And again he began to teach by the sea side. And there is gathered unto him a very great multitude, so that he entered into a boat, and sat in the sea; and all the multitude were by the sea on the land. 2   And he taught them many things in parables, and said unto them in his teaching, 3   Hearken: Behold, the sower went forth to sow: 4   and it came to pass, as he sowed, some seed fell by the way side, and the birds came and devoured it. 5   And others fell on the rocky ground, where it had not much earth; and straightway it sprang up, because it had no deepness of earth: 6   and when the sun was risen, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away. 7   And other fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. 8   And others fell into the good ground, and yielded fruit, growing up and increasing; and brought forth, thirtyfold, and sixtyfold, and a hundredfold. 14   The sower soweth the word. 15   And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; and when they have heard, straightway cometh Satan, and taketh away the word which hath been sown in them. 16   And these in like manner are they that are sown upon the rocky places, who, when they have heard the word, straightway receive it with joy; 17   and they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, straightway they stumble. 18   And others are they that are sown among the thorns; these are they that have heard the word, 19   and the cares of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. 20   And those are they that were sown upon the good ground; such as hear the word, and accept it, and bear fruit, thirtyfold, and sixtyfold, and a hundredfold.

Verse 1. When before did Jesus have to get into a boat in order to avoid the press of the crowds? (See preceding lesson).

Verse 2. In what way did Jesus teach now? What is a parable? (See notes.) Had he been in the habit of teaching in parables? (See notes for answer). What two reasons are given for Jesus teaching in parables? Mark 4:11, 12, 33.

Verse 3. What did the sower do? Can he sow the seed sitting at home? (Matt. 28:19). For what purpose did he "go forth"? Why is it necessary to sow?

Verse 4. Where did some of the seed fall? What happened to it? Is the question where the seed falls just as important as the sowing?

Verses 5, 6. Was this ground as hard on the surface as the "wayside"? Was it not just as hard a little beneath the surface? Did the seed go in very deep? Did it come to any good? When did it wither? Why?

Verse 7. What became of that which fell among the thorns? Why? When the thorns and weeds have an even start with good seed, which will get the upper hand? Which will be apt to get the upper hand under any circumstances?

Verse 8. In what sort of ground did the good seed bring forth fruit? Looking back over verses 4-8--some seed fell by what? Some on what? Some among what? Some into what?

Verse 14. Who is the sower? What is the seed? (Luke 8:11). Why does the Word have to be sown? Can there be any harvest of faith, obedience, Christian life without it?

Verse 15. Who are "they by the wayside"? Matt. 13:19. Why do they not understand the Word? Matt. 13:15 Why does the devil snatch it out of such hearts? Luke 8:12. Does he wait very long before he snatches it? Has Satan a healthy respect for the power of the Word of God? Can that be said of men, or even of all professed Christians? What does the word of God produce? Rom. 10:17.

Verse 16, 17. Does the rocky ground receive the word readily and [75] gladly? But how long only do they endure? What causes them to stumble? Must all Christians undergo the test? Acts 14:22; 2 Tim. 3:12. Who will win the crown? 2 Tim. 2:12.

Verses 18, 19. What is represented by the "thorns"? Do these things interfere with the saving power of the Word in the heart? To what extent?

Verse 20. What three things mark them "that were sown upon the good ground"? Is the good ground responsible for being good ground? Luke 8:15. In other kinds of ground is there human responsibility implied? Is the Golden Text of this lesson of very great importance?

WHAT IS A PARABLE?

      The parables of Jesus were simple stories used to illustrate facts and spiritual truths. All of our Lord's parables were true stories--that is they were not false, absurd, fictitious tales, but stories of things that had either happened, or might happen at any time. For example, "A sower went forth to sow," etc. This had occurred often, and is still occurring. It is true to life. So, in all His parables, Jesus represented truth by truth. In this respect His parables differ from fables. The latter are fictitious, impossible stories, not true in themselves; though they might be used to illustrate truth, as for instance Æsop's Fables. The use of a fable is recorded in the Bible. (Judges 9:7-20). Jesus never used a fable.

WHY DID JESUS SPEAK IN PARABLES?

      Jesus had not thus far been in the habit of speaking in parables. He had made use of parabolic speech before this. (Matt. 5:13-15; 7:24-27). But that was incidental. Now He began to clothe His teaching generally in parables. His disciples wondered about this, and asked Him why He did it. His reason was twofold: (1) Judgment. (Mark 4:11, 12). (2) Mercy. (Mark 4:33). Strong light hurts weak eyes. It would only cause them to stumble. (1 Cor. 3:1-3).

"THE MYSTERIES OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN."

      The thirteenth chapter of Matthew shows that this parable of the Sower was given with six others in one connected discourse; and that in these parables Jesus set forth "the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven." A mystery in the Bible sense is not (as we sometimes use the word) something very deep and difficult to comprehend, but simply something hidden, unrevealed. When the mystery is revealed it may be very plain and simple; but before it was revealed it was a secret which none could know. In the parable of the Sower and the following parables Jesus divulges certain truth concerning the kingdom of heaven which up till then had been kept secret: "that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden from the foundation of the world." (Matt. 13:35). In these parables then the Lord gives His disciples new additional information concerning the long-expected kingdom.

THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER.

      Owing to the rejection by Israel of their King and the King's consequent absence, the Kingdom assumes an unexpected preliminary form. It is propagated by means of seed. The seed is the word of God. (Luke 8:11). Those who become united with it by receiving it and holding it fast, (Luke 8:15), are the "sons of the kingdom." (Matt. 13:38). The seed will not be universally successful. In three of the four different kinds of ground it fails. The preached word therefore exercises a sifting, selective function in the world. God is taking out from among the nations a people for His own name. These are the "sons of the Kingdom," being the heirs. (Jas. 2:5). So that in this dispensation the kingdom does by no means sweep the world, or hold universal sway. Those who receive the word and hold it fast are called out of the world, and not of it, though in it. They must therefore suffer (John 15:19) and they shall not be merely subjects in the glorious kingdom when it is revealed, but rulers, joint-heirs and co-rulers with Jesus Christ their Lord. (2 Tim. 2:12; Rev. 2:26, 27; 3:21).

Source: Third Lord's Day Lesson of February. Lesson 7. February 17, 1918. Jesus Teaching by Parables: Four