Knowing The Word in Matthew 13:1-9

The Parable of the Sower [public]

1 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea [from private to public]. 2 And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach. 3 And he told them many things in parables [first time “parable” appears in Matthew; see end for comments], saying: “A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. 5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, 6 but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8 Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. [Note, this is not a lesson in Palestinian agriculture but a story designed to teach a specific lesson.] 9 He who has ears, let him hear.” [This is an invitation to explore and ponder what has been said.]