In Matthew 13:3-23, Mark 4:2-20 and Luke 8:4-15 Jesus tells us the parable of the sower.
Then he told them many things in parables, saying: "A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop - a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. He who has ears, let him hear." Matthew 13:3-9
We are told clearly what the seed is in Luke 8:11 - the word of God. There are four different types of ground the seed falls on:1) The path - This is people who do not understand the word (Matthew 13:19), and Satan comes and snatches it away. We are led to think, since the path is hardened dirt, that these people's hearts are hard. And the devil coming and taking away the word of God must involve lies of the devil. So it would be people who do not understand the word, and are led away from it by Satan's lies.
2) The rocky ground - These are people who receive the word at once with joy (Matthew 13:20). But Jesus says nothing about them understanding the word. We do know that they have no depth, no roots. So as soon as a time of testing comes along, they fall away (Luke 8:13). This should teach us that its more important to understand God's word than to receive it with joy. And this teaches us to dig in for a long war and be ready for persecution.
3) The weedy ground - These are people who hear the word, but other things compete with God's word. They are choked by life's worries, riches, pleasures and desires for other things. And they do not mature (Luke 8:14). These people do not mature in the word of God, because they allow other things like family and career and their image to distract them.
4) The good ground - These are those with a noble and good heart (Luke 8:15), they accept the word (Mark 4:20), and they understand it (Matthew 13:23). They produce a crop by persevering (Luke 8:15).
One thing you might notice with this parable, since it is recorded in all three synoptic gospels, is that some words are mentioned in one gospel that aren't in another. Putting these three gospels together gives us a better understanding of the parable. For example: Matthew tells us that the good soil understands the word, and Luke tells us the good soil perseveres. Both are characteristics of the good soil, but to get both of them you have to read both Matthew and Luke.
Another thing we should take note of is the subtle differences between the different grounds. The rocky ground receives the word quickly and with joy. We might assume that is a good thing, but knowing its the rocky ground, we know its not a good thing. And the parable says nothing about the good ground receiving the word quickly or with joy. And Jesus says in Matthew 21:44 that anyone who falls on the capstone (Jesus) will be broken to pieces. So we should not think that new believers should be full of joy; it could be the exact opposite. The joy comes with growth. And the parable says nothing about the good ground receiving the word quickly. It very well may take some people quite some time to accept the word, but during the process they are growing roots. Its better to come slowly to Christ and persevere than to come quickly to Christ but fall away later.
So what kind of dirt are you?
Then he told them many things in parables, saying: "A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop - a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. He who has ears, let him hear." Matthew 13:3-9
We are told clearly what the seed is in Luke 8:11 - the word of God. There are four different types of ground the seed falls on:1) The path - This is people who do not understand the word (Matthew 13:19), and Satan comes and snatches it away. We are led to think, since the path is hardened dirt, that these people's hearts are hard. And the devil coming and taking away the word of God must involve lies of the devil. So it would be people who do not understand the word, and are led away from it by Satan's lies.
2) The rocky ground - These are people who receive the word at once with joy (Matthew 13:20). But Jesus says nothing about them understanding the word. We do know that they have no depth, no roots. So as soon as a time of testing comes along, they fall away (Luke 8:13). This should teach us that its more important to understand God's word than to receive it with joy. And this teaches us to dig in for a long war and be ready for persecution.
3) The weedy ground - These are people who hear the word, but other things compete with God's word. They are choked by life's worries, riches, pleasures and desires for other things. And they do not mature (Luke 8:14). These people do not mature in the word of God, because they allow other things like family and career and their image to distract them.
4) The good ground - These are those with a noble and good heart (Luke 8:15), they accept the word (Mark 4:20), and they understand it (Matthew 13:23). They produce a crop by persevering (Luke 8:15).
One thing you might notice with this parable, since it is recorded in all three synoptic gospels, is that some words are mentioned in one gospel that aren't in another. Putting these three gospels together gives us a better understanding of the parable. For example: Matthew tells us that the good soil understands the word, and Luke tells us the good soil perseveres. Both are characteristics of the good soil, but to get both of them you have to read both Matthew and Luke.
Another thing we should take note of is the subtle differences between the different grounds. The rocky ground receives the word quickly and with joy. We might assume that is a good thing, but knowing its the rocky ground, we know its not a good thing. And the parable says nothing about the good ground receiving the word quickly or with joy. And Jesus says in Matthew 21:44 that anyone who falls on the capstone (Jesus) will be broken to pieces. So we should not think that new believers should be full of joy; it could be the exact opposite. The joy comes with growth. And the parable says nothing about the good ground receiving the word quickly. It very well may take some people quite some time to accept the word, but during the process they are growing roots. Its better to come slowly to Christ and persevere than to come quickly to Christ but fall away later.
So what kind of dirt are you?
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