Knowing The Word in Luke 8:4-8

The Parable of the Sower

8:4 And when a great crowd was gathering and people from town after town came to him, he said in a parable, 5 “A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell along the path and was trampled underfoot, and the birds of the air devoured it. 6 And some fell on the rock, and as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. 7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it. 8 And some fell into good soil and grew and yielded a hundredfold.” As he said these things, he called out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

Comments

Jesus’ ministry grew large with “crowds” from the surrounding towns following him. The increasingly popular preacher looked for more than superficial adherence and began to intensify his use of parables and stories to make a point to his followers. He was looking for loyal followers and not part-time fans.

To understand a bit of the background to this parable, Palestinian farmers sowed, spreading their seeds first and then ploughing afterward. In this parable Jesus named four conditions of sown seeds that represent four types of responses to his gospel proclamation: seeds on the path, seeds on the rock, seeds among thorns, and seeds in good soil. He explained the parable later in verses that follow tomorrow. Stay tuned for the explanation.

Application

Consider your response to the gospel of Jesus. Do you think of yourself as good soil? If not, what kind of soil would you describe yourself?

Prayer

Lord Christ, you proclaim good news to all who will listen with utter abandon, not picking and choosing, but sharing with all who will listen. As I share your good news with others, reassure me that your word is good news for all to hear, and that its proclamation does not depend upon me but upon the power of your word. Your word that goes forth will never return empty but will accomplish that which you have purposed.