The Parable of the Sower

“Believe” in Matthew, Mark & Luke - Part 10:

We are studying the 25 instances in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke where Jesus is recorded as having said the word “believe.” Our last study examined the parable of the sower, which is found in all three Gospels, Matthew 13:3 - 93 And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;

4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:

5 Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:

6 And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.

7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:

8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.

9 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

; Mark 4:1 - 91 And he began again to teach by the sea side: and there was gathered unto him a great multitude, so that he entered into a ship, and sat in the sea; and the whole multitude was by the sea on the land.

2 And he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine,

3 Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow:

4 And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up.

5 And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth:

6 But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.

7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.

8 And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred.

9 And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

and Luke 8:4 - 154 And when much people were gathered together, and were come to him out of every city, he spake by a parable:

5 A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.

6 And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung 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 And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

9 And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be?

10 And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.

11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.

12 Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.

13 They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.

14 And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.

15 But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.

4 And when much people were gathered together, and were come to him out of every city, he spake by a parable:

5 A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.

6 And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung 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 And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

9 And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be?

10 And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.

11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.

12 Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.

13 They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.

14 And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.

15 But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.

. We found that only Luke uses the word believe when recounting what Jesus said: “And when much people were gathered together, and were come to him out of every city, he spake by a parable: A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it. And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it. And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be? And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand. Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away. And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection. But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.” Luke 8:4 - 15.

Our last study compared the words Luke used to summarize what Jesus said in his account to the words Matthew and Mark used recounting the same parable and found that to truly believe means to 1) “hear” (to hear, give audience, understand, etc.); 2) “understand” (to put together, that is mentally to comprehend); 3) “receive” (to accept near, that is, admit or delight in); and 4) “keep” (hold down fast, have, hold fast, keep, possess, retain, seize on, stay, take, withhold.) Many in Israel, including the Scribes and Pharasees heard the words Jesus said but they didn't believe Him, that is, they didn't truly hear, understand, receive and keep the concepts He taught. There were only a comparative few in Israel that, in the full sense of the word, believed Him and were thus saved. Our last study closed with the question as to what Jesus was referring to, or what He meant, by the “fruit” He said the good ground produced.

The word “fruit” used by Luke in his account of Jesus' parable is a translation of the Greek word “karpos',” numbered by Smith as word # 2590 in his Greek-English Concordance of the New Testament (NT) where he shows it is found 66 times. Jesus Christ is recorded as having used this word by far more often than anyone else, 41 times, as He presented the teaching of the Kingdom of God to His people Israel. (I examined every occasion “karpos,” or “fruit” is found in the NT and prepared a paper analyzing its use. You may send me a e-mail if you would like a copy of this paper and I'll forward it to you.)

To understand what Jesus is talking about in this parable we must keep in mind that the seed referred to represents the Word of God, Luke 8:1111 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.

. The Bible teaches plainly that the second person of the Godhead was the Word of God for eternity before He became incarnate as Jesus Christ, John 1:1 & 141 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

2 The same was in the beginning with God.

3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.

8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.

11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

2 The same was in the beginning with God.

3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.

8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.

11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

. The ground upon which the seed fell was the nation of Israel. The Word of God was directed to Israel throughout its history via many spokesmen but time and again they rejected it, Acts 7:5252 Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:

. Then the Word of God incarnate, Jesus Christ, came as Israel's Messiah: “But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Matthew 15:2424 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

. So, at the time Jesus taught this parable He Himself was the seed about which He spoke. But just as Israel had rejected His Word in the past by persecuting and killing His prophets they also didn't believe Him and gave Him up to be crucified. After He arose from the dead and ascended into heaven the first part of the Book of Acts records that His messengers offered Israel another chance to believe in Him as their Messiah. But the Nation of Israel rejected Him again and killed His messengers, culminating in the stoning of Stephen, Acts 7:5959 And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.

.

As a result, God set Israel aside for awhile, as we learn from the Apostle Paul: “For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.” Acts 28:27 - 2827 For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

28 Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.

. And so it was that the seed (the Word of God) failed to produce fruit in the ground (the Nation of Israel) during the time recorded in the Old Testament; during the time Jesus was here on earth as recorded in the Gospels and during the time recorded in the first part of the book of Acts.

Furthermore, when Jesus Christ was on earth ministering to His people (Israel) even those who believed in Him (His disciples) did not know he had to die, that being necessary to accomplish their salvation. Instead, they looked for someone like David, a conqueror who would shake off the shackles of Rome and rule as a King in an earthly Kingdom. After He died and ascended into heaven, as recorded in the first part of Acts, Peter's message to Israel was not the good news of what the cross meant to them but that they should repent from their sin of killing their Messiah, Acts 3:12 - 1912 And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk?

13 The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go.

14 But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you;

15 And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.

16 And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.

17 And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers.

18 But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.

19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.

. It was only after Israel as a Nation rejected Jesus Christ as their Messiah again that He revealed a secret to the Apostle Paul that had been hidden since the foundation of the earth, Romans 16:25 & 2625 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,

26 But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:

; Ephesians 3:1 - 91 For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,

2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:

3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,

4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)

5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;

6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:

7 Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.

8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;

9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:

. Paul teaches as part of that secret that we are to glory in the cross of Christ because it was only by Christ's death to our sin that we are saved, Galatians 6:1414 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.

; Ephesians 2:1616 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:

; Colossians 1:20 - 2220 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled

22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:

; 2:13 - 15. And so it is also by Paul that we can fully understand the analogy of the seed (the Word of God) that had to be planted and die before new life could come (John alludes to this briefly in John 12:2424 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

but does not explain it further.) Paul wrote in that great resurrection chapter: “Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die: And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain: But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body. 1 Corinthians 15:36 - 3836 Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die:

37 And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain:

38 But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body.

. The seed was the Word of God; the Second person of the Godhead who came as the man Jesus Christ, John 1:1 & 14. And just as a seed must be planted in the ground and die in order to grow and produce fruit, so Jesus Christ died, was buried and rose again to new life. He came forth from the grave and ascended into Heaven as The Lord Jesus Christ. Today the fruit He bears are those, both Jews and Gentiles (1 Corinthians 12:1313 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

; Ephesians 2:11 - 1611 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;

12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:

13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;

15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;

16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:

) who believe in Him, those who truly hear, understand, receive and keep the Word of God.

But, what about the good ground about which Jesus spoke in the parable of the sower? This also the Lord Jesus Christ revealed through the Apostle Paul in Romans 9 - 11 where it is taught that Israel, as a Nation, will be saved someday in the future and will receive all God promised them. Some time after believers today, the Church, the Body of Christ, are called up to heaven, 1 Thessalonians 4:15 - 5:9, Israel will become the good ground described in the parable of the sower. Zechariah foretells it: “And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, (see John 19:34 & 3734 But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.

35 And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe.

36 For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken.

37 And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced.

) and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.” Zechariah 12:1010 And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.

. This will occur during the Great Tribulation. God will pour out His Holy Spirit on the Nation of Israel and they will finally be the good ground, which produces much fruit: “For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:” Romans 11:25 & 2625 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.

26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:

. See also Matthew 24:3030 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

; Mark 13; Luke 21; Rev 1:1 - 8. At that time, Israel, as a Nation will finally believe, they will hear, understand, receive and keep, the Word of God, which will produce 100 fold.