“1 The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side. 2 And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore. 3 And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow; 4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: 5 Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: 6 And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. 7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: 8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold. 9 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. 10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? 11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. 12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. 13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. 14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: 15 For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. 16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. 17 For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard i. 18 Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower. 19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. 20 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; 21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. 22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. 23 But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty” (Matthew 13:1-23).

     The Gospel of Jesus Christ is a declaration of accomplished, definitive Truths regarding the incarnation of the Son of God, His vicarious death that propitiated God’s wrath upon the sins of Mankind from Adam to the end of time, His burial, and His resurrection/glorification from the dead signifying His victory over Satan’s death grip on mankind due to the curse. The simple truth of the Gospel is “it is finished.” Secondly, the Gospel of Jesus Christ gives the believer God’s directions for responding to the gospel message in order to receive God’s gift of salvation. The believer must understand all of these Truths and respond according to God’s specifications of faith.

     There are three necessary elements within the parable of the Sower and the Soils that must come together in synergism before a sinner can be brought to the conviction of sin, understand the gospel, and be “born again” . . “by grace through faith.”

1. The “seed” is the gospel of Jesus Christ with the specific, objective facts detailing what Christ has accomplished for sinners through His death, burial, and resurrection/glorification.
2. The “Sower” is the Holy Spirit of God Who works to illuminate the Gospel to the sinner’s heart working in synergism with the Spirit filled Evangelist as he preaches and explains the details of the Gospel (although this can happen in the sinner reading the Scriptures as well).
3. The various “soils” are the ways various individuals receive the “seed” and respond to the illumination of the Holy Spirit. Therefore the “soils” are primarily the various conditions of the hearts (in the heart’s relationship to various worldly influences) of those to whom the seed is being sown.

     These first 23 verses of Matthew 13 are addressed primarily to Jewish people (although applicable to all people). It is important to see that this text is dealing with the transition from the Dispensation of Law (Mosaic Covenant) to the Dispensation of Grace (the Church Age). There are some unique conditions here that apply only in principle to modern day circumstances.

     A key word in the explanation of the parable (verses 18-23) is the word “understandeth.” The word “understandeth” is from the Greek word suniemi (soon-ee'-ay-mee). The simplest definition is to put the pieces together. The idea behind this is the mental comprehension of all the details of the gospel in the supernatural production of faith in the sinners life leading to complete spiritual understanding of both the consequences of unbelief and the benefits of saving faith (regeneration).

     Until this understanding of the gospel is accomplished through illumination by the Holy Spirit of the careful presentation of the details of the gospel message, there will never be a proper response to the gospel, and conversion in the heart resulting from a faith decision (Matt. 13:15; inward transformation; regeneration) can never take place. The critical detail here is that understanding with the head must become understanding with the heart before saving faith is produced through the operations of the Holy Spirit of God (i.e., germination of the seed or regeneration). The proper response to the gospel is what defines believing, or what is more commonly referred to as saving faith.

     Another important dynamic within the context of this parable is the answer to the question of why Jesus spoke to the multitudes in parables in the first place. Christ answers this question is verses 10-17. God brought the nation of Israel into existence with a Covenant given to (not made with) Abraham. There were not conditions within the Abrahamic Covenant for God to fulfill the promises within the Covenant. The fact is, the Abrahamic Covenant was actually a covenant between Abraham, God the Father, and the Son of God Who would become incarnate.

“Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy Seed, which is Christ” (Galatians 3:16).

     There were NO conditions in the Abrahamic Covenant necessary for the salvation of any Jew or anyone else. It was a covenant of “blessing.” It was not a covenant for salvation. The primary “blessing” of the Abrahamic Covenant was the promise of the Messiah through which all nations of the world would be blessed. The word “blessed” in Genesis 12:2 is from the Hebrew word barak (baw-rak'). “To bless in the OT means to ‘endue with power for success, prosperity, fecundity, longevity, etc.3’ ” Anyone wanting to be saved, needed to be saved exactly the same way anyone had ever been saved since the Fall of mankind into sin and the curse of God’s condemnation.

     According to Galatians 3:17-22, the Mosaic Covenant was “added” to the Abrahamic Covenant “because of transgressions.” Paul explains what is meant by the words “because of transgressions in Romans 7:7-13:

“7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. 8 But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence {longing or desire for things forbidden} . For without the law sin was dead {there was no consciousness of sinful desires and acts}. 9 For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived {there was now consciousness of sinful desires and acts}, and I died {recognized and understood his spiritual separation from God}. 10 And the commandment (the Mosaic Covenant}, which {he had been led to believe} was ordained to life, I found to be unto death. 11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me. 12 Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. 13 Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful” (Romans 7:7-13).

     The aspects of the Mosaic Covenant were never intended to be conditions for salvation. The Mosaic Covenant was a covenant made with an already redeemed people (Israel). The Law was not given to all the nations of the world. The Law was given only to Israel.

“17 And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law {Mosaic Covenant}, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul {the Abrahamic Covenant}, that it should make the promise of none effect. 18 For if the inheritance {promised in the Abrahamic Covenant}be of the law, it is no more of promise {unconditional}: but God gave it to Abraham by promise {unconditionally}. 19 Wherefore then serveth the law {Mosaic Covenant}? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator. 20 Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one. 21 Is the law {Mosaic Covenant} then against the promises of God {the Abrahamic Covenant}? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. 22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise {of the Abrahamic Covenant} by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe” (Galatians 3:17-22).

[3]  R. Laird Harris, Gleason L. Archer, Jr., Bruce K. Waltke, Theological Workbook of the Old Testament, Vol. I, Page 132, Moody Press, Chicago, IL