Mark 4:1-9 — Little-Bitty Seeds Scattered All Around?

Mark 4:1-9

The Sower, Vincent van Gogh / Public domain

Again he began to teach beside the sea. And a very large crowd gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat in it on the sea, and the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land. ² And he was teaching them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them:

³ “Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow.

                  ⁴ And as he sowed,
   some seed fell along the path,
                                and the birds came and devoured it.
⁵ Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil,
                               and immediately it sprang up,
                                                            since it had no depth of soil. ⁶ 
                                              And when the sun rose, it was scorched,
                               and since it had no root, it withered away.
⁷ Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it,
                              and it yielded no grain.
⁸ And other seeds fell into good soil
                              and produced grain, growing up and increasing
                              and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.”
⁹ And he said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

Comments:

Today I would like to focus on v.2-3 "Then He taught them many things by parables, and said to them in His teaching: "Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow."

Plowed Field in Israel

The Parable of the Sower is very well known. Jesus explains its meaning later in v. 14-20. The question I ask myself today is, "Why did Jesus share this parable?" Certainly, it taught spiritual truth in a very simple, earthy, way and yet few teachings could be as profound as this parable about a sower, some seed, and four types of soil. 

1) Jesus was explaining what he was doing as he taught the multitude. Its very title indicates something of its purpose—it is called “The Parable of the Sower.” We talk a lot about the seed and a lot about the four types of soil represented in the parable, but, historically it has been known as the Parable of the Sower. This is a point that we have often lost in our recent interpretation.  Why do we sing the songs about “Little-Bitty Seeds” instead of “A Sower went out to Sow”? The parable is about him! The religious people wanted to know why he spoke to the sinners and the tax collectors. Could it be that we, like Jesus, are likewise supposed to sow seeds everywhere regardless of our opinion of the condition of the soil?

2) Jesus was explaining why some people heard him and eagerly believed in him while others scoff or follow him only temporarily (until persecuted or until Jesus' teachings hit too close to their worldly desires). I suppose that some people must have been wondering how there could be so many different reactions to Jesus' teachings and miracles. This parable would have answered their questions. Our response to his loving word is an indication of the condition of our heart.

3) Jesus was using familiar imagery to teach unfamiliar truths. Jesus' use of imagery such as the sower, seeds, and soils, was not merely for illustration for he was a master of metaphorical theology. I have much to learn from him in this regard. As a pastor, I could be much more effective by using vivid and familiar images to illustrate and teach spiritual truth. However, this raises in my mind another question about this parable. Did Jesus use a familiar image from nature to encourage introspection and greater fruitfulness in his hearers? Was it an ingenious bit of educational storytelling or was the seed created for such a time as this? Jesus was not just a rabbi; he was the Creator of the entire universe! He was the One who had created the seed as a means of reproduction. Did he invent the seed to be a type of Christ, his word, and his work? Or was it just a convenient, albeit cleverly used, metaphor?

God is being honest with us through this parable of Jesus. Honest about who he is, what he does, and the various results of our response to his loving message. “The sower went out to sow.” He doesn't come to take, but to give, too plant, to bless!

Whatever the condition of the soil, God’s purpose remains the same. Will we receive the message he desires to plant in our hearts? Will we let it sink its roots deep down into our soul or will we hold it at arm’s length for the birds to snatch?

This passage starts out with the admonition, “Listen, Behold!” and ends with the common conclusion to a parable, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” So are we listening for his voice in the Bible each day? Are we thinking about what he has said and taking it to heart? I hope so. Yet I wonder if sometimes we pick up the message he has sown and instead of planting it, we put it in our pocket to consider later and forget about it until like melted chocolate it is too late. Pockets weren’t made for chocolate; chocolate was made for eating. So too, God’s message is one which is sown to be heard, considered, and lived—by those who have ears to hear! Are we listeners? Are we receptive to the message of amazing God's love for us? Sadly, not everyone is.