The Parable of The Seeds
February 27, 2019
Commentary
Jesus explains this parable of the sower to His disciples (vv. 18-23). He asks us to listen to the meaning of the story (v. 18). The seeds that fall along the road are the people who hear the message about the kingdom and the devil comes and snatches it from their hearts (v. 19). The seeds that fall on the rocky ground are the people who accept it but they don’t have deep roots and as soon as life gets hard they give up (vv. 20-21).
The seeds that fall on thorny ground are people who hear the message but start worrying about their needs and greeds and never produce anything (v. 22). The seeds that fall on good ground are the people who hear and understand the message and produce good crops. “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” (v. 23). God wants us to hear, understand and put into practice His counsel and instruction. He doesn’t see us as vaults into which He hides His Word, but rather as gardens in which the Word can sprout and grow.
Jesus presents another parable about a farmer sowing his wheat (vv. 24-30). The kingdom of heaven is like a farmer who scattered good seed in the field and left (v. 24). Then while everyone was sleeping an enemy comes in and sows weeds on the same soil (v. 25). As the wheat grows so do the weeds (vv. 26-27). If the farmer tries to remove the weeds before the harvest he will also destroy the wheat (vv. 28-29). Then He told them to leave the weeds alone till harvest time (v. 30). Tell the workers to gather the weeds and burn them. They will have the wheat left to store in the barn.
Application
Have I ever tried to pull up the weeds (professing Christians) in a group. What has been the result? I must remember that my job is to sow seed, not pull up weeds.
Matthew 13:18– 30 (NET)
18 “So listen to the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches what was sown in his heart; this is the seed sown along the path. 20 The seed sown on rocky ground is the person who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy. 21 But he has no root in himself and does not endure; when trouble or persecution comes because of the word, immediately he falls away. 22 The seed sown among thorns is the person who hears the word, but worldly cares and the seductiveness of wealth choke the word, so it produces nothing. 23 But as for the seed sown on good soil, this is the person who hears the word and understands. He bears fruit, yielding a hundred, sixty, or thirty times what was sown.”
24 He presented them with another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a person who sowed good seed in his field. 25 But while everyone was sleeping, an enemy came and sowed darnel among the wheat and went away. 26 When the plants sprouted and produced grain, then the darnel also appeared. 27 So the slaves of the landowner came and said to him, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Then where did the darnel come from?’ 28 He said, ‘An enemy has done this!’ So the slaves replied, ‘Do you want us to go and gather it?’ 29 But he said, ‘No, since in gathering the darnel you may uproot the wheat along with it. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. At harvest time I will tell the reapers, “First collect the darnel and tie it in bundles to be burned, but then gather the wheat into my barn.”’”