The Sower

In this parable Jesus addresses the crowds concerning the kingdom of God, likening the spread of divine truth to a sower whose seed lands on path, rock, thorns, or fertile earth. Each type of ground illustrates how the word is received according to the heart's condition, with the enemy snatching it from the hardened, trials withering shallow roots, worldly cares choking promising growth, and patient hearing in good soil producing abundant fruit. The account thus unveils a central mystery of redemption, showing why the same message yields such varied responses among hearers.

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Matthew Overview (Part 1: Ch. 1-13)

Jesus teaches about the kingdom through parables, beginning with the sower.

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Category: Kingdom of God

Meaning: The Word of God is received differently depending on the condition of the heart.

Audience: Crowds

Key Passages

The Parable

Matthew 13:3-9

A³nd he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;

⁴ And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: ⁵ Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: ⁶ And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. ⁷ And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: ⁸ But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold. ⁹ Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Explanation

Matthew 13:18-23

H¹⁸ear ye therefore the parable of the sower.

¹⁹ When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. ²⁰ But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; ²¹ Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. ²² He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. ²³ But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

Mark's Account

Mark 4:3-9

H³earken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow:

⁴ And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up. ⁵ And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth: ⁶ But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away. ⁷ And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. ⁸ And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred. ⁹ And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Luke's Account

Luke 8:5-8

A⁵ sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.

⁶ And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture. ⁷ And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it. ⁸ And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Did You Know?

The same seed (the word) produces wildly different results depending on the soil of the heart.

Only one of the four soils produces a lasting, multiplying harvest. 30, 60, or 100 times what was sown.

The parable explains why the same message is received so differently by different people.

Jesus later explains the parable privately to the disciples, showing it is a key to understanding all parables.