The Parables of Soils, Seeds, and Light

Jesus spoke in parables quite often when He was teaching. Those who didn't understand and didn't care to, walked away. But those who wanted to understand and follow Jesus, eventually understood. It's hard for some to grasp that God gives us choices.

When things aren't easy or quickly understood we, as humans, don't want to use any of our time or energy to try and figure it out unless the reward is instant. Can you relate? I know I can.

Mark 4:1-29

New Living Translation

Parable of the Farmer Scattering Seed

4 Once again Jesus began teaching by the lakeshore. A very large crowd soon gathered around him, so he got into a boat. Then he sat in the boat while all the people remained on the shore. 2 He taught them by telling many stories in the form of parables, such as this one:

3 “Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seed. 4 As he scattered it across his field, some of the seed fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate it. 5 Other seed fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seed sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. 6 But the plant soon wilted under the hot sun, and since it didn’t have deep roots, it died. 7 Other seed fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants so they produced no grain. 8 Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they sprouted, grew, and produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted!” 9 Then he said, “Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”

10 Later, when Jesus was alone with the twelve disciples and with the others who were gathered around, they asked him what the parables meant.

11 He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secret of the Kingdom of God. But I use parables for everything I say to outsiders, 12 so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled:

‘When they see what I do, they will learn nothing. When they hear what I say, they will not understand. Otherwise, they will turn to me and be forgiven.’”

13 Then Jesus said to them, “If you can’t understand the meaning of this parable, how will you understand all the other parables? 14 The farmer plants seed by taking God’s word to others.

15 The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message, only to have Satan come at once and take it away.

What is meant by the phrase "only to have Satan come and take it away"? Does it imply that God permits Satan to stop us from pursuing His word further? Not at all. This ties back to free will. Satan may try to tempt us to turn away or persuade us that we aren't interested in learning more about God. However, we possess the power to resist Satan. It can be challenging at times, but ultimately, the decision is ours!

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16  The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. 17  But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word. 18  The seed that fell among the thorns represents others who hear God’s word, 19  but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things, so no fruit is produced.

So, how can we ensure we aren't like "rocky soil" or "thorns"? To keep this article concise, I'll recommend checking out another blog post I wrote titled, 10 Essential Tips for New Christians: Navigating Your Faith Journey. You'll find some valuable advice there.

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20 And the seed that fell on good soil represents those who hear and accept God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!”

The term "Harvest" pertains to people. Which people? Those with whom we share the Gospel, who listen to and accept His message. As Christians, one of our duties is to be disciples, which means we spread God's word and speak of His love and grace.

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Let your light shine for all to see. For the glory of the Lord rises to shine on you.

Parable of the Lamp

21 Then Jesus asked them, “Would anyone light a lamp and then put it under a basket or under a bed? Of course not! A lamp is placed on a stand, where its light will shine."

**In other words, don't be shy about telling others about the love and grace that God has for us. Tell others about how Jesus died on the cross so we can be forgiven and have everlasting life!

22 For everything that is hidden will eventually be brought into the open, and every secret will be brought to light. 23 Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”

24 Then he added, “Pay close attention to what you hear. The closer you listen, the more understanding you will be given—and you will receive even more. 25 To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them.”

Parable of the Growing Seed

26 Jesus also said, “The Kingdom of God is like a farmer who scatters seed on the ground. 27 Night and day, while he’s asleep or awake, the seed sprouts and grows, but he does not understand how it happens. 28 The earth produces the crops on its own. First a leaf blade pushes through, then the heads of wheat are formed, and finally the grain ripens. 29 And as soon as the grain is ready, the farmer comes and harvests it with a sickle, for the harvest time has come.”

Verses 26-29 suggest that as disciples, our role can often be to simply "plant a seed." This could involve something as straightforward as sharing with a stranger on a plane how much Jesus has done for you. Whether they embrace this information or not, you have planted a seed that God will water and nurture. You might not ever see the outcome, but know that God will take it from there.

I pray that this article has given you a better understanding of these parables. If so, consider scrolling down to leave a comment and rating.

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog! God bless!