Today, through this passage, we get the same privileged insight into the kingdom that Jesus gave his disciples. I’ve been growing tomatoes and peppers from seed, observing their slow progress each day. The peppers took far longer to shoot: for about a month I was watering what appeared to be a pot of dead soil before there were any signs of life. It’s reassuring to hear Jesus’ use of agricultural and organic imagery in this passage to describe the kingdom of heaven. The slow growth that I’m observing reminds me of how much patience God has with each of us!

We can be confident that what Jesus sows in our lives is good, fruitful seed: in this passage it is ‘the word of the kingdom’ (v 19, ESV). The words of the kingdom are the powerful, fruitful words of the king – Jesus – and his teaching about the nature of the kingdom that will grow miraculously – ‘a hundredfold’ – despite appearances. Along with the disciples, we are alerted to how the fear of persecution (v 21), worries and wealth (v 22) or a hardened heart can stop us from growing and bearing more kingdom-seed that will extend his kingdom to others.

Lord, give me ears to hear and help me understand what you are scattering upon my mind and heart.

Tom Wright refers to the parables of Jesus as ‘mazes’ (puzzles) that on occasion have ‘maps’ (explanations) provided to signpost the way out.¹ The parable of the sower has such a map. Interestingly, having told the disciples that the secrets of the kingdom are already theirs (v 11), Jesus then takes the time to explain the parable to them. Perhaps this explanation is for the benefit of the future hearer, or maybe an indication of the disciples’ slowness to grasp the enormity of the truths being revealed. Either way, Jesus explains that the effectiveness of the gospel does not depend solely on the preacher’s efforts, but upon the disposition of the hearer. In our context, the attention of Jesus here is on the pew and not the pulpit. May we hear him clearly.

The seed, defined in Luke explicitly as ‘the word of God’,² is scattered generously; nonetheless, adverse elements seemingly render most of the labour futile. While the interpretation that Jesus gives is specific to the farming context in which he spoke, it is also relevant to Christian preaching and mission today. One should not be disheartened by a perceived lack of success, as there is a promise of seed that really does bear fruit. Furthermore, the yield of the fruitful soil abundantly exceeds that of any seed wasted on the unreceptive soil.

Jesus concludes the parable with what appears to be an exaggerated claim. A typical harvest in the area, though more successful than many in the region, would have produced a yield of seven to ten times what was sown. Hence, Jesus’ claim of a hundred times is an announcement that the kingdom he is bringing is one of an abundance that had not been experienced before. This is a promise to those who hear and understand (v 23).

The Word of God is given to you as a gift today. Pray that you may enable it to take root and yield an abundant harvest. 

¹ Tom Wright, Matthew for Everyone, Part 1, SPCK, 2002, p164  ² Luke 8:11