Bible Study Materials

Matthew 13:1-23

by Paul Choi   07/12/2015  

Question


Matthew 13:1-23

The Parable of the Sower

Matthew 13:1-23

Key Verse: 13:23

1. Read verse 1-3. Who had tried to hinder Jesus’ work that day? Why had the large crowd gathered in spite of opposition? How did Jesus manage the large crowd of people who came to listen? What is a parable?

2. Read verses 4-9. What were the 4 kinds of soil and the outcome of the seed scattered in each? (Describe each in detail.)

3. Read verses 10-13. What was the disciples’ question? Why did they ask this question? Why was it good for them to ask? What has been given to them and not to others? Why? How did Jesus explain his reason for speaking in parables?

4. Read verses 4-17. How were Isaiah’s words in Isa 6:9-10 fulfilled? How are the disciples different from the crowd? In what way are they greatly privileged?

5. Read verses 18–19. What is the seed? What is the seed sown along the path? Who were path-like people? Who are path-like people today?(or do we all have times of being like a path?) Read verses 20-21. What is rocky heart soil? What happens to seed which fall there? What does the hot sun represent? (6,21)

6. Read verse 22. What happens to the seed that falls on a thorny heart? What do the thorns represent? Read verse 23. How is the good-soil heart different from the other three? How can soil become good? How can heart soil become fruitful?


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Message


The Parable of the Sower

Matthew 13:1-23

Key Verse:13:8 “Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop- a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”

  What is a parable? A parable is a simple story with a single point. The parable of the sower is written in the three synoptic gospels (Mt 13:1-23, Mk 4:1-20, Lk 8:1-15)  In chapter 13 before Jesus teaches us six parables of the kingdom of heaven, he teaches us what kind of attitude we should have toward the message of the kingdom of heaven. Jesus describes four kinds of heart: path, rocky soil, thorny soil, and good soil. So we call this parable the parable of the ‘soil’ rather than the parable of the ‘sower’. Let us examine what kind of heart soil we have and learn how to live a fruitful life in Christ.

First, the seed along the path (4,19) A farmer went out to sow his seed. A farmer sowing is a familiar picture in the fields of Israel. As the farmer was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. (3,4) Even though the farmer did not mean to scatter the seed on the path, because the field was not fenced, some seed fell along the path. The seed which fell along the path was noticed by the hungry birds, which flew down and ate it up. In verses 18-23 Jesus explains this parable to his disciples who asked about the meaning of it. (10) Jesus said in verses 18,19, “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means. When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path.” Here, the seed is the word of God (Lk 8:11) and it is the message about the kingdom. The birds are the evil one, Satan. As the birds snatch away the seed before it takes root, so Satan takes away the word of God before we understand it. (Mk 4:15)

According to Luke 8:5, the seed which fell along the path was trampled on. The surface of the path is hard because people, animals, and vehicles use it. There is no space for the seed to take root. The dirt is hard like concrete. Those who have path-like hearts harden their hearts and refuse to believe the word. Before they understand it, the devil takes away the word so that they may not believe and be saved. What makes people’s heart hard like the path? These are pride, self-righteousness, prejudice, doubt, false teaching, false religion, and so on.

How can the seed which fell on the hard soil grow? A farmer plows the soil until it becomes soft enough for the seed to take root.  He breaks up the hard soil soft and makes it tender, and builds a fence in order to protect the seed from the birds. As the farmer plows the soil, we also need to break up our hardened hearts from pride, self-righteousness, and doubt so that we may understand the word of God from our hearts. Soft soil is humble and gentle hearts. One person I know has a path-like heart. He said that he will not believe in God unless he understands God’s existence with his reason and experience. His heart is hard like concrete so that he will not receive any message of God. St. Augustine said that he did not acknowledge God until he knelt down before Him. We must understand to understand God’s message. Repentance with humility and obedience to God’s word open our spiritual eyes to see God.

Second, the seed on rocky soil The second type of heart is the rocky soil. Look at verses 5,6. “Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.” The seed which fell on the rock soil springs up quickly because of the soil. But the soil is not deep enough for the seed to take root. When the sun comes up, the plants are scorched and wither. The problem is not the scorching sun, but the weak root.  In fact, sunlight helps the plants to grow through photosynthesis. Through the combined process of sunlight, moisture, and carbon dioxide, light energy converts into chemical energy for the plant’s growth. The insufficiency of soil or moisture prevents the development of the roots.

  Jesus explains the seed that fell on the rock soil in verses 20-21. “The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.” Those who have rocky soil hearts look better than those whose hearts are like a path. They hear God’s word with joy, saying many ‘Amen’s. But that’s it. Their faith easily falls away when difficulties come. They stop coming to church and quit their bible study. They lose the chance to grow. Their problem is no root. Taking root means commitment to Christ Jesus. They have no commitment to Christ. They have no personal relationship with Christ.

  How can we take root in Christ? We need a personal relationship with Christ through our commitment to daily prayer, Bible reading, regular worship service attendance, serving God and others, and so on. When we obey the word of God, we take deep root for Christ. Peter’s relationship with Jesus was superficial and as shallow as inch-deep soil before he met Christ by the lake of Genesaret in Luke 5. Peter lived in the world of his own ideas, human reason, and experience as a veteran fisherman. He had no idea about the spiritual world. But he experienced the deep spiritual world when he obeyed Jesus’ words. He found himself to be a sinner before the Holy God and followed Jesus to become a fisher of men (Lk 5:8-11) Taking deep root in Christ requires self-denial and obedience to Jesus. It is not easy, but necessary to take root for Christ.

Third, the seed on thorny soil (7,22) Look at verse 7. “Other seed fell among thorns, which grow up and choked the plants.” My family owns a house which has a beautiful garden with a few flowery trees and plants. But last week we found that all the rose plants were choked by wild ivy and other weeds, and died. The weeds and thorns ruined the garden. The ivy and weeds not only disturbed the roses’ growth, but also choked them. The seed which fell on the thorny soil has enough soft soil and moisture. The soil is rock-free. But as the plants grow, the thorns grow too. Soon the thorns choke the plants, and the plants do not bear grain. (Mk 4:7)

  Who are those whose hearts are like thorny soil? Look at verse 22. “The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful.”  They have a personal relationship with Christ. They are devoted and faithful at all the church services, meetings, and activities. But they are not fruitful. They don’t bear fruits of the Holy Spirit, such as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Gal 5:22,23)  They are no influence as Christians. Jesus explains why they live fruitless life. It is because of thorns in their lives. The thorns are worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth. Jesus added ‘pleasure’ in Luke’s gospel. (Lk 8:14) Worries of this life make them anxious and grumpy. These thorns take away joy from their lives. Greed for money makes them spiritually blind and selfish. Those who follow fleshly desire cannot obey God. Romans 8:7,8 says, “The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.”

  One young man was sincere and faithful to the Lord. He thought that he was a good Christian. But after he studied this passage, he decided to quit his video games which were disturbing his spiritual life. It took quite long time to get rid of this thorn. But the Holy Spirit helped him and now he fully serves the Lord without any distraction. I thought about what are the thorns in my heart which choke my spiritual life. One is internet searching for sports news. I am an athletic and competitive person. I like to watch a winner’s game. So I spent more than an hour watching all kinds of sports news around the world. Definitely, this deprives my time of Bible reading and a personal hour with God. I decide to take away this thorn in order to focus on Jesus. May God help me to restore my daily Bible reading as I did last year. In order to bear fruits of life we need to pull out our weeds and thorns which choke our spiritual life. What are your thorns? Pull them out now!

Fourth, the seed on the good soil (8,23) Let us read verse 8. “Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop- a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” The seed which is sown on the good soil does not need to make effort to grow. As long as it is planted on the good soil, God makes it grow. The good soil has enough dirt and necessary nutrients and moisture. Because the soil is soft and moist, the seeds sprout and take deep root. The scorching heat does not matter because their root is deep and solid. There are no rocks or thorns to bother or choke it. The plants grow well and bear fruits, a hundred, sixty or thirty time what was sown.

  Jesus explains what kind of people are those who have good soil heart? Let us read verse 23. “But the seed falling on the good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or ‘thirty times what was sown.” They are those who hear the word and understand it.  Mark’s gospel says, “who hears the word and accept it…” (Mk 4:20) Luke’s gospel says, “who hear the word, retain it…” (Lk 8:15) They are those who hear the word and understand it, accept it, and retain it. In a word, those whose hearts are like good soil deal with the word of God seriously. They accept the Scriptures as God’s holy word. They meditate on them day and night and struggle to obey them. In Luke’s gospel Jesus said that the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart. (Lk 8:15) They are not proud. They are not too emotional, either. They are self-controlled and faithful. They desire for God’s mercy and grace. They pursue God’s righteousness and holiness. They bear fruits of the Holy Spirit.

  There have been many heroes and heroines of faith who had a noble and good heart, such as Abraham, Joseph, David, Daniel, Peter, Paul, St. Augustine, St. Francis of Assisi, Mother Teresa, Rev. Billy Graham, Dr. Samuel Lee, Sarah Barry, and so on. Their influence was great and God produced many fruits of his kingdom through their devoted lives. We also live fruitful lives when we have good and noble hearts. When we hear God’s words and believe even one promise of God, we will bear fruits of what we sow - a hundred, sixty, and thirty times. Do you have one promise of God in your heart which you really understand, accept, and retain? And your life will be very fruitful. If you don’t have, ask God to give you one word of promise. You may ask for a job, health, degree, success, marriage, and so on. Above all, you need to ask God for one word of God which drives your life for his good purpose. Amen!

Fifth, whoever has ears, let them hear. (9-17) Thus far Jesus taught the crowd and his disciples about four kinds of soil. The seeds which fell on the path, rocky soil, thorny soil, and good soil are the same seeds. The farmer is the same one. The seeds responded according to the condition of the soil. The soil represents heart. Our life is determined by our attitude toward the word of God. So Jesus said to his disciples who asked about the meaning of the parable in verse 11,12. “He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.” In these verses Jesus said that those who desire for God will be given more. But those who do not have spiritual desire, even what remains in their heart will be gone. The parable of the sower was taught to the crowd, but only Jesus’ disciples came to him for explanation. The disciples gained the secrets of the kingdom of heaven through Jesus. But the Pharisees didn’t understand what Jesus said because they refused to listen to him. Jesus saw their unbelief as the fulfillment of the prophecy. “Though seeing, they do not see, though hearting, they do not hear or understand.” (13) Jesus also said in verses 16,17. “But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.” Jesus blessed his disciples because they understood the secrets of God’s kingdom whereas the Pharisees didn’t. When his disciples came to Jesus with desire, they understood the secrets of God’s kingdom.

  I pray that we all may come to the conference with desire for hearing God’s word and understanding it. May God plow our hardened hearts to be soft, and may we take a deep root to Jesus. Let’s pull out our weeds and thorns so that the words of God which we hear may produce a crop a hundred, sixty, and thirty times. May God richly bless the coming Midwest and Missouri Valley Regional Bible Conference with words of life and the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.


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