4 And when a great
multitude had gathered, and they had come to Him from every city, He spoke by a
parable: 5 “A sower
went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was
trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it. 6 Some
fell on rock; and as soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked
moisture. 7 And some fell among thorns, and
the thorns sprang up with it and choked it. 8 But others fell on good ground,
sprang up, and yielded a crop a hundredfold.” When He had said these things He
cried, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” 9 Then
His disciples asked Him, saying, “What does this parable mean?” 10 And He said, “To
you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the
rest it is given in parables, that ‘Seeing they may not see, And
hearing they may not understand.’ 11 “Now the parable is this: The
seed is the word of God. 12 Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and
takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. 13 But the ones on the rock are
those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no
root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away. 14 Now the ones that fell
among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with
cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity. 15 But the ones that fell on
the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good
heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience.
Commentary
Vs. 4-8 4 And when a great multitude had gathered, and they had come to Him from every city, He spoke by a parable: 5 “A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it. 6 Some fell on rock; and as soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture. 7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it. 8 But others fell on good ground, sprang up, and yielded a crop a hundredfold.” When He had said these things He cried, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”
With a great multitude of people being assembled from every city in that region; (and thus there were people gathered there from all walks of life); the Lord Jesus Christ now tells them a parable to draw an analogy of Himself teaching and preaching the Word of God, and people’s various responses to it. Now the parable isn’t limited to just His Person teaching and preaching the Word of God, but at its heart is His Word, and its effect on people’s hearts, minds, and lives wherever it is sown. To begin then Jesus tells of a Sower who went out to sow His seed. Now the picture here is of a man with a bag of seed on his side walking through a field, who as He walked cast His seed on either side of himself, and so it was that some of the seed fell by the wayside, and was trampled down, and the birds of the air came and devoured it (vs. 5). Next Jesus says that some of the seed feel on the rock (that were in the field) and so it soon sprang up, however it withered away because it lacked moisture, for having no root in the soil it could not survive (vs. 6). In His third example Jesus then says that some of the seed fell amongst the thorns, and thorns sprang up with the seed and choked it out (vs. 7). Now in His finial example Jesus says that some of the seed fell on good ground, sprang up and yielded a crop a hundredfold! When He had said these things He cried, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” (vs. 8)
Vs. 9-10 9 Then His disciples asked Him, saying, “What does this parable mean?” 10 And He said, “To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that ‘Seeing they may not see, And hearing they may not understand.’
The disciples then having heard these things and not immediately understanding them, now ask Jesus what these things mean (vs. 9). Now Jesus in answering says to them “To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that ‘Seeing they may not see, And hearing they may not understand.’ vs. 10 Thus Jesus says that His true disciples will be given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of God, while those who are only shallow in the faith, and or seeking God, will have His truths concealed from them. Therefore, the mysteries of the Kingdom of God will come to them in parables.
Vs. 11-15 11 “Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12 Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. 13 But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away. 14 Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity. 15 But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience.
Jesus now explains His parable by first saying that the seed is the Word of God (vs. 11). And like all seed that is sown the Word of God does not always take root in people’s hearts and lives. For it is clear that only one fourth of what is sown yields a crop, and yet that crop will yield a bounty of hundredfold! Therefore, in the first example that Jesus gave of the seed falling by the wayside and being trampled underfoot and then devoured by the birds of the air, in actuality is those people who hear the Word of God, but then the devil comes and takes away the Word of God out of their hearts lest they believe and be saved (vs. 12). Those people then are the ungodly mockers and scoffers who hear, but whose hearts and minds and lives have been given over to the devil and his domain. And so, they have no desire for it, other than to hold it in contempt and trample it underfoot.
Next Jesus explains about the seed that fell on the rock, that as soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture. This then represents those who when they hear the Word of God, receive it with joy, who believe for a while, however in time of temptation fall away (vs. 13). For many a Christian has started out well, but when faced with temptation instead of battling through it (consider Heb. 12:3-6), surrender to it, or revert back to what God called them out of, and so sadly they fall away from the faith.
In His third analogy Jesus described how some of the seed fell amongst the thorns and when both sprang up together, the thorns chocked out the Word of God. Thus, in explaining this Jesus says that the seed that fell amongst the thorns are those who when they have heard go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity (vs. 14) because other things take “priority” in their lives. The first warning then is don’t let your faith and life be consumed by the cares of this life. For all such worries about this thing or that, will only choke out the Word of God and leave you fruitless in the end, if your life is lived is consumed with the cares and concerns of this life. For many a Christian never finds their true calling and purpose because they’re lives are consumed by their own worries, fears, and anxieties about this thing or that. For a life of faith to be fruitful and abundant one must walk by faith and not by sight (2 Cor. 5:7).
Next in the thorn’s analogy is “riches”. Given the Lord Jesus many warnings about riches and their effect on the human heart it’s amazing that people still desire, seek and pursue earthly riches which will only leave them Spiritually bankrupt in the end (consider Prov. 23:4-5). And so, Jesus here warns again about them saying that they are a cause of many a person falling away from Him, because of their desires for and pursuits of them (consider 1 Tim 6:9-11; James 1:9-11 etc.). Last then is the thorns that choke out the Word of God, and thus bring no fruit to maturity is as Jesus explains His parable the “pleasures of life.” For there are many things that people desire and love to do that have nothing to do with serving the Lord Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God. Now these things in of themselves are not wrong, rather it is the emphasis and time that one places and spends on them that is the danger. For laboring in the Word of God is hard work; it requires discipline and self-denial and time, something which all our lives desperately lack. Nonetheless our service for Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of heaven reaps its own rewards and pleasures if one remains faithful in it. Therefore, in His last warning, Jesus warns us all not to let the pleasures of life overtake our faith in and pursuits for Him. For like all things, the pleasures of life only last for a season (read Ecclesiastes 12:1-14; vs. 12-14 if in doubt, and take King Solomon’s wise judgment to heart); but our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and the work that we do for Him will last and will be handsomely repaid for all eternity! Therefore, in concluding explaining His parable Jesus now explains that the seed that the Sower sowed and fell on good ground “…are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience.” vs. 15 The optimum word being that we bear fruit with patience, that is not in a season but over the course of ones new and wonderful faith life as a new creation In Christ (2 Cor. 5:17). For it is in the highs and the lows and temptations and trials that we must pass through that Godly character is being forged and reinforced in us so that we might bear greater fruit (consider John 15:1-8). Therefore, brethren remain faithful and steadfast in your faith and Godly convictions and continue on in following Jesus Christ and serving Him whenever and wherever you can, because only those who remain faithful to Him will be rewarded by Him. “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” 1 Cor. 15:58
Scripture Quotations
Commentary
Vs. 4-8 4 And when a great multitude had gathered, and they had come to Him from every city, He spoke by a parable: 5 “A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it. 6 Some fell on rock; and as soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture. 7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it. 8 But others fell on good ground, sprang up, and yielded a crop a hundredfold.” When He had said these things He cried, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”
With a great multitude of people being assembled from every city in that region; (and thus there were people gathered there from all walks of life); the Lord Jesus Christ now tells them a parable to draw an analogy of Himself teaching and preaching the Word of God, and people’s various responses to it. Now the parable isn’t limited to just His Person teaching and preaching the Word of God, but at its heart is His Word, and its effect on people’s hearts, minds, and lives wherever it is sown. To begin then Jesus tells of a Sower who went out to sow His seed. Now the picture here is of a man with a bag of seed on his side walking through a field, who as He walked cast His seed on either side of himself, and so it was that some of the seed fell by the wayside, and was trampled down, and the birds of the air came and devoured it (vs. 5). Next Jesus says that some of the seed feel on the rock (that were in the field) and so it soon sprang up, however it withered away because it lacked moisture, for having no root in the soil it could not survive (vs. 6). In His third example Jesus then says that some of the seed fell amongst the thorns, and thorns sprang up with the seed and choked it out (vs. 7). Now in His finial example Jesus says that some of the seed fell on good ground, sprang up and yielded a crop a hundredfold! When He had said these things He cried, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” (vs. 8)
Vs. 9-10 9 Then His disciples asked Him, saying, “What does this parable mean?” 10 And He said, “To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that ‘Seeing they may not see, And hearing they may not understand.’
The disciples then having heard these things and not immediately understanding them, now ask Jesus what these things mean (vs. 9). Now Jesus in answering says to them “To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that ‘Seeing they may not see, And hearing they may not understand.’ vs. 10 Thus Jesus says that His true disciples will be given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of God, while those who are only shallow in the faith, and or seeking God, will have His truths concealed from them. Therefore, the mysteries of the Kingdom of God will come to them in parables.
Vs. 11-15 11 “Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12 Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. 13 But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away. 14 Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity. 15 But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience.
Jesus now explains His parable by first saying that the seed is the Word of God (vs. 11). And like all seed that is sown the Word of God does not always take root in people’s hearts and lives. For it is clear that only one fourth of what is sown yields a crop, and yet that crop will yield a bounty of hundredfold! Therefore, in the first example that Jesus gave of the seed falling by the wayside and being trampled underfoot and then devoured by the birds of the air, in actuality is those people who hear the Word of God, but then the devil comes and takes away the Word of God out of their hearts lest they believe and be saved (vs. 12). Those people then are the ungodly mockers and scoffers who hear, but whose hearts and minds and lives have been given over to the devil and his domain. And so, they have no desire for it, other than to hold it in contempt and trample it underfoot.
Next Jesus explains about the seed that fell on the rock, that as soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture. This then represents those who when they hear the Word of God, receive it with joy, who believe for a while, however in time of temptation fall away (vs. 13). For many a Christian has started out well, but when faced with temptation instead of battling through it (consider Heb. 12:3-6), surrender to it, or revert back to what God called them out of, and so sadly they fall away from the faith.
In His third analogy Jesus described how some of the seed fell amongst the thorns and when both sprang up together, the thorns chocked out the Word of God. Thus, in explaining this Jesus says that the seed that fell amongst the thorns are those who when they have heard go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity (vs. 14) because other things take “priority” in their lives. The first warning then is don’t let your faith and life be consumed by the cares of this life. For all such worries about this thing or that, will only choke out the Word of God and leave you fruitless in the end, if your life is lived is consumed with the cares and concerns of this life. For many a Christian never finds their true calling and purpose because they’re lives are consumed by their own worries, fears, and anxieties about this thing or that. For a life of faith to be fruitful and abundant one must walk by faith and not by sight (2 Cor. 5:7).
Next in the thorn’s analogy is “riches”. Given the Lord Jesus many warnings about riches and their effect on the human heart it’s amazing that people still desire, seek and pursue earthly riches which will only leave them Spiritually bankrupt in the end (consider Prov. 23:4-5). And so, Jesus here warns again about them saying that they are a cause of many a person falling away from Him, because of their desires for and pursuits of them (consider 1 Tim 6:9-11; James 1:9-11 etc.). Last then is the thorns that choke out the Word of God, and thus bring no fruit to maturity is as Jesus explains His parable the “pleasures of life.” For there are many things that people desire and love to do that have nothing to do with serving the Lord Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God. Now these things in of themselves are not wrong, rather it is the emphasis and time that one places and spends on them that is the danger. For laboring in the Word of God is hard work; it requires discipline and self-denial and time, something which all our lives desperately lack. Nonetheless our service for Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of heaven reaps its own rewards and pleasures if one remains faithful in it. Therefore, in His last warning, Jesus warns us all not to let the pleasures of life overtake our faith in and pursuits for Him. For like all things, the pleasures of life only last for a season (read Ecclesiastes 12:1-14; vs. 12-14 if in doubt, and take King Solomon’s wise judgment to heart); but our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and the work that we do for Him will last and will be handsomely repaid for all eternity! Therefore, in concluding explaining His parable Jesus now explains that the seed that the Sower sowed and fell on good ground “…are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience.” vs. 15 The optimum word being that we bear fruit with patience, that is not in a season but over the course of ones new and wonderful faith life as a new creation In Christ (2 Cor. 5:17). For it is in the highs and the lows and temptations and trials that we must pass through that Godly character is being forged and reinforced in us so that we might bear greater fruit (consider John 15:1-8). Therefore, brethren remain faithful and steadfast in your faith and Godly convictions and continue on in following Jesus Christ and serving Him whenever and wherever you can, because only those who remain faithful to Him will be rewarded by Him. “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” 1 Cor. 15:58
Scripture Quotations
New King James Version. (1982): Thomas Nelson
No comments:
Post a Comment