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Mark 4:1-20
The Parable of the Sower
1Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water’s edge. 2 He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said: 3 “Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed.4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.”
9 Then Jesus said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”
10 When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables. 11 He told them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables 12 so that,
“‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving,
and ever hearing but never understanding;
otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!’”
13 Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? 14 The farmer sows the word. 15 Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. 16 Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. 17 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 18 Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; 19 but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. 20 Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.”
If you’ve been participating in these Reflections for very long, you’ve probably noticed that I’m especially fascinated with the parables of Jesus. I’m fascinated by how effective they are in communicating spiritual truths, and also by how useful they are for those of us who come after. I also can’t help thinking that God had been using parables long before he walked the world in the form of Jesus. For instance, it seems to me that the first eleven chapters of Genesis are all intended to serve as parables teaching us important truths about God’s relationship to the world and to us.
When it comes to Jesus himself, New Testament scholars say that about a third of his teachings as they’re recorded in the gospels is in the form of parables. That seems very significant. When you think about it, those parables demanded something from those who heard Jesus preach them — just as they demand something of those of us who read them now. To get the point of a parable, you need to think about it. You need to reflect on it. Maybe to talk about it with others. Unlike straight-out doctrinal lectures, parables only give up their lessons when we actively engage with them.
The parables of Jesus also provide us with a graceful way to share his teachings with others. We don’t have to be able to explain theological doctrines, just to trust that if we pass along the parables of Jesus, some of his meanings will go with them into the hearts and minds of those who hear them.
And there’s yet another important thing that shouldn’t be overlooked about parables: Different people in different life circumstances can get different lessons from them. That’s true of some of the most famous parables, like the Prodigal Son and the Good Samaritan. But this parable that’s our text for today might be the best example.
When Jesus explains this parable to his disciples, he tells them what the various elements of the parable are supposed to represent – the seed is the word of God, etc. But that only gets you so far. When it comes to figuring out what the parable is supposed to mean in terms of living a life of discipleship, there are still several different ways of understanding it.
The most common interpretation of the parable – the one we were taught in Sunday School as kids – is that we’re supposed to be like the “good soil.” We’re supposed to receive the word of God, and let it take root in us so that it results in an abundant crop — so that we’re ‘fruitful’ for God. Lots of us have been hearing that explanation all our lives. And there’s nothing wrong with that explanation — it might be the main lesson Jesus wanted to communicate to those who were listening to him preach it by the Sea of Galilee that day. After all, most of those listening to him weren’t committed disciples – at least not yet.
But then later, Jesus talked about the parable when he was alone with those who were his committed disciples. And the things Jesus told them privately suggest that this parable was supposed to have a different meaning for them – a meaning that would go right over the heads of the masses. A meaning, according to some New Testament scholars, that was specifically intended for the disciples.
For them, the scholars say, Jesus might not have meant this parable as exhortation to ‘be good soil,’ but rather as explanation. Not to challenge them, but rather to protect them against discouragement.
The scholars say Jesus might have been explaining why most of those who heard his teaching never made the same commitment to discipleship they had made. Jesus was telling the disciples not to be discouraged when some people heard his teaching and just shrugged and walked away. He was telling them not to be discouraged when some people thought his teaching was great and decided to follow him, but then stopped the first time someone gave them a hard time about their faith. He was telling them not to be discouraged when somebody started to follow him, but then decided they had more important things to do and drifted away.
They say that Jesus was telling his disciples that a few of those who hear the word will take it in and let it take deep root in them. And that few would become stunningly fruitful disciples. A yield of thirty or sixty or a hundred times would be an almost unimaginable return. (A yield of six or seven times would be considered a good crop in that time and place.)
But after giving this parable even more thought, I could imagine it having yet a third meaning for some listeners. Maybe Jesus also intended that this parable would illustrate the way that some people who fail to make a commitment to discipleship early in their lives might respond ‘fruitfully’ later. A person might reject the word entirely when they’re young, might be afraid that being considered ‘religious’ would be ‘uncool’ as a young adult, might be too busy with career and family years later, but might become fruitful disciples in maturity.
For those of us who have made a commitment to follow Jesus, the second and third possible interpretations of this parable seem especially important for us to keep in mind. Because Jesus seems to be saying that we should ‘keep spreading the word,’ even when it doesn’t seem to be taking root in those around us. Because once in a while it really will take root in someone, and then it could bear spectacular fruit.
Think about what that might mean: Someone you share your faith with today might embrace the word in a way you never expect. What if your legacy was that you were the one who introduced a great Christian scholar or evangelist to the faith? That would be pretty great, wouldn’t it? So, Jesus says, don’t be discouraged. Keep spreading the word about what God has done in him, and believe that some of it will fall on good soil.
Let’s pray. Lord, you know it’s easy for us to get discouraged when the world doesn’t flock to the church. Thanks for this parable, and for its reminder that even for Jesus, that has always been the way of things. Amen.
Blessings,
Henry
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