Is It About the Soil or the Sower?

By Khen Lim



Image Source: hayespress.org

Parables are a key feature in the Gospels and for good reason. They serve up moral or spiritual lessons. They are instructive and they are principled about the life that Christ wishes us to lead. The word parable itself has Greek origins - παραβολή – or parabolē (Hebrew מָשָׁל mashal) – is, simply put, an illustration or an allegory. The Gnostic standpoint is such that parables have their true meanings obscured so that only Jesus’ circle of disciples could understand.

In that He says, “To you has been given the mystery of the Kingdom of God but those who are outside get everything in parables, so that while seeing, they may see and not perceive, and while hearing, they may hear and not understand, otherwise they might return and be forgiven” (Mark 4:11-12, NASB). 

Even more remarkably, the synoptic similarity in Matthew 13:10-12 yields a more revealing message from Jesus: “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven but to them, it has not been granted. For whoever has, to him more shall be given and he will have an abundance but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him.”

Scholars have commented that despite appearing simple, parables often carry far deeper teachings. Many of Jesus’ parables make use of simple but visible everyday things or activities and yet they deal with the centrality of major themes that revolve around the Kingdom of God. One such parable that focuses on the importance of hearing, seeking and growing within the kingdom context is the Parable of the Sower.

The Parable of the Sower is found in the three synoptic gospels, offering a simple layout of a sower generously sprinkling seeds that end up falling on four different terrains. We read that there are seeds that are scattered on the roadside, on rocky grounds, thorny soil and some on good soil. Those that land on the first three are doomed while those in good soil flourishes with the promise of a good and pleasing yield.

Whenever this parable is discussed, it likely elicits a few obvious responses. We either say we want to be like those in good soil or conversely we point to people we know who are not dissimilar to those who fall on rocky ground or thorny soil. To which we then suggest we must pray for them. And when we delve into the parable in this manner, the topic invariably revolves around the soil. After all, the seeds are identical but the grounds on which they are scattered vary.

The question then is why talk about the sower when it appears that it’s the soil differences that matter to what happens to the seeds. So why not talk about the soil then?

Know the Sower

If you reread the parable but place the whole reading on the perspective of the sower, you will soon realise that the sower Himself is God. Perhaps then we can shed more light on the importance of the sower.

From Jesus’ standpoint, the parable speaks of how the Word of God (seed) is distributed to all (the different types of ground). The specifics aren’t there – the seeds were simply scattered everywhere indiscriminately. Mortal wisdom might suggest that we would rather just throw the seeds on better (more fertile) soil and not waste them but this is not how Jesus sees it. In Luke 5:31 (NASB), He says, “It is not those who are well who need a physician but those who are sick.” 

In other words the so-called indiscriminate scattering of the seed was to offer the benefit of the Kingdom of God to those who really need to hear it. It was Christ who often reminds us that He came to rescue the sinners. He was with us with the sole purpose of bringing salvation, which our wretchedness, we had no right to deserve. Yet He did for all of us including those on rocky grounds and thorny soil.

The Parable of the Sower offers two key standpoints. Firstly it illustrates the role that Christ plays in bringing the Word of God to all of us. There is to be no one excluded. Christ did not pick or choose one over another. Everyone is graciously given the opportunity for He sowed into anyone who willingly sees, hears and accepts His word. Secondly the lesson of the soils must not be lost on us as it warns us that different soils can muddy our intention to share Christ’s truth with others.

Beware the Soils

The Parable of the Sower as illustrated in Hortus Deliciarum compiled by Herrad of Landsberg at the Hohenburg Abbey in Alsace circa 12th Century (Image Source: en.wikipedia.org)

Even as we train our eyes on the sower, let us not forget the four types of ground for each of them produce vastly different results. The seeming simplicity of the parable often makes us enjoy the message it delivers but the depth of its meaning is, at the same time, lost unless we take the time and make the effort to understand what it means to each of us. And as we closely examine each different soil within our own personal perspective, we might then begin to unravel our own shortcomings and truly understand where we stand in the light of our inability to see or hear properly.

Remember too that Jesus ends the parable, saying, “He who has ears, let him hear” (Matthew 13:9), knowing precisely and unfailingly, that man’s obtuse attitude will always be a problem. Jesus also quotes Isaiah, saying that people, like you and I, are hard of hearing and often with closed eyes (Isaiah 6:9-10).

Essentially then, those that fall on the roadside (‘path’) represent those whose ears may listen but they neither hear nor heed the Word of God. As the saying goes, “in one ear and out the other.” Seeds that fall on the roadside falls on ground that denies any chance of life. Inadvertently they sit on the surface, and become prey to predators. No matter the outer sheen, these are those who do not take God seriously and in the end, they become open season to birds of prey.

Just as the African proverb says, “smooth seas do not make skilful sailors,’ those who may know the Word of God but wilts under the glaring eye of an acid test reveals the flaws of a rootless foundation. They may initially show plenty of promise but the roots are never deep enough to securely anchor itself to the ground. The superficiality of an outer veneer exposes itself when the going gets tough; much like seeds that fall on rocky ground that has the pretence of a shallow top soil.

There are also those who hear the word, know the word, even teach the word but they either do not accept it or they don’t practise it. They do precious little about what they already know. They could come to church regularly enough but they show no thirst to seek the Word of God. They lead an indifferent life with hardly any true devotion or relationship with Him. 

They are like seeds that fall on to thorny soil – they like the attractive fleshy things in life and are consumed by material wealth and the glittering pleasures of prosperity, the very external things that lure us away from God. We may have had good grounding (planted on good soil) but we’ve allowed outside forces (thorns) to engulf and choke the life out of us.

But those that fall on good soil gets the nurturing it desires and from there, yield positive results. In the parable, Jesus says the yield can be “a hundredfold, some sixty and some thirty” (Matthew 13:8 NASB). These seeds have the chance to anchor their roots deeply and securely. They do not get blown off in gusty winds and they not wither for want of good soil or water. If this defines us, it means we hear God’s Word, truly understands it and practises it. And by practising it, we bear fruit.

In “A Brief Commentary on the Gospel of Mark (Paulist Press, 1989),” the author John Kilgallen offers three revealing points about the Parable of the Sower. Firstly there is likely to be difficulty amongst many in grappling with Jesus’ message that is buried in the parable. Secondly Mark could be using the parable (4:1-20) in an attempt to uplift his readers’ faith, possibly in the midst of a Roman persecution. Thirdly it appears that this parable is essential if one seeks to understand all of the other of Jesus’ parables. 

This last point is important because it highlights Christ’s standpoint – that faith in Him is critical and that He will not enlighten those who deny Him or refuse to believe in Him.

Take it as it is – we have all been forewarned. 

NOTE: In a separate article entitled, Notes to Understand the Parable of the Sower will provide deeper insights into the parable itself.