And when he was alone, those around him with the twelve asked him about the parables. And he said to them, “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables, so that
“‘they may indeed see but not perceive,
and may indeed hear but not understand,
lest they should turn and be forgiven.’” Comment: It is the assumption that parables are given as examples to teach and to help people understand more, and I cannot but feel that this at a base level is true. However this explanation of Jesus strongly suggests that there is an even deeper underlying truth, behind the reason why He used parables. There must be one of two or both of the following. a) A preparedness of the listener to consider that human life is more than just limited to the world in which we live.. They must be open to something beyond the physical needs which fit in with the modern culture of living as a sophisticated ‘animal’, and/or b) the enabling and calling of God, making them able to understand.
And he said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? The sower sows the word. And these are the ones along the path, where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them. And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy. And they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away. And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.”
Comment: Fairly obviously the seed is the gospel message and the soil describes the listeners ‘core’ values. What I wrote yesterday follows “The object to farming is to put food on the the table for family, friends and the populus! In essence this story says that if a farmer is going to achieve this aim he needs the harvest to be good – variable maybe (30%, 60%,100% of what the farmer hoped for!) but something worthwhile! If the birds ate the seed, if there was no decent soil in which to grow, or if weeds choked out the seed which was trying to grow, then there would be no food on the table! It doesn’t take a genius to work out that this has to do with the seed of the gospel message and people’s hearts! The gospel can be snatched away by the devil or personal refusal to hear; the temptations and pleasures of everyday life can kill the starting to sprout response to the message; the mind of the person can be so rocklike and shallow that nothing really can take root. Jesus final word is ‘If you’re listening, take note! It is the end result that matters!” I suggest ‘Read again what Jesus said above and if you find discrepancies in my comment, please choose Jesus’ comment as the better one!‘
Proverbs 23: 6+ Do not eat the bread of a man who is stingy; do not desire his delicacies, for he is like one who is inwardly calculating. – always thinking of personal gain!
Prayer: Help me to understand what is my part to play in being productive ground for You to produce a bountiful harvest!
As I read it! 