The Parable of the Sower

And he spoke many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow… ^{Mat 13:3 KJV}

This parable pictures the classes of hearers in the kingdom of Heaven – the whole course of this age of grace, portraying the reception of the Word of God in different hearts and the results that follow.  The sower illustrates the Son of Man (Christ) and the seed illustrates the Word of the kingdom.

And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up … When any one hear the word of the kingdom, and understand it not, then come the wicked one, and catch away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. ^{Mat 13:4,19 KJV}

The seed sown on wayside ground, being eaten by the fowls illustrates a class of people who hear the Word of the kingdom and refuse to obey it because of indifference and lack of understanding. The devil immediately catches away the Word sown in the heart lest it should germinate and bring forth fruit. ^{2 Cor. 4:4}

Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away …  But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that hear the word, and anon with joy receive it; Yet hath he not root in himself, but endure for a while: for when tribulation or persecution arise because of the word, by and by he is offended.  ^{Mat 13:5-6, 20-21 KJV}

The seed sown on stony ground, which immediately sprang up because it did not have much depth of earth, illustrates a class of people who receive the Word with joy, but they are shallow in their experience and the seed, because of lack of preparation in the ground, cannot go deep enough to take root to stand. In time of trouble and persecution, such persons are offended. They stumble and reject the Word as quickly as they receive it. ^{Mt. 18:6; 2 Tim. 3:13}

And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them … He also that received seed among the thorns is he that hear the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he become unfruitful. ^{Mat 13:7, 22 KJV}

The seed sown on thorny ground, which was choked by the thorns and became unfruitful, illustrates a class of people who hear the Word and permit it to be choked by a love for the world, the cares of life, and the deceitfulness of riches, so that it becomes unfruitful. ^{Rom. 12:1-3; 2 Tim. 4:10; Jas. 4:1-7; 1 Jn. 2:15-17}

But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixty-fold, some thirty-fold. But he that received seed into the good ground is he that hear the word, and understand it; which also bear fruit, and bring forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. ^{Mat 13:8, 23 KJV}

The seed sown on good ground, which brought forth fruit illustrates a class of people who hear the Word and permit it to have free course and bring forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixty-fold, and some thirty-fold. This class puts forth an effort to understand the Word and to get out of the personal life all the hindrances symbolized by the hard, stony, and thorny ground. The words “hundredfold,” “sixty-fold,” and “thirty-fold” do not teach degrees of Christians, but degrees of fruit-bearing by Christians and that depends upon the quality of ground in which the seed is sown and the effectiveness of care and cultivation.

Who hath ears to hear, let him hear … Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower. ^{Mat 13:9, 18 KJV}

I choose to hear the Word of God and be obedient to what I hear so that my life can bring forth fruit and I can live a Godly life!