The Parable of the Sower: Matthew 13:3-9, Mark 4:3-8, Luke 8:5-15
by Owen Borville
Jesus described the Parable of the Sower at the Sea of Galilee, as described in the Gospel of Matthew 13:3-9 KJV. The parable is also described in the Gospels of Mark and Luke. Matthew 13:3-9:
3 And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;
4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:
5 Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:
6 And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.
7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:
8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.
9 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Jesus explains the parable in greater detail in Matthew 13:18-23:
18 Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.
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.
20 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;
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.
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.
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.
The Parable is explained in greater detail in (Mark 4:3-8, 14-20).
3 Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow:
4 And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up.
5 And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth:
6 But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.
7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.
8 And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred. Mark 4:3-8.
Jesus was then asked to explain the parable by those who were listening to him: Mark 4:14-20 accounts:
14 The sower soweth the word.
15 And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.
16 And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;
17 And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended.
18 And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,
19 And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.
20 And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.
Mark accounts Jesus describing the Parable of the Sower where the Sower (Jesus Christ) soweth the Seed, (the Word of God) and how Satan takes away the Word that was sown onto their hearts. These are like those in which the Word is sown onto stony ground, who receive the word gladly, but have not root in themselves. The roots represent faith. Those who have not built or developed strong faith will be easily deceived or led astray, just as the seed with no roots. Therefore, when affliction or persecution arises, those without strong faith or strong roots are easily offended. Those who are sown among thorns hear the Word but the "cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and the person becomes unfruitful." However, those in which the Word is sown onto good ground hear the Word and "receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred."
Luke 8:5-15 also accounts Jesus' Parable of the Sower.
5 A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.
6 And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture.
7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it.
8 And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
9 And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be?
10 And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.
11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
12 Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.
13 They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.
14 And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.
15 But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience. (Luke 8:5-15 KJV)
Satan wants to prevent man from believing in the Word of God and will try anything to distract and lead man astray from the Word of God. Those that don't have roots (or faith) will be tempted away and led in the wrong direction, as referenced by those on the rock. Those among the thorns were distracted by the things of this world good or bad and have not strengthened their faith in the Lord and did not produce good fruit. However, those that are on good ground have patiently and faithfully followed the Word of God and have not let distractions get in their way of the Faith of the Word and therefore have built up strong faith so that nothing can remove that faith and their fruitfullness will be multiplied abundantly.
by Owen Borville
Jesus described the Parable of the Sower at the Sea of Galilee, as described in the Gospel of Matthew 13:3-9 KJV. The parable is also described in the Gospels of Mark and Luke. Matthew 13:3-9:
3 And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;
4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:
5 Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:
6 And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.
7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:
8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.
9 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Jesus explains the parable in greater detail in Matthew 13:18-23:
18 Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.
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.
20 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;
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.
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.
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.
The Parable is explained in greater detail in (Mark 4:3-8, 14-20).
3 Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow:
4 And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up.
5 And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth:
6 But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.
7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.
8 And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred. Mark 4:3-8.
Jesus was then asked to explain the parable by those who were listening to him: Mark 4:14-20 accounts:
14 The sower soweth the word.
15 And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.
16 And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;
17 And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended.
18 And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,
19 And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.
20 And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.
Mark accounts Jesus describing the Parable of the Sower where the Sower (Jesus Christ) soweth the Seed, (the Word of God) and how Satan takes away the Word that was sown onto their hearts. These are like those in which the Word is sown onto stony ground, who receive the word gladly, but have not root in themselves. The roots represent faith. Those who have not built or developed strong faith will be easily deceived or led astray, just as the seed with no roots. Therefore, when affliction or persecution arises, those without strong faith or strong roots are easily offended. Those who are sown among thorns hear the Word but the "cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and the person becomes unfruitful." However, those in which the Word is sown onto good ground hear the Word and "receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred."
Luke 8:5-15 also accounts Jesus' Parable of the Sower.
5 A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.
6 And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture.
7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it.
8 And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
9 And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be?
10 And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.
11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
12 Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.
13 They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.
14 And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.
15 But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience. (Luke 8:5-15 KJV)
Satan wants to prevent man from believing in the Word of God and will try anything to distract and lead man astray from the Word of God. Those that don't have roots (or faith) will be tempted away and led in the wrong direction, as referenced by those on the rock. Those among the thorns were distracted by the things of this world good or bad and have not strengthened their faith in the Lord and did not produce good fruit. However, those that are on good ground have patiently and faithfully followed the Word of God and have not let distractions get in their way of the Faith of the Word and therefore have built up strong faith so that nothing can remove that faith and their fruitfullness will be multiplied abundantly.
