like the cloud in Ex 14:20, that which is blindness to Egypt is revelation to Israel. The right confession of Jesus leads to right discipleship.

Jesus also reflects upon the positive response to the word - receiving and understanding of the word - true disciples. Again contrast with 3:20-24. True family contrasted with parental family with 4:11-12. Assurance is given that those who have responded in faith shall be fruit bearing - multiplied even at the time of harvest

the emphases in this parable falls upon the central act of sowing; the emphasis in the interpretation falls upon the kind of listening which the preaching of the Kingdom experienced.

Summary - gives a fundamental insight into the kingdom of God. The coming of God into the world goes the way of seed which is sown. In the appropriate time there will be a harvest. Whoever knows this understand that salvation has come with Jesus.

Hard heart, shallow heart, over-cluttered heart and the good heart are all present whenever the word of God is preached. This is not just ‘initial salvation responses’ but all subsequent preaching - you may have had a good heart last week, but this week you have a shallow heart. The whole of Christian life is one of continual and progressive response to fresh spiritual revelation. It is quite understandable then why this parable is of primary importance.

Are people to blame for the state of their own hearts? While this is often denied today, have they themselves by multiple prior choices, determined whether their hearts are by now hard, or shallow, or overcrowded with cares and pleasures, or are good soil? This problem Scripture doesn’t answer: the sole point made in the parable is that our hearts do in fact vary like this, and that this variation governs our response to the preached word. Although we are not specifically told to copy the seed sown on the good soil, this is the obvious lesson, just as v. 9 is an invocation to us to hear.