The Most Difficult Parable of All

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Matthew 13:1-23

13 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. 2 And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach. 3 And he told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. 5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, 6 but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8 Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 He who has ears, let him hear.”

10 Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” 11 And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says:

“ ‘ “You will indeed hear but never understand,
and you will indeed see but never perceive.”
15 For this people’s heart has grown dull,
and with their ears they can barely hear,
and their eyes they have closed,
lest they should see with their eyes
and hear with their ears
and understand with their heart
and turn, and I would heal them.’

16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. 17 For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

18 “Hear then the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. 20 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. 22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. 23 As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”

 
 

The Parable of the Sower is not in itself particularly difficult, particularly because Jesus interprets it for his disciples (13:18-23):

  • The seed is “the word of the Kingdom;”

  • The seed on the path applies to people who hear and don’t
    understand because they have already decided that the news
    about Jesus makes no sense to them;

  • The seed on the rocky soil applies to people who are not
    committed to learning from Jesus as disciples, but rather have a superficial commitment, and so when difficulty comes, they have no strength or perseverance;

  • The seed among the thorns applies to people who allow the worries and concerns of the world to keep them from learning from Jesus;

  • The seed on the good soil applies to people who hear and respond to the message of Jesus, and cool stuff happens as a result!

It’s not the parable that is difficult, but what Jesus says subsequently when the disciples question him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” He quotes from the prophet Isaiah, and it almost seems as if he is trying to be obscure and confusing. But in fact, he’s merely explaining why it seems some people respond and others don’t.

“When people responded to the message of the parables by joining themselves to Jesus and seeking further understanding, further revelation and explanation about the kingdom were given; to those whose hearing remained at a superficial level no further revelation was given. They were left with parables which did not achieve their goal of enlightening. The lack of receptivity prevented further progress.” -Klyne Snodgrass, Stories With Intent

The more you ask, the more you know, and by speaking in parables, Jesus is tricking people to listen harder and desire more.

What are you doing with what you’ve been given today?