Matthew 12 concludes with Jesus addressing a crowd when some people approach Him to inform Him that His mother and brothers are outside, wanting to speak with Him.
His response not only answered their question but also served as an introduction to the Parable of the Sower, which is presented in Chapter 13.
Jesus replied, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?”
And pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother” (Matthew 12:48-50).
The Parable of the Sower concerns itself with doing the will of the Heavenly Father. After leaving the crowd with only the story of the parable, Jesus later explained it to his disciples.
“Hear, then, the parable of the sower. When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path.
As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet such a person has no root but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away.
As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of this age and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing.
But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty” (Matthew 13:18-23).
When I studied the parables in the 1970s, the common understanding was that each parable conveyed only one central point. This perspective emerged as a reaction against earlier interpretations, where parables were treated as allegories, with every detail carrying its own symbolic meaning and requiring individual response.
If we apply this understanding of parables to the Parable of the Sower, we can identify its main point: Who is part of God’s family? The answer is found in the fourth category of seed—those sown in good soil, which produce fruit.
Those who obey God and do His will are part of His family, even more so than biological relatives.
Current Scholarship
Current scholarship on the parables continues to support the perspective that each parable conveys one primary meaning. However, this view has become more flexible, allowing for the recognition of additional layers of understanding within a parable.
Below are some interpretations of the Parable of the Sower offered by both ancient and modern scholars.
(1) What We Can Expect: A common interpretation of the parable is that it illustrates what we can expect when sharing God’s message.
Some people will never respond. Others will respond enthusiastically at first but fall away when difficulties arise. Some will have God’s life within them choked out by the cares of the world. Thankfully, however, some will bear fruit.
I’m not sure if this is the primary message of the Parable of the Sower, but one thing I do know—through my years of ministry, I have witnessed that these are various ways people respond to the gospel.
Some seem almost impossible to reach, others start strong but end poorly, and some experience prosperity but allow it to take precedence over God’s will in their lives. Thankfully, there are many who do the will of the Heavenly Father and produce fruit from that relationship.
(2) Individual Responses: In today’s YouTube video, Bruce Kirby shares how he sees different phases of his life reflected in the Parable of the Sower.
There were times when God’s message couldn’t penetrate his heart and mind, times when persecution made it difficult for him to continue following the Lord, and times when the cares of the world stifled God’s life within him. Thankfully, he is walking with God today.
In response, I shared with Bruce that I often see all four of those dynamics at work in my own life, sometimes even within the same day or week.
I believe most people who reflect on this parable and its impact on their lives can relate to what Bruce and I shared.
The central message of the parable is to answer the question: Who belongs to the family of God?
Those who belong to God’s family are the ones who receive His word, know and do God’s will, and produce fruit in cooperation with God’s Spirit.
YouTube Discussion:
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed this passage on YouTube today. It is on the Bob Spradling channel.
Real Voices 