1 On the same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by
the sea. 2 And great multitudes were gathered together to Him, so
that He got into a boat and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore. 3 Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying:
“Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seed fell by
the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. 5 Some fell on stony places, where they did
not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth
of earth. 6 But
when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they
withered away. 7 And
some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them. 8 But
others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty,
some thirty. 9 He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” 10 And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why
do You speak to them in parables?” 11 He answered and said to them, “Because it
has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to
them it has not been given. 12 For whoever has, to him more will be given,
and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be
taken away from him. 13 Therefore
I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they
do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which
says: ‘Hearing you will
hear and shall not understand, And seeing you will see and not perceive; 15 For the hearts of this people have grown
dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes
and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts
and turn, So that I should heal them.’ 16 But blessed are your eyes for they
see, and your ears for they hear; 17 for assuredly, I say to you that many
prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it,
and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it. 18 “Therefore hear the parable of the sower: 19 When
anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then
the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This
is he who received seed by the wayside. 20 But he who received the seed on stony
places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures
only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the
word, immediately he stumbles. 22 Now he who received seed among the thorns is
he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of
riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. 23 But he who received seed on the good ground
is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and
produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”
Commentary
Having taught the crowds a great lesson about loyalty and faithfulness to God as being mans all (see Ecc. 12:13-14) the Lord Jesus Christ now goes out of the house and sitting by the sea great multitudes gather to Him, and so Jesus seeing them assemble steps into a boat and sits down in it a few feet from shore, and being seated in it He then begins to speak to the crowds in parables (vs. 1-3). Now the first parable that Jesus speaks is what we now refer to as the parable of the Sower. Now a parable is a story whereby one conveys spiritual truths or realities by the means of a metaphoric analogy. And so, Jesus begins by saying: “Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. 5 Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. 6 But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. 7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them. 8 But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”
First then is the Sower who goes out and sow’s seeds, which should be very easy to visualize, seeing a man with a bag of seeds at his side walking in the midst of a field throwing seeds to the right and the left as he walked in the hope that a crop would later appear. Therefore, Jesus says as he sowed that some seed fell by the wayside, that is a pathway where the birds came and devoured them. And so those seeds were permenetly lost (vs. 3-4). Next Jesus says that some of the seeds fell on stony places where there was little earth and so they immediately sprang up but since there was no depth of earth, when the sun was up they were scorched by it and having no root they withered away (vs. 5-6). And so though early on they showed great promise, they couldn’t endure the heat of the day, and thus they withered away and came to nothing. Next Jesus says that some of the Sowers seeds feel among the thorns, and the thorns sprang up and chocked them, and so those seeds never came to fruition (i.e. completion) because the thorns overtook them and chocked them out. Nonetheless the Lord Jesus says that some of the Sowers seed fell on good ground where it yielded a crop: some hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty, and so the good seed grew and multiplied and eventually produced a crop many times more than what was initially sown. Now in concluding His parable the Lord Jesus says to us all, He who has ears to hear, let him hear! And so, when the Lord spoke this parable He was revealing spiritualty truths about the Word of the Kingdom and its effects on people. Therefore, His warning hear is not to be overlooked by anyone because His Word will go out and accomplish the purposes for which it is sent (Isaiah 55:11).
Having then spoken the parable of the Sower to the multitudes the disciples now come to the Lord Jesus and ask Him why He speaks to them in parables (vs. 10). Now His answer is revealing in that the Lord Jesus makes it clear that only those whom God has chosen to be Christ’s disciples can know the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven (vs. 11, also consider 1 Cor 2:6-16). Therefore, all of us whom Christ has chosen will not only know the Spiritual truths that He wills to share with us, but we will also retain them, something which the Lord makes clear those who don’t believe in Him won’t (vs. 12). For Lord Jesus says in verse twelve that those who have more will be given them, that is all of us who believe in Him will be given more Spiritual knowledge, wisdom, understanding, and insights of Him from His Word so that we might more fully know Him and God our Father. For that is the beginning of the riches of Christ and the blessing of God which He desires to give to us all who believe in Him. Life giving Word’s and Truths that not only sanctify and transform us in this life, but also, we will keep us, and we will keep for all eternity! And so, as we grow up in Christ every lie, every demonic deception, and all false knowledge of God will be readily rejected by us all who believe and obey the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ’s Gospel and Kingdom. For God’s design for us all In Christ is to come to a perfect man, to a complete and full knowledge of the Son and the Father (Eph. 4:11-16; Phil. 1:9 Heb. 5:14 etc.). For it is by the Holy Spirit indwelling us that Christ our Lord and Savior teaches us, so that we both learn and understand and retain the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven, (1 John 2:27), mysteries that are only revealed to us through God’s Word. For just as the Lord Jesus Christ often pulled aside the disciples to explain His parables and other Kingdom mysteries to them, so the Holy Spirit now is each and every believer’s instructor, revealing to us great Kingdom mysteries that are by God’s Sovereign Design and Desire hidden from those who do not believe in, and thus belong to the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, the Lord Jesus Christ not only promises that we who believe in Him will have abundance of knowledge and understanding about Him, “…but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.” Therefore, those who do not have, that is do not retain any true knowledge of God other than what they are taught by someone, or hear someone speak, and thus they simply repeat, without actually believing it, even what they have will be taken from them, because they do not believe in Him, because they have not been appointed too life by Him (Acts 13:48). And that is why the Lord Jesus speaks to those outside in parables (vs. 13-14 Mark 4:11). “…because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.” For they are Spiritually discerned (1 Cor. 2:13-14) unwilling or unable to see and hear the Lord Jesus Christ for who He truly is and what He is saying to them. Therefore, the Lord Jesus also says of them, 13 Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: ‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, And seeing you will see and not perceive; 15 For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.’ vs. 13-15
Therefore, the Lord Jesus Christ speaks to
them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear.
For they have hardened their own hearts towards the Lord’s Person and His Words
spoken to them. And so, just as it was in Isaiah’s day when he was trying to
turn people away from their sins and back to God, even so it is in every
generation where the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is preached and He is not
received by those whose hearts have grown dull; passionless towards the Lord
Jesus Christ’s Person and His Love and Salvation for them, for they are not
willing to hear Him, or see Him and thus be moved by the Word of God spoken to
them. For they have hardened their hearts towards Him, therefore He also
conceals His Words truths from them. For they have wilfully shut their ears and
closed their eyes to Him in this evil world, choosing to follow their own paths
of life instead. Therefore, in them they fulfill God’s prophecy spoken through Isaiah
(Isaiah 6:9-10). Speaking to them in parables the Lord Jesus Christ then both
respects their free will while exercising God’s Sovereignty.
Now in contrast to them is all the Lord’s disciples, the ones whom God the Father has chosen to reveal His Son too. To whom the Lord Jesus says to us all who believe, and thus can see Him and hear Him for who He is, 16 But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; 17 for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it. Make no mistakes about it to know and understand the Lord Jesus Christ is exceedingly more superior and surpassing of all the wisdom and knowledge and understanding and temporal riches that this world and people of it pursue and cherish. Having then stated the great and everlasting blessings that we have and enjoy as His disciples the Lord Jesus Christ now explains His parable (vs. 18-23). 18 “Therefore hear the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. 20 But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. 22 Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. 23 But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”
First then is the seed that was sown by the wayside, which as the Lord Jesus Christ says represents all those who hear the Word of the Kingdom and they do not understand it, then the wicked one (i.e. Satan, the devil) comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart (vs. 18-19), they then are lost to him. Next is he who received the word on stony places (or rocky soil) that represents (or is figurative of) all those who hear the Word of God and immediately they receive it with joy, but as the Lord Jesus says they have no root in themselves, and so they only endure with Him for a while, for when tribulation or persecution arises because of the Word (which it will) immediately they stumble. People like that are often bound to the false notion that coming to Christ means all their problems will be solved and that they will have no more troubles, all which simply is not so, for as the Apostle Paul say’s: “we must through many tribulations enter the Kingdom of heaven” Acts 14:33 Therefore when their false expectations are not met they simply fall away (vs. 20-21).
Next then is he who received seed among the thorns which figurative of all those who hear the Word, and as the Lord Jesus says of them, then the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the Word and it becomes unfruitful (vs. 22). Two things that befall them, first is that the “cares of this world” makes them unfruitful, for their lives and time down here are consumed with all of the worries of this life, worrying about this thing or that, or of not having enough of this or that. Second then is likewise a grave evil since it prays on the covetousness of people and is often employed by the false preachers and teachers to exploit people for their wealth and riches (consider 2 Peter 2:3). That said, it’s every person’s choice whether they will serve God or mammon (Matt. 6:24). And so here the Lord Jesus warns that riches promise and allure are always deceitful and anyone who builds their life around them will only have a bitter end, because if they do riches will only choke out the Word of God (forcing them to compromise their Godly convictions and values for their love and pursuit of it) robbing them then of God’s true riches (consider Mark 8:36-9:1; Luke 6:24-26; 1 Tim.6:6-10; James 5:1-6; Rev.18:1-24, 1-4, 9-11 etc.).
Having then revealed how the Word of God is choked out or taken from those to whom it does not belong the Lord Jesus Christ now says of us all who believe in Him, that we are those who receive the seed on good ground for we hear the Word and we understand it and we do indeed go on to bear fruit, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty, each one who believes then will in time bring forth a good harvest. That is the Lord’s promise to us all who believe in Him, therefore beloved do not grow weary in doing good but bear fruit through patience (Luke 8:15; Gal. 6:9-10).
Commentary
Having taught the crowds a great lesson about loyalty and faithfulness to God as being mans all (see Ecc. 12:13-14) the Lord Jesus Christ now goes out of the house and sitting by the sea great multitudes gather to Him, and so Jesus seeing them assemble steps into a boat and sits down in it a few feet from shore, and being seated in it He then begins to speak to the crowds in parables (vs. 1-3). Now the first parable that Jesus speaks is what we now refer to as the parable of the Sower. Now a parable is a story whereby one conveys spiritual truths or realities by the means of a metaphoric analogy. And so, Jesus begins by saying: “Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. 5 Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. 6 But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. 7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them. 8 But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”
First then is the Sower who goes out and sow’s seeds, which should be very easy to visualize, seeing a man with a bag of seeds at his side walking in the midst of a field throwing seeds to the right and the left as he walked in the hope that a crop would later appear. Therefore, Jesus says as he sowed that some seed fell by the wayside, that is a pathway where the birds came and devoured them. And so those seeds were permenetly lost (vs. 3-4). Next Jesus says that some of the seeds fell on stony places where there was little earth and so they immediately sprang up but since there was no depth of earth, when the sun was up they were scorched by it and having no root they withered away (vs. 5-6). And so though early on they showed great promise, they couldn’t endure the heat of the day, and thus they withered away and came to nothing. Next Jesus says that some of the Sowers seeds feel among the thorns, and the thorns sprang up and chocked them, and so those seeds never came to fruition (i.e. completion) because the thorns overtook them and chocked them out. Nonetheless the Lord Jesus says that some of the Sowers seed fell on good ground where it yielded a crop: some hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty, and so the good seed grew and multiplied and eventually produced a crop many times more than what was initially sown. Now in concluding His parable the Lord Jesus says to us all, He who has ears to hear, let him hear! And so, when the Lord spoke this parable He was revealing spiritualty truths about the Word of the Kingdom and its effects on people. Therefore, His warning hear is not to be overlooked by anyone because His Word will go out and accomplish the purposes for which it is sent (Isaiah 55:11).
Having then spoken the parable of the Sower to the multitudes the disciples now come to the Lord Jesus and ask Him why He speaks to them in parables (vs. 10). Now His answer is revealing in that the Lord Jesus makes it clear that only those whom God has chosen to be Christ’s disciples can know the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven (vs. 11, also consider 1 Cor 2:6-16). Therefore, all of us whom Christ has chosen will not only know the Spiritual truths that He wills to share with us, but we will also retain them, something which the Lord makes clear those who don’t believe in Him won’t (vs. 12). For Lord Jesus says in verse twelve that those who have more will be given them, that is all of us who believe in Him will be given more Spiritual knowledge, wisdom, understanding, and insights of Him from His Word so that we might more fully know Him and God our Father. For that is the beginning of the riches of Christ and the blessing of God which He desires to give to us all who believe in Him. Life giving Word’s and Truths that not only sanctify and transform us in this life, but also, we will keep us, and we will keep for all eternity! And so, as we grow up in Christ every lie, every demonic deception, and all false knowledge of God will be readily rejected by us all who believe and obey the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ’s Gospel and Kingdom. For God’s design for us all In Christ is to come to a perfect man, to a complete and full knowledge of the Son and the Father (Eph. 4:11-16; Phil. 1:9 Heb. 5:14 etc.). For it is by the Holy Spirit indwelling us that Christ our Lord and Savior teaches us, so that we both learn and understand and retain the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven, (1 John 2:27), mysteries that are only revealed to us through God’s Word. For just as the Lord Jesus Christ often pulled aside the disciples to explain His parables and other Kingdom mysteries to them, so the Holy Spirit now is each and every believer’s instructor, revealing to us great Kingdom mysteries that are by God’s Sovereign Design and Desire hidden from those who do not believe in, and thus belong to the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, the Lord Jesus Christ not only promises that we who believe in Him will have abundance of knowledge and understanding about Him, “…but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.” Therefore, those who do not have, that is do not retain any true knowledge of God other than what they are taught by someone, or hear someone speak, and thus they simply repeat, without actually believing it, even what they have will be taken from them, because they do not believe in Him, because they have not been appointed too life by Him (Acts 13:48). And that is why the Lord Jesus speaks to those outside in parables (vs. 13-14 Mark 4:11). “…because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.” For they are Spiritually discerned (1 Cor. 2:13-14) unwilling or unable to see and hear the Lord Jesus Christ for who He truly is and what He is saying to them. Therefore, the Lord Jesus also says of them, 13 Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: ‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, And seeing you will see and not perceive; 15 For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.’ vs. 13-15
Now in contrast to them is all the Lord’s disciples, the ones whom God the Father has chosen to reveal His Son too. To whom the Lord Jesus says to us all who believe, and thus can see Him and hear Him for who He is, 16 But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; 17 for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it. Make no mistakes about it to know and understand the Lord Jesus Christ is exceedingly more superior and surpassing of all the wisdom and knowledge and understanding and temporal riches that this world and people of it pursue and cherish. Having then stated the great and everlasting blessings that we have and enjoy as His disciples the Lord Jesus Christ now explains His parable (vs. 18-23). 18 “Therefore hear the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. 20 But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. 22 Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. 23 But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”
First then is the seed that was sown by the wayside, which as the Lord Jesus Christ says represents all those who hear the Word of the Kingdom and they do not understand it, then the wicked one (i.e. Satan, the devil) comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart (vs. 18-19), they then are lost to him. Next is he who received the word on stony places (or rocky soil) that represents (or is figurative of) all those who hear the Word of God and immediately they receive it with joy, but as the Lord Jesus says they have no root in themselves, and so they only endure with Him for a while, for when tribulation or persecution arises because of the Word (which it will) immediately they stumble. People like that are often bound to the false notion that coming to Christ means all their problems will be solved and that they will have no more troubles, all which simply is not so, for as the Apostle Paul say’s: “we must through many tribulations enter the Kingdom of heaven” Acts 14:33 Therefore when their false expectations are not met they simply fall away (vs. 20-21).
Next then is he who received seed among the thorns which figurative of all those who hear the Word, and as the Lord Jesus says of them, then the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the Word and it becomes unfruitful (vs. 22). Two things that befall them, first is that the “cares of this world” makes them unfruitful, for their lives and time down here are consumed with all of the worries of this life, worrying about this thing or that, or of not having enough of this or that. Second then is likewise a grave evil since it prays on the covetousness of people and is often employed by the false preachers and teachers to exploit people for their wealth and riches (consider 2 Peter 2:3). That said, it’s every person’s choice whether they will serve God or mammon (Matt. 6:24). And so here the Lord Jesus warns that riches promise and allure are always deceitful and anyone who builds their life around them will only have a bitter end, because if they do riches will only choke out the Word of God (forcing them to compromise their Godly convictions and values for their love and pursuit of it) robbing them then of God’s true riches (consider Mark 8:36-9:1; Luke 6:24-26; 1 Tim.6:6-10; James 5:1-6; Rev.18:1-24, 1-4, 9-11 etc.).
Having then revealed how the Word of God is choked out or taken from those to whom it does not belong the Lord Jesus Christ now says of us all who believe in Him, that we are those who receive the seed on good ground for we hear the Word and we understand it and we do indeed go on to bear fruit, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty, each one who believes then will in time bring forth a good harvest. That is the Lord’s promise to us all who believe in Him, therefore beloved do not grow weary in doing good but bear fruit through patience (Luke 8:15; Gal. 6:9-10).
Scripture Quotations
The New King James Version. (1982). Nashville: Thomas Nelson
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