The Sower and the Seeds

The Sower and the Seeds [∞]

https://2ndbook.org/w/images/8/88/2ndB_Parable_of_the_sower.mp4

▸ ± Mark 4:3-9; Matt 13:3-9; Luke 8:5-8 ----

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▸ ± Mark 4:3-9, 13-20; Matthew 13:3-9, 18-23; Luke 8:5-8, 11-15

UNDER STUDY-- Teaching is incorrect

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Common Elements Shared by the Three Accounts

1. The Sower – the words for 'sower' and 'seed' are the same. זרע - lifted up זע in revelation or the crown זר of the flesh ע or the bride's ז friend רע. Both the sower and the seed as Christ. He is the one that the world sees and hears, and he is the one who lays down his life.
2. Four places – The seed falls on different types of ground:
   • The path where birds eat it.
   • The rocky ground where it sprouts quickly but withers.
   • The thorny ground where it is choked.
   • The good soil where it produces a crop.
3. The Call to Hear – Each account ends with Jesus saying, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."

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Differences Between the Accounts

1. Wording Variations
   • Mark says the seed "sprouted" on rocky ground but was "scorched" due to lack of depth.
   • Matthew adds that the plant "had no root" and "withered away."
   • Luke uniquely describes the seed as it "withered because it had no moisture."
2. Emphasis on Growth
   • Mark uniquely notes that the seed "produced thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold."
   • Matthew also includes these numbers but presents them in a different sequence: "a hundredfold, sixty, thirty."
   • Luke simplifies the statement, only saying it "produced a hundredfold."
3. The Role of Birds
   • In Mark, the birds "came and devoured" the seed.
   • In Matthew, the birds simply "ate them."
   • In Luke, the birds "trampled" on the seed before eating it.

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Study During the Gaps of Authorship and Its Explanation of Differences

• Mark (First Gospel): Focuses on the simple telling of the parable, emphasizing the initial scattering of the seed and the various ways it fails or succeeds. The numbers (30-60-100) may reflect an early understanding of the increasing fruitfulness of the word.
• Matthew (Second Gospel): After discovering that Israel was a "son" and a shadow of Christ, Matthew refines Mark’s teaching by adding details that emphasize deeper Jewish connections. The reversal of the number order (100-60-30) may highlight the fullest kingdom expression first.
• Luke (Third Gospel): With a broader audience in mind and his discovery that pre-Abrahamic figures foreshadowed Christ, Luke clarifies ideas by adding the concept of "moisture" to explain why the seed withers. He simplifies the numbers, focusing on the ultimate "hundredfold" return.

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Unique Ideas of the Gospel Authors

• Mark: Emphasizes the act of scattering seed, growth, and fruitfulness. The focus is on the mystery of the kingdom taking root.
• Matthew: Orders the fruitfulness from greatest to least, possibly reflecting the Jewish priority of the kingdom being fully realized before diminishing in later ages.
• Luke: Stresses the importance of nourishment ("moisture") and simplifies the message for a Gentile audience, focusing on the ultimate reward (hundredfold).

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Unique Ideas in Putting This Together (My Approach)

1. The Parable as a Picture of Christ – The "sower" is Christ, the "seed" is His word, but the "ground" can also be seen as representing Christ Himself. He is the one who was "trampled" (Luke), "devoured" (Mark), and "withered" (Matthew), yet He ultimately produces the great harvest.
2. Progressive Revelation in the Gospels – The differences in the accounts are not contradictions but reflections of what the authors discovered during the gaps of authorship.
3. The Role of the New Teaching of Peace – The "moisture" in Luke could represent the peace and teaching of Christ that allows the seed to flourish, connecting to the idea of Israel as "man joined to God by revelation."
4. Typological Fulfillment – The three failed soils may represent the different ways Israel rejected Christ: hardened (Pharisees), shallow (crowds who left), and divided (Judas and worldly concerns), while the good soil represents the faithful remnant.