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=                       Parable_of_the_Sower_                        =
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                            Introduction
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The Parable of the Sower (sometimes called the Parable of the Soils)
is a parable of Jesus found in , ,  and the extra-canonical Gospel of
Thomas.

Jesus tells of a farmer who sows seed indiscriminately. Some seed
falls on the path with no soil, some on rocky ground with little soil,
some on soil which contains thorns, and some on good soil. In the
first case, the seed is taken away; in the second and third soils, the
seed fails to produce a crop; but when it falls on good soil, it grows
and yields thirty-, sixty-, or a hundred-fold.

Jesus later explains to his disciples that the seed represents the
Gospel, the sower represents anyone who proclaims it, and the various
soils represent people's responses to it.


                                Text
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The explanation given by Jesus.


                              Context
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In Mark's Gospel and Matthew's Gospel, this parable, the explanation
of the purpose of parables, and the explanation of the parable itself
form part of Jesus' third or "Parabolic" discourse, delivered from a
boat on the Sea of Galilee. In each narrative, Jesus used the boat as
a means of being able to address the huge crowd gathered on the lake
shore. Luke's Gospel does not use a boat for the delivery of the
sermon, but still has Jesus presenting the parable to a large crowd
gathered from 'every city' and follows the parable with a question on
the purpose of parables and an explanation of the parable of the sower
itself.

While the parable was told to the multitude, the explanations were
only given to the disciples.


                          Interpretations
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Jesus says that he teaches in parables because many are opposed to his
direct teachings. He quotes Isaiah , who preached to Israel knowing
that his message would go unheeded and not understood, with the result
that the Israelites' sins would not be forgiven and they would be
punished by God for them. This parable seems to be essential for
understanding all the rest of Jesus' parables, as it makes clear that
what is necessary to understand Jesus is faith in him, and that Jesus
will not enlighten those who refuse to believe in him.

The parable recorded in Mark comes just after a description in the
previous chapter of a developing hostility toward Jesus and his
ministry. The Pharisees accused him of not holding to a strict
observance of the Sabbath by performing various healings. Some schools
of thought found such actions permissible only if the person treated
was in danger of death. Some of the Jerusalem scribes contended that
Jesus derived his power from demonic sources.

This is then followed in Mark by the Parable of the Growing Seed and
that of Mustard Seed. Together, they indicate that it is not about the
individual's response to his message, or even the apparent failure of
it to take root, but that "in spite of the opposition of enemies of
the Kingdom and in spite of the moral and intellectual failings of the
Kingdom’s putative friends, the Kingdom will succeed immensely in the
end." Mark uses it to highlight the effect that Christ's previous
teachings have had on people, as well as the effect that the Christian
message has had on the world over the three decades between Christ's
ministry and the writing of the Gospel.

According to , Isaac sowed seed and "reaped a hundredfold; and the
Lord blessed him. The man began to prosper, and continued prospering
until he became very prosperous". Anglican bishop Charles Ellicott
thought that "the hundredfold return was, perhaps, a somewhat uncommon
increase, but the narrative of Isaac’s tillage in Genesis 26:12 shows
that it was not unheard of, and had probably helped to make it the
standard of a more than usually prosperous harvest"; however,
Protestant theologian Heinrich Meyer argued that "such points of
detail ... should not be pressed, serving as they do merely to enliven
and fill out the picture".

Roger Baxter, in his 'Meditations', comments on the type of soil,
writing, "although this divine seed be in itself most fruitful, it
requires, nevertheless, the concurrence of a good soil to produce a
harvest. Hence, if it fall on the highway, it will be immediately
trampled down; if among thorns, it will be choked up. Examine, then,
whether your soul be a proper soil for this seed; whether it be
trampled upon continually by distractions and idle thoughts; and
whether it be stony and full of the cares and occupations of this
life, and consequently not susceptible of the divine influence of
heavenly grace."


                 Commentary from the Church Fathers
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Jerome: "By this sower is typified the Son of God, who sows among the
people the word of the Father."

Chrysostom: "Whence then went out He who is every where present, and
how went He out? Not in place; but by His incarnation being brought
nearer to us by the garb of the flesh. Forasmuch as we because of our
sins could not enter in unto Him, He therefore came forth to us."

Rabanus Maurus: "Or, He went forth, when having left Judea, He passed
by the Apostles to the Gentiles."

Jerome: "Or, He was within while He was yet in the house, and spake
sacraments to His disciples. He went therefore forth from the house,
that He might sow seed among the multitudes."

Chrysostom: "When you hear the words, the sower went out to sow, do
not suppose that is a tautology. For the sower goes out oftentimes for
other ends; as, to break up the ground, to pluck up noxious weeds, to
root up thorns, or perform any other species of industry, but this man
went forth to sow. What then becomes of that seed? three parts of it
perish, and one is preserved; but not all in the same manner, but with
a certain difference, as it follows, And as he sowed, some fell by the
wayside."

Jerome: "This parable Valentinus lays hold of to establish his heresy,
bringing in three different natures; the spiritual, the natural or the
animal, and the earthly. But there are here four named, one by the
wayside, one stony, one thorny, and a fourth the good ground."

Chrysostom: "Next, how is it according to reason to sow seed among
thorns, or on stony ground, or by the wayside? Indeed in the material
seed and soil of this world it would not be reasonable; for it is
impossible that rock should become soil, or that the way should not be
the way, or that thorns should not be thorns. But with minds and
doctrines it is otherwise; there it is possible that the rock be made
rich soil, that the way should be no more trodden upon, and that the
thorns should be extirpated. That the most part of the seed then
perished, came not of him that sowed, but of the soil that received
it, that is the mind. For He that sowed put no difference between rich
and poor, wise or foolish, but spoke to all alike."

Jerome: "Note that this is the first parable that has been given with
its interpretation, and we must beware where the Lord expounds His own
teachings, that we do not presume to understand any thing either more
or less, or any way otherwise than as so expounded by Him."

Rabanus Maurus: "But those things which He silently left to our
understanding, should be shortly noticed. The wayside is the mind
trodden and hardened by the continual passage of evil thoughts; the
rock, the hardness of the self-willed mind; the good soil, the
gentleness of the obedient mind, the sun, the heat of a raging
persecution. The depth of soil, is the honesty of a mind trained by
heavenly discipline. But in thus expounding them we should add, that
the same things are not always put in one and the same allegorical
signification."

Jerome: "And we are excited to the understanding of His words, by the
advice which follows, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear."

Saint Remigius: "These ears to hear, are ears of the mind, to
understand namely and do those things which are commanded."


                       Depictions in the arts
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* 'The Tiny Seed', a picture book by Eric Carle published in 1970, is
a loose retelling of the parable.
* 'Parable of the Sower' is a science fiction novel, published in
1993, written by Octavia E. Butler.


                              See also
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* Five Discourses of Matthew
* Life of Jesus in the New Testament
* Ministry of Jesus


                             References
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* Kilgallen, John J., 'A Brief Commentary on the Gospel of Mark',
Paulist Press, 1989.
* Bruce R. McConkie, 'Doctrinal New Testament Commentary', Vol. I:289
* James E. Talmage, 'Jesus The Christ', pg. 263-266
* Martijn Linssen,
[https://www.academia.edu/43717037/The_Parable_of_the_Sower_in_Context_against_religion
The Parable of the Sower in Context: against religion]


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