Knowing The Word in Luke 8:9-15, The Purpose of the Parables

Parables both conceal and reveal truth. According to Jesus, parables are a mine of information for true seekers but bring judgment on the casual and careless. Secrets of the kingdom of God are divine truths we could never discover for ourselves but have to be revealed by God to his people. In the Parable of the Sower the seed is the word that comes from God and reveals God. For those along the path, Satan takes away what they heard before they ever have a chance to understand. They are more interested in Satan than Jesus. Those on the rock are people who happily receive the word but have not depth. When they are tempted, they fold. Those who are thorns have a potential for spiritual growth but fill their lives with so many worldly things, that the gospel gets pushed to second, third, or fourth place in their lives. Good soil represents people who have an honest and good heart and soak in the word and bear fruit in their lives. If we take in the word of God like the good soil, we will bear fruit. The path, the rock, the thorns finish with nothing.

9 And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant, 10 he said, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that ‘seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.’ 11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12 The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. 13 And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away. 14 And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. 15 As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.

Prayer:

Although I am dust and ashes, Lord, I am tied to you by bonds of love. Therefore I feel I can speak freely to you. Before I came to know you, I was nothing. I did not know the meaning of life, and I had no understanding of myself. I have no doubt that you had a purpose in causing me to be born; yet you had no need of me, and on my own I was of no use to you. But then you decided that I should hear the words of your Son, Jesus Christ. And that as I heard his words, you enabled his love to penetrate my heart. Now I am completely saturated in his love and faith, and there I no remedy. Now, Lord, I cannot change my attitude to my faith; I can only die for it.

Hilary of Poitiers, c.310-367