Parables Sown and Explained

Luke 8:1-18

Many Women Minister to Jesus

1 Now it came to pass, afterward, that He went through every city and village, preaching and bringing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with Him, 2 and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities—Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons, 3 and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others who provided for Him from their substance.

The Parable of the Sower

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!"

The Purpose of Parables

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 Parable of the Sower Explained

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.

16 "No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light. 17 For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light. 18 Therefore take heed how you hear. For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him."

What do we do with God’s word when we hear the gospel?  Mary, Joanna, Suzanna and others followed Jesus and His apostles as His disciples and provided for them from their means that the work of the gospel could go on where He went.  They had heard His word and followed with gladness and commitment.  When a large crowd gathered around the Lord where He stopped, Jesus told a parable about a sower who planted seed in his field by throwing it about, scattering into various places in the plowed field, just as the people there came from all around to have His words cast on them.  Some seed landed on hard ground outside of the prepared field and the birds easily plucked them up and devoured them after others had walked all over them.  Other seed fell among hard places and the roots never took among the nooks and crannies of the rocks, withering away from lack of watering there.  Still other seeds landed in thorn bushes and were quickly choked out by the overpowering sharp net holding growth back.  Yet there was some seed which landed on good and fertile ground and grew tall and strong in that rich soil, leading to a bumper crop of good fruit of grain to nourish others.  Jesus paused before giving the explanation of this visual lesson to explain why He talked in parables like this.  He spoke to reveal that many did not want God’s word and so it was preached to those who were unable to grasp the truth and wisdom because they had hardened their hearts against Him.  They were unable to see or hear and these parables became a testimony against them for their rejection and disobedience.  But to those who God called like the disciples and we who now read with God-given understanding, we are given the explanation in the word as well as by the presence of God Him living in us (John 14:26, 1 Corinthians 2:13-14, 1 John 2:27).  When we read the scriptures we see the revealed mysteries of Christ in us as our hope in God’s glory (Colossians 1:27) by the mind of Christ in us, while the disciples heard from Jesus  here.  The Lord explained how the seed sown in the world is the word of God, the gospel of salvation.  In another place He further explained that the field is the world itself in which we live (Matthew 13:38) when a similar parable of wheat and weeds was given.  The gospel word of the kingdom of heaven falls on the side of the road of life and the devil snatches it from the listeners right away so they cannot hear it and repent to believing salvation.  The seed falling in the rocky ground cannot take root and so their joy is only a temporary emotional response that vaporizes when confronted with the cost of following the Lord (Luke 14:27-28, 33) and the temptations of living for other desires overtakes them (1 John 2:15-16).  Likewise, the seed falling in the thorn bushes is choked out by the cares and pursuit of personal gain or happiness in the fleeting pleasures of sin (Hebrews 11:25).  The cares, riches, and pleasures of life sidetrack these people who then bring no eternal fruit to maturity.  Ah, but those seeds of God’s word that fall on the rich soil of hearts prepared by God receive the gospel down deep in their souls and it takes root with the long term results of good fruit that honors and glorifies the Lord in whom they trust and patiently follow by faith and grace.  This includes lighting the lamp of this knowledge to tell and demonstrate to the field around us that other receptive hearts of good soil may hear and believe as well.  These hidden truths of the gospel will come to light in eternity, but we are called to reveal them now to all who are listening and hear the saving truth from us.  The light of God in the face of Jesus Christ is proclaimed through us (Acts 26:18, 2 Corinthians 4:6) and we dare not keep this light hidden in our own parables but cast to all who see His light and hear these things deep into their souls.  If people do not listen and are not prepared to hear, even what hits their ears will fall eternally short and be taken away by the devil or cares of this life.  May we be faithful to broadcast the seed of these words of life (Acts 5:20) into the world where His light shines life into men’s hearts and souls.  These are the parables sown and explained.