The Parable of the Sower Explained

In Matthew 13.18-23, Jesus explains "The Parable of the Sower" to His disciples in response to their question regarding why He chose to speak to the crowds in parables. It is evident that the disciples understood what Jesus was trying to convey in the parable. Their receptive hearts to “the secrets of the kingdom of heaven” is a clear example of the fulfilment of the fourth scenario: where the seeds feel on good soil, only because they heard His word and understood it.

Much of the crowd, in comparison to Jesus’ disciples, were dull in their hearts; their eyes and their ears were closed. They were spiritually deprived of the knowledge of the kingdom, and were dead in their sins (Ephesians 2:1) –- This is a good example of an unregenerate state.

God in His sovereignty, uses parables as a sifting tool to call before Him those whom the Father has given unto Him (John 6:44). It is what separated the disciples from the Pharisees who, because of their hardened state, where driven to frustrations because they could simply not make sense of Jesus’ plain parables (John 10:24).

So how are we to know if we belong to Christ? How are we to know if we are part of His flock? Simply by this, we will “understand with [our] heart” (Isaiah 6:10), and we will hear His voice (John 10:27), because we have been drawn to Him by the Father.

In conclusion, among the four scenarios of "The Parable of the Sower", Which one do you associate with when the word of God has been preached to your heart? how do you respond?

• “When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. this is what was sown along the path” (Matthew 13:19).
• “As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away” (Matthew 13:20).
• “As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful” (Matthew 13:21).
• “As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty” (Matthew 13:22).

So I encourage you brothers and sisters, examine yourself in light of scripture, for you very well might still be dwelling in that euphoric joy that has absolutely no root. Pray that God may test your fruitfulness, so that you may progress with righteous confidence that He indeed had begun a good work in you, and will indeed complete it (Philippians 1:6).

- CHELMS VARTHOUMLIEN