The Story of a Farmer
November 16, 2019
Commentary
Jesus was famous for His parables. He used parables in order to gain the attention of men and to teach spiritual truths. The parable of the four soils is found in every Gospel except John’s. The four types of soil represent the different kinds of hearts in the minds of men (vv. 1-11). The sower is Jesus Christ. The seed is the Word of God which has life and power and can produce spiritual fruit. However, the seed can do nothing until it is planted. The four kinds of soil are as follows:
- The hard soil (vv. 12,15) – This soil represents the person who hears the Word but immediately allows the devil to snatch the seed away. (Unresponsive heart)
- The shallow soil (vv. 6,13)- This illustrates the emotional hearer who quickly responds to the message, but soon loses interest and does not continue. (Emotional heart)
- The crowded soil (vv. 7,14) – This soil illustrates the person who does not repent and “weed out” the things that hinder him from producing fruit. (Distracted heart)
- The good soil (vv. 8, 15) – This shows a person who hears the Word, understands it, receives it and is truly saved. He proves it by producing fruit. (Fruitful heart)
Application
What type of soil best represents my life today? What kind of a crop am I going to produce this year? Am I sowing seeds that will produce spiritual fruit?
Luke 8:1– 15 (NET)
1 Some time afterward he went on through towns and villages, preaching and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The twelve were with him, 2 and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and disabilities: Mary (called Magdalene), from whom seven demons had gone out, 3 and Joanna the wife of Cuza (Herod’s household manager), Susanna, and many others who provided for them out of their own resources.
4 While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from one town after another, he spoke to them in a parable: 5 “A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell along the path and was trampled on, and the wild birds devoured it. 6 Other seed fell on rock, and when it came up, it withered because it had no moisture. 7 Other seed fell among the thorns, and they grew up with it and choked it. 8 But other seed fell on good soil and grew, and it produced a hundred times as much grain.” As he said this, he called out, “The one who has ears to hear had better listen!”
9 Then his disciples asked him what this parable meant. 10 He said, “You have been given the opportunity to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that although they see they may not see, and although they hear they may not understand.
11 “Now the parable means this: The seed is the word of God. 12 Those along the path are the ones who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. 13 Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in a time of testing fall away. 14 As for the seed that fell among thorns, these are the ones who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the worries and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. 15 But as for the seed that landed on good soil, these are the ones who, after hearing the word, cling to it with an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with steadfast endurance.