Parable of the Sower
From Sensus Plenior
- Mt 13:1 ¶ The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.
- Mt 13:2 And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.
- Mt 13:3 And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;
- Mt 13:4 And when he sowed, some [seeds] fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:
- Mt 13:5 Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:
- Mt 13:6 And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.
- Mt 13:7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:
- Mt 13:8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.
- Mt 13:9 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Literal meaning
- Mt 13:19 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.
- Mt 13:20 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;
- Mt 13:21 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.
- Mt 13:22 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.
- Mt 13:23 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.
Hidden wisdom
Questions
- 1. What is the seed?
- 2. Who is the sower? זרע
- 3. What is the act of sowing?
- 4. There are four types of soil:
- 4a. What is the wayside, or path?
- What are the birds?
- 4b. What are the stony places?
- What is the sun. scortching, and root?
- 4c. What are the thorns?
- What is choking?
- 4d. What is the good ground?
- What is fruit, 100, 60, 30
- 4a. What is the wayside, or path?
Seed
- 1. Jesus is the seed of the woman (Ge 3:15) The Son of Man is the seed.
- 2. The seed זרע is the sower זרע (the words are the same). The Son of God is the sower.
- 3. Sowing זרעתם is the fulfilled ם arms זרעת of the seed זרע or "the work (arms) of Christ (the seed)"
Places/times
The work of Christ has taken place in four places and/or times, mapping to the four voices of God.
- 4a. (King) Path outside of the garden. Man was left to know God by the testimony of the Son through general revelation (the creation). (Rom 1:18ff)
- 4b. (Judge) Stony place. The stone is Christ (Eph 2:20) as the Word of God revealed through the Torah (law). He is the chief cornerstone. The other stones are Israel which built the temple.
- 4c. (Prophet) Jesus said the thorns were the cares of the world. Jesus was revealed to the world he cared for, in the flesh, and they killed him.
- 4d. (Priest) Good ground/earth. Christ made his bride 'good' through his death and resurrection, and they are fruitful in resurrection.
Misc.
- 4a. Birds
- There are two kinds of birds:
- Men ate the seed of the Word. The seed had not yet become flesh. This is the same teaching that Adam could not eat of the tree of Life after the fall, that God spoke in riddles so that they would not hear, and Jesus spoke in parables so they would not understand. They could not be made complete without the cross.
- 4b. In the stony place. The sun and the Day represent the Holiness of God. No sooner had God pulled Israel out of Egypt, and they complained about being scorched, without water. They all died, save two, in the desert having rejected God's holiness. God's word did not abide (take root) in their hearts.
- 4c. Like the ram that substituted for Isaac, Jesus died because he was ensnared by his care for the world. (Joh 3:16)
