#33 - The Parable of the Sower: Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23; Reflection by Lauren Gibson.

This appears to be a very straightforward parable. In Mark and Luke, Jesus even explains it by explicitly stating that the seed falling on the ground is a person receiving the word. Some of the seed grows, some does not. It appears to depend mainly on their environment. This leads to wondering which environment we’re in and how we can change it, if that’s possible. Can a seed on the rock move to the good soil?

Luke, however, adds another dimension. He says that the seed in good soil is able to produce a good crop by preserving. If landing in good soil were all that was needed, the seed would not need to persevere through anything. There would be water, nutrients, and sunshine in the proper amount to thrive. Instead, the word preserve implies that even the seed in good soil is tested by the birds trying to eat it, the sun withering it, and the thorns choking it. There are the same conditions as the other seeds. The difference is a stronger foundation and the ability to persevere in retaining the word of God.

Matthew 13

That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. ²Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach. ³And he told them many things in parables, saying: "Listen! A sower went out to sow. ⁴And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. ⁵Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. ⁶But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. ⁷Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. ⁸Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. ⁹Let anyone with ears listen!"

¹⁸Hear then the parable of the sower. ¹⁹When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path. ²⁰As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; ²¹yet such a person has no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away. ²²As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing. ²³But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty."