The Parable of the Sower
Many weeks ago, I indicated that I would begin writing about some of the parables in scripture, that I believe we often misinterpret. Finally, I'm going to begin doing so!Remember the background I have written about in previous posts. In particular, I believe that the church today completely ignores teachings surrounding the Millennial Kingdom, and that as such, we have come to an incorrect understanding of several parables.
Matthew 13 contains several parables relating to the "Kingdom of Heaven". As we look as these parables, the perspective I come from is that the "Kingdom of Heaven" refers not to our eternal destination, but rather to the Millennial Kingdom that is yet to come.
The other comment to make, before jumping into the first of these parables, is that we generally make the incorrect assumption that Jesus' preaching was all about eternal salvation. I believe that for the most part, Jesus is preaching to Jews who are already saved. Eternal Salvation for the Jews existed prior to the arrival of Christ - otherwise, none of the patriarchs would have been saved. Their salvation was based on the shed blood of the sacrifcial system, and their BELIEF in that sacrifice. The death of Christ shifted the focus from the Old Testament sacrifices to Christ himself, but it did NOT shift the means by which salvation is appropriated - it is and always has been by BELIEF.
So when John the Baptist comes on the scene and begins preaching "Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near", and Jesus also begins to preach that message, we should not assume that they are preaching an eternal salvation message. Rather, they are preaching about a change in behavior, which has nothing to do with our eternal salvation - our eternal salvation is by grace, through faith, and not of works.
The Parable of the Sower is recorded in Matthew 13:3 - 9 (NASB)
Quote:
| And He spoke many things to them in parables, saying, "Behold, the sower went out to sow; and as he sowed, some seeds fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate them up. Others fell on the rocky places, where they did not have much soil; and immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of soil. But when the sun had risen, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. Others fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them out. And others fell on the good soil and yielded a crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty. He who has ears, let him hear." |
One of the common debates among Christians stems from the misinterpretation of what this parable is about. We assume this is talking about eternal salvation, and then debate as to which of these types of soil is actually saved. Most would say that the first type is not saved, because the seed never took root. Most would also say that the last type was saved, because of the evidence of fruit. But people will debate about the middle two soils, with some people saying "Yes, they are saved, because the seed took root, and our salvation does not depend on what we do", while others will take the opposing viewpoint that these people are NOT saved.
I believe we miss the point entirely. Who was Jesus addressing? He was addressing Jews. Were these Jews already saved? Although we can't say dogmatically either yes or no, it is not unreasonable to think that indeed, many of these people DID believe in the blood sacrifice. So as such, would Jesus talk about eternal salvation to people who already possessed that salvation?
Furthermore, I think the explanation that Jesus offers in Matthew 13:18 - 23 is critical. In particular, make note of verse 19:
Quote:
| When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is the one on whom seed was sown beside the road. |
I believe that Jesus is NOT talking about eternal salvation in this parable, but rather the message that he has been preaching about in his entire ministry - that of the "Word of the Kingdom". Entrance into the Millennial Kingdom depends on our obedience to God. All of Jesus' preaching has revolved around how we live. The Sermon on the Mount is not addressed to the unsaved - how can the unsaved live the way he talks about? It is addressed to the saved, and has to do with the Kingdom, and not eternity. Likewise, the parable of the sower has NOTHING to do with eternity, but has to do with the Millennial Kingdom. This means, that the question of which one of these soils is saved should more correctly be pointed at US as believers, and be asked "Which one of these soils will enter into the Millennial Kingdom?"
So the question I leave you to consider today is "Which Type of Soil are you? Do you hear the message of the Kingdom and receive it and let it take root, or do you ignore the message or let the cares of this world choke it out?"
Thoughts? Comments?
Posted On Apr 17, 2006 at 8:07 AM
On Apr 27, 2006 Doug wrote: I think that people arguing about "which soils are saved" is kind of irrelevant to the point of the parable. Jesus Himself doesn't seem to be making a point about salvation - He's making a point about how we respond to the Word. The primary question being raised is not "Are you saved," but "What are you going to do with the Word of God" And that's a question both Christians and non-Christians have to deal with.
On Apr 28, 2006 Trent wrote: hmmmmmmmm
Allow me to ponder this and get back to you.
hmmmmmmmmmm
|
Brian's BlogMost articles on this blog describe what is known as "Kingdom Theology" - they deal with the doctrine of the Millennial Kingdom.If you are just finding this Blog, I would suggest that you start with the first article, rather than picking up in the middle. Enjoy your reading! ABOUT ME Current PostsA scriptural scavenger huntWhat do we want to be remembered for? How do we measure our churches? The Parable of the Sower What is Worship 
|