The Sower
THE SOWER
Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: “Behold, a sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them. But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundred-fold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” …
“Therefore hear the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”
Matthew 13:3-9,18-23
Potential discussion questions:
- What types of people are represented by the three types of ground? Can we each be all of these types of ground at different moments in our lives?
- Who is the sower?
- Why does the sower bother to sow on bad soil? Did Jesus send His disciples, first the 12 and then the 70, to only “deserving” towns or to all the towns? Were they met with joy everywhere?
- What things in our lives might be represented in this parable? How do we develop deep roots? What are our thorns?