The Parable of the Sower

Luke 8:5-8a says, “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds ate it up. Some fell on rocky ground, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.”

This is a very famous parable. A sower went out and scattered seeds, and four different things happened. The first fell along the path and was eaten by birds; the second fell on a shallow, rocky field and couldn’t grow roots; the third fell among thorns and had its nutrients stolen; and the last fell on good soil, where it flourished and produced an abundant harvest. How do these four scenarios relate to us? What does this parable represent?

The Parable of the Sower is placed at the beginning of a series of parables in the three Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke). At the time, the disciples didn’t understand the meaning of this parable, so Jesus explained it to them personally. This makes it a key to understanding the meaning of the other parables in the series. Jesus used this parable to answer the greatest question on people’s minds: Why did the scribes and Pharisees so vehemently reject Jesus? Why did Jesus’ preaching, healing, and casting out of demons not produce the same response in every person?

In ancient Jewish times, people sometimes sowed seeds before plowing the fields. Many fields had roads and paths running through them, which hardened the ground. Seeds that fell on this ground were exposed and became food for birds. Other ground was rocky, with only a thin layer of soil, which was not deep enough to hold water, causing the plants to quickly wither. Seeds that fell among thorns also failed to grow well. Thorns are thorny plants with a strong growth rate, and they grew faster than the grain, choking out its growth. Only the seeds that fell on good soil grew and yielded a crop a hundred times more than what was sown.

The hearts of those on the path have no intention of receiving the Lord’s word; they listen but don’t act, so they can’t truly understand, and the word is easily snatched away by Satan. If the Lord’s word doesn’t enter our hearts and become a part of our lives, our hearts will have “no root,” and our momentary enthusiasm will only be “temporary belief.” The worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth, and the pleasures of life can prevent a person from living out God’s word. People can only “bear fruit” by truly understanding and receiving the Lord’s word, allowing God’s word to be lived out through them.

The Parable of the Sower holds a special place because as Jesus was telling it, He Himself was sowing the “seed”—His Word. Jesus used this parable to explain that the mysteries of the kingdom would only be revealed to those who were willing to reside in God’s kingdom. “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

Edited and compiled based on the Chinese Union Version of the Bible and a comprehensive biblical interpretation.