Have you ever been evangelizing and had someone completely reject what you were saying, and then the next person you speak with be completely receptive? Why does this happen? Why are some people ready to hear the gospel and others not?
Jesus explores this in his parable of the soils, also known as the parable of the sower, is found in three of the New Testament gospels (Matthew 13:1-9; Mark 4:1-9; Luke 8:4-8). A farmer sows seed along a path, rocky places, thorns, and good soil.
In the parable, a farmer went out to sow seed. The seeds fell in several places. Some fell on a path, where the birds came and ate up the seed. Other seeds fell on rocky places, where there wasn’t much soil. The plants sprang up quickly but withered in the sun without roots in shallow soil. The thorns in the third soil choked the plants so they didn’t bear grain. Lastly, some seeds fell on good soil where they were able to produce abundant crops.
After sharing this parable, the disciples asked him why he spoke in parables. Jesus replied by quoting Isaiah 6:9-10. People’s hardened hearts prevented them from embracing spiritual truth for healing (Matthew 13:14-15; Mark 4:12; Luke 8:10).
Let’s combine Jesus’ interpretation of the parable in these three accounts: (Matthew 13:18-23; Mark 4:13-20; Luke 8:11-15).
For seed sown on the path, the evil one snatched it away so they couldn’t believe and be saved. For the rocky soil, the person heard the word and received it with joy for a short time until trouble or persecution came. Worries of this life, deceitfulness of wealth, desires for other things, and pleasures choked the word, which made the thorny soil unfruitful (Matthew 13:22; Mark 4:18-19; Luke 8:14).
Description of good soil:
The good soil yields both quantity and character.
- Quantity: Matthew 13:18 said the good soil bore 100, 60, 30 times what was sown. Mark 4:8 said the crop multiplied 30, 60, 100 times. Luke 8:8 said the crop yielded 100 times more than was sown. While the multiplies are different, the principle is still the same. Seed that is sown in good soil will grow more than even expected.
- Character: Hear, understand, accept, and retain the word by persevering with a noble and good heart (Matthew 13:23; Mark 4:20; Luke 8:15
To share God’s word with everyone, the quality of our spiritual life is key.
