The Parable of the Sower

Reading Portion

Matthew 13:3-8,19-23

Lesson Content

1. In the parable of the sower, Jesus spoke about a man who went to sow. When he sowed, some seeds fell on the wayside, some on stony ground, some on thorny ground and some on good ground (Matt.13:4-8).

2. These four places denote four kinds of hearts.

(i) Wayside — A heart without understanding (Matt.13:19). (ii) Stony ground — A heart without any deep determination (Matt.13:20,21). (iii) Thorny ground — A heart choked by the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches (Matt.13:22). (iv) Good ground — A heart that hears the Word of God, understands it, and brings forth fruit (Matt.13:23).

3. The good ground denotes a good heart which can be divided into three (Matt.13:23).

(i) A heart that brings forth a hundredfold fruit. (ii) A heart that brings forth a sixtyfold fruit. (iii) A heart that brings forth a thirtyfold fruit. These three signify three spiritual experiences that take man to the three places, New Jerusalem, New Heaven and New Earth in eternity (Rev.21:1,2).

Moral

We should not only hear the Word of God, but should do accordingly and bring forth fruit.