LIV.
THE FIRST GREAT GROUP OF PARABLES.
(Beside the Sea of Galilee.)
Subdivision B.
PARABLE OF THE SOWER.
aMATT. XIII. 3-23; bMARK
IV. 3-25; cLUKE VIII. 5-18.
aBehold,
c5 The sower went forth to sow his seed [Orientals live
in cities and towns. Isolated farmhouses are practically unknown. A farmer
may therefore live several miles from his field, in which case he literally
"goes forth" to it]:
b4 And it came to pass, as he sowed, some seed {aseeds}
fell by the way side, cand it was trodden under foot, and the
birds of heaven acame and cdevoured it up. {athem:}
[Palestine is an unfenced land, and the roads or paths lead through the
fields. They are usually trodden hard by centuries of use. Grain falling
on them could not take root. Its fate was either to be crushed by some
foot, or to be carried off by some bird.]
b5 And other {aothers} fell upon the rocky places,
con the rock; bwhere it {athey} bhad
not much earth; and straightway it {athey} bsprang
up, because it {athey} bhad no deepness of earth:
6 and when the sun was risen, it was {athey were} bscorched;
and because it {athey} bhad no root, it {athey}
withered away. cand as soon as it grew, it withered away, because
it had no moisture. [This seed fell upon a ledge of rock covered with
a very thin coating of soil. Its roots were prevented by the rock from
striking down to the moisture, and so under the blazing Syrian sun it died
ere it had well begun to live.] b7
And other {aothers} bfell among {aupon
camidst} bthe thorns, and the thorns grew up, cwith
it, band [329] choked it,
{athem:} band it yielded no fruit. [Palestine
abounds in thorns. Celsius describes sixteen varieties of thorny plants.
Porter tells us that in the Plain of Gennesaret thistles grow so tall and
rank that a horse can not push through them.] 8
And others {cother} bfell into {aupon}
bthe good ground, cand grew, and brought forth a
hundredfold, band yielded fruit, growing up and increasing;
and brought forth, thirtyfold, and sixtyfold, and a hundredfold. {asome
a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.} [Thirty-fold is a good crop
in Palestine, but it is asserted that a hundred-fold has been reaped in
the Plain of Esdraelon even in recent years. These four several conditions
of soil may be readily found lying close to each other in the Plain of
Gennesaret. A sowing like this described may have been enacted before the
eyes of the people even while Jesus was speaking.] cAs he
said these things, he cried [a method of emphasis rarely employed by
Jesus], b9 And he said,
a9 He that {bWho} hath ears to hear, let him hear.
[A saying often used by Jesus. He intended it to prevent the people from
regarding the parable as merely a beautiful description. It warned them
of a meaning beneath the surface, and incited them to seek for it.]
10 And when he was alone [that is, after he had finished speaking all
the parables. The explanation of the parable is put next to the parable
to aid us in understanding it],athe
disciples came, bthey that were about him with the twelve
c9 and his disciples basked him of the parables.
cwhat this parable might be. aand said unto him,
Why speakest thou unto them in parables? [Their questions show that
as yet parables were unusual.]
11 And he answered and said unto them, Unto you is given to know the mysteries
{bis given the mystery} aof the kingdom of heaven,
{bof God:} abut to them cthe rest ait
is not given. [save] cin parables; bunto
them that are without, all things are done in parables. [Jesus adapted
his lessons to the condition of his pupils; hence his disciples might know
what the multitude must not yet know (I. Cor. ii. 6-11). [330] Jesus
already drew a line of demarcation between disciples and unbelievers; which
line became more marked and visible after the church was organized at Pentecost.
The word "mystery" in current language means that which is not understood;
but as used in the Scriptures it means that which is not understood because
it has not been revealed, but which is plain as soon as revealed. Bible
mysteries are not unraveled by science, but are unfolded by revelation--Col.
i. 26; I. Tim. iii. 16; Matt. xi. 25, 26; Rev. xvii. 5; Dan. ii. 47.]
a12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall
have abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even
that which he hath. [To understand this saying, we must remember that
it was the teaching of Jesus which was under discussion. In the beginning
of his ministry Jesus taught plainly, and all his hearers had equal opportunity
to know his doctrine and believe in him. But from now on his teaching would
be largely veiled in parables. These parables would enrich their knowledge
and understanding of the believers; but they would add nothing to the store
of unbelievers, and their efforts to understand the parables would withdraw
their minds from the truths which they had already learned, so that they
would either forget them or fail to profit by them. If we improve our opportunities,
they bring us to other and higher ones; but if we neglect them, even the
initial opportunities are taken away.]
13 Therefore speak I to them in parables:
b12 that seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing
they may hear, and not understand; {cthat seeing they may not
see, and hearing they may not understand.} abecause seeing they
see not, and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. blest
haply they should turn again, and it should be forgiven them.
a14 And unto them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah [Isa.
vi. 9, 10], which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall
in no wise understand; And seeing ye shall see, and shall in no wise perceive:
15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, And their ears are dull of hearing.
[331] And their eyes they have closed; Lest
haply they should perceive with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And
understand with their heart, And should turn again, and I should heal them.
[The language here is an elaboration of the thoughts contained in the twelfth
verse. The people saw Christ's miracles, but not in their true light; they
heard his words, but not in their true meaning. Jesus could thus teach
without hindrance, but, unfortunately for the unbelieving, they were hearing
without obtaining any blessing. In the original passage which Matthew quotes,
Isaiah is apparently commanded to harden the hearts of the people. If read
superficially, it might seem that God desired to harden their hearts. The
true meaning is that God commanded Isaiah to teach, even though the people,
by hardening themselves against his teaching, should be made worse rather
than better by it. Thus, though rebellious, Israel might not be blessed
by Isaiah's teaching; they might, by their example, waken a wholesome fear
in their posterity, and cause it to avoid like a sin.]
16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears, for they hear.
[Jesus here addresses his disciples, who were a cheering contrast to the
unbelievers.] 17 For verily I say
unto you, that many prophets and righteous men desired to see the things
which ye see, and saw them not; and to hear the things which ye hear, and
heard them not. [Our Lord here gives us a glance into the very hearts
of the prophets, and reveals to us their desire to be witnesses of Messiah's
ministry. But knowing they were not to see their visions realized, they
contented themselves with trying to understand the full meaning of their
visions, that they might anticipate the days which were to come--I. Pet.
i. 10-12.] b13 And he saith
unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how shall ye know all the parables?
[This is a concession rather than a reproof. Parables could not be understood
without a key; but a few examples of parables explained would furnish such
a key.] a18 Hear then ye
the parable of the sower. c11
Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of [332] God.
b14 The sower soweth the word.
15 And these {cthose} bby the way side, where the
word is sown; aare they that have heard; band when
they have heard,; cthen bstraightway cometh Satan,
cthe devil, and taketh away the word from their heart, bwhich
hath been sown in them. cthat they may not believe and be saved.
a19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth
it not, then cometh the evil one, and snatcheth away that
which hath been sown in his heart. This is he that was sown by the way
side. [The four soils are four hearts into which truth is sown. The
first heart, represented by the wayside, is one which is too hardened for
the Word to make any impression. It represents several classes of people,
as: 1. Those whose hearts have been made insensible by the routine of meaningless
rites and lifeless formalities. 2. Those who had deadened their sensibilities
by perversity and indifference. 3. Those whose hearts were hardened by
the constant march and countermarch of evil thoughts. God's word lies on
the surface of such hearts, and Satan can use any insignificant or innocent
passing thoughts as a bird to carry out of their minds anything which they
may have heard. The preacher's voice has scarcely died away until some
idle criticism of him or some careless bit of gossip about a neighbor causes
them to forget the sermon.]
b16 And these {cthose} bin like manner
are they that are sown upon the rocky places, {crock}
bwho, when they have heard the word, straightway receive it
{cthe word} with joy; b17
and they {cthese} bhave no root in themselves, but
endure {cwho believe} for a while; bthen, when affliction
or persecution ariseth because of the word, straightway they stumble. cand
in time of temptation fall away. a20
And he that was sown upon the rocky places, this is he that heareth the
word, and straightway with joy receiveth it;
21 yet hath he not root in himself, but endureth for a while; and when
tribulation or persecution ariseth because [333] of
the word, straightway he stumbleth. [This shallow, rock-covered soil
represents those who are deficient in tenacity of purpose. Those who receive
the word, but whose impulsive, shallow nature does not retain it, and whose
enthusiasm was as short-lived as it was vigorous. Any opposition, slight
or severe, makes them partial or total apostates. As sunlight strengthens
the healthy plant, but withers the sickly, ill-rooted one, so tribulation
establishes real faith, but destroys its counterfeit.]
b18 And others are they that are sown {cwhich fell}
among the thorns, these are they that have heard, bthe word,
cand as they go on their way bthe
cares of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other
things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. cthey
are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and
bring no fruit to perfection. a22
And he that was sown among the thorns, this is he that heareth the word;
and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choked the
word, and he becometh unfruitful. [This third class represents those
who begin well, but afterwards permit worldly cares to gain the mastery.
These to-day outnumber all other classes, and perhaps they have always
been so.] b20
And those are they that were sown upon {c15 And that in} the
good ground; these are such as in an honest and good heart, having heard
{bhear} cthe word, hold it fast, band
accept it, and bear cand bring forth fruit with patience. bthirtyfold,
and sixtyfold, and a hundredfold. a23
And he that was sown upon the good ground, this is he that heareth the
word, and understandeth it; who verily beareth fruit, and bringeth forth,
some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. [Christianity requires
three things: a sower, good seed or a pure gospel, and an honest hearer.
All hearers are not equal in faithfulness. But we are not to take it that
the diversity is limited to the three rates or proportions specified. Of
the four hearts indicated, the first one hears, but heeds nothing; the
second one heeds, but is checked by [334] external
influences; the third heeds, but is choked by internal influences; the
fourth heeds and holds fast until the harvest. Gallio exemplifies the first
(Acts xviii. 17). Peter and Mark for a time exemplified the second (Mark
xiv. 66-72; Acts xii. 25; xiii. 13; xv. 37-39). The rich ruler and Demas
represent the third (Matt. xix. 22; II. Tim. iv. 10), as does also Judas
Iscariot. Cornelius and the Beræans (Acts x. 33; xvii. 11) show us
examples of the fourth.] b21 And
he said unto them, Is the lamp brought to be put under the bushel, or under
a bed, and not to be put on the stand?
c16 No man, when he hath lighted a lamp, covereth it with a
vessel, or putteth it under a bed; but putteth it on a stand, that they
which enter in may see the light. [A passage similar to this is found
at Matt. v. 15. See page 235.]
b22 For there is nothing hid, save that it should be manifested;
{cthat shall not be made manifest;} bneither was
anything made secret, but that it should come to light. {cthat
shall not be known and come to light.}
b23 If any man hath ears to hear, let him hear. [This passage
is often taken to indicate the exposure of all things on the day of judgment.
While all things shall be revealed at the judgment, this passage does not
refer to that fact. Jesus did not come to put his light under a bushel;
that is, to hide his teaching. All inner instruction and private information
was but temporary. Our Lord's design was to reveal, not conceal. What was
now concealed was only to keep back that in the end it might be more fully
known. Jesus covered his light as one might shelter a candle with his hand
until the flame has fully caught hold of the wick.]
24 And he said unto them, cTake heed therefore how {bwhat}
ye hear: with what measure ye mete it shall be measured unto you; and more
shall be given unto you. cfor whosoever {bhe
that} hath, to him shall be given: cand whosoever {bhe
that} hath not, from him shall be taken away even that which he hath. {cwhich
he thinketh he hath.} [Most of this passage has been explained just
[335] above. See page 331.
It warns us as to what we hear--things carnal or spiritual--and how we
hear them, whether carefully or carelessly. As we measure attention unto
the Lord, he measures back knowledge to us.]
[FFG 329-336]
