Jesus in Matthew 13:1-43 discusses the Sower in terms of spreading the Word. Luke 8:11says as much when it says, “Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.” According to a dictionary, a Sower is someone who plants seeds.
Well, planting seeds is generally thought to be the start of a garden. But before a garden is planted, it is wise to make the garden ready for planting.
Jesus base’s his parable of the Sower in Matthew 13:1-43 on what is said in Isaiah 6:8–13. Here, the Lord commissions Isaiah to prepare a garden. In Verses 9 and 10, God says, “Go, and say to this people: ‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’ Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”
What does God have in mind, other than to prepare the people to hear what they should be hearing and to see what they should be seeing, by preparing their eyes and ears for God’s Word? God is asking Isaiah to do what is necessary to get the garden ready, the garden being the people, so they can be receptive to the Word of God.
Jesus takes Isaiah 6:8–13 s step further by saying through his Parable that there no point in planting the seeds of God’s Word where they won’t bear fruit.
The seed of the Word of God is conveyed not just through words, but through actions. It is more effective when people see and hear of the effects and the results of abiding by God’s Word. The conditions that Jesus refers to in his Parable that are detrimental to the progress of the growth of the seeds, are the conditions to avoid before exerting yourself to planting the seeds.
Well, planting seeds is generally thought to be the start of a garden. But before a garden is planted, it is wise to make the garden ready for planting.
Jesus base’s his parable of the Sower in Matthew 13:1-43 on what is said in Isaiah 6:8–13. Here, the Lord commissions Isaiah to prepare a garden. In Verses 9 and 10, God says, “Go, and say to this people: ‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’ Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”
What does God have in mind, other than to prepare the people to hear what they should be hearing and to see what they should be seeing, by preparing their eyes and ears for God’s Word? God is asking Isaiah to do what is necessary to get the garden ready, the garden being the people, so they can be receptive to the Word of God.
Jesus takes Isaiah 6:8–13 s step further by saying through his Parable that there no point in planting the seeds of God’s Word where they won’t bear fruit.
The seed of the Word of God is conveyed not just through words, but through actions. It is more effective when people see and hear of the effects and the results of abiding by God’s Word. The conditions that Jesus refers to in his Parable that are detrimental to the progress of the growth of the seeds, are the conditions to avoid before exerting yourself to planting the seeds.
