Why was the Parable of the Sower the parable that was used to explain to the disciples the purpose of parables, and why was this particular one spelled out in detail to get good understanding? And why the quotation from the prophet in the discussion?
Hebrew זרוע = “that which is sown.”
זרוע cognate permutations (challenge existent) – Bozrah in this group
- See Bozrah – sheepfold/enclosure בצרה see ✖︎ below and remember John 10:1-6
⦁ Matthew 13:1-23 (NKJV – The Parable of the Sower – Mark 4:1–9; Luke 8:4–8)
1 On the same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea. 2 And great multitudes were gathered together to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.
3 Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: “Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. 5 Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. 6 But 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 sprang up and choked them. 8 But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”
The Purpose of Parables
(Mark 4:10–12; Luke 8:9, 10)
10 And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?”
11 He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. 13 Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says:
‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand,
And seeing you will see and not perceive;
15 For the hearts of this people have grown dull.
Their ears are hard of hearing,
And their eyes they have closed,
Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears,
Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn,
So that I should heal them.’
16 But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; 17 for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.
The Parable of the Sower Explained
(Mark 4:13–20; Luke 8:11–15)
18 “Therefore hear the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. 20 But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. 22 Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. 23 But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”
⦁ Isaiah 6:9-10
9 And He said, “Go, and tell this people:
‘Hearing they hear, but do not understand;
And seeing they see, but do not perceive.’
10 “Make the heart of this people dull,
And their ears heavy,
And shut their eyes;
Lest they see with their eyes,
And hear with their ears,
And understand with their heart,
And return and be healed.”
⦁ Isaiah 6:9-10 זרוע
9 וַיֹּ֕אמֶר לֵ֥ךְ וְאָמַרְתָּ֖ לָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֑ה שִׁמְע֤וּ שָׁמֹ֨ועַ֙ וְאַל־תָּבִ֔ינוּ וּרְא֥וּ רָאֹ֖ו וְאַל־תֵּדָֽעוּ׃
10 הַשְׁמֵן֙ לֵב־הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֔ה וְאָזְנָ֥יו הַכְבֵּ֖ד וְעֵינָ֣יו הָשַׁ֑ע פֶּן־יִרְאֶ֨ה בְעֵינָ֜יו וּבְאָזְנָ֣יו יִשְׁמָ֗ע וּלְבָבֹ֥ו יָבִ֛ין וָשָׁ֖ב וְרָ֥פָאלֹֽו׃
⦁ Ezekiel 12:2
2 “Son of man, in the midst of a rebellious house you dwelling, which has eyes to seebut does not see, and ears to hear but does not hear; for a rebellious (h4805. מְרִי merîy) house (h1004. בַּיִת ḇayiṯ) they.
⦁ Ezekiel 12:2 זרוע
2 בֶּן־אָדָ֕ם בְּתֹ֥וךְ בֵּית־הַמֶּ֖רִי אַתָּ֣ה יֹשֵׁ֑ב אֲשֶׁ֣ר עֵינַיִם֩ לָהֶ֨ם לִרְאֹ֜ות וְלֹ֣א רָא֗וּ אָזְנַ֨יִם לָהֶ֤ם לִשְׁמֹ֨עַ֙ וְלֹ֣א שָׁמֵ֔עוּ כִּ֛י בֵּ֥ית מְרִ֖י הֵֽם׃
חפר p.86 dig; expose the hidden;; expose/conceal (A8)
חפר/רבע cognate permutations – (expand/contract activity)
- חפר is included in:
Impression ויאמר “And he says” cognate permutations (control from a distance)
Impression וערים “and cities” cognate permutations (influence strongly)
Impression הבור “the well”cognate permutations (affirm/negate activity) = also
Four ארבע also includes this cognate permutation group
And הבור “the well” includes cognate permutations group
⦁ Isaiah 6:9-10
9 And He said, “Go, and tell this people:
‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand;
And seeing they see, but do not perceive.’
10 “Make the heart of this people dull,
And their ears heavy,
And shut their eyes;
Lest they see with their eyes,
And hear with their ears,
And understand with their heart,
And return and be healed.”
⦁ Isaiah 6:9-10 חפר
9 וַיֹּ֕אמֶר לֵ֥ךְ וְאָמַרְתָּ֖ לָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֑ה שִׁמְע֤וּ שָׁמֹ֨ועַ֙ וְאַל־תָּבִ֔ינוּ וּרְא֥וּ רָאֹ֖ו וְאַל־תֵּדָֽעוּ׃
10 הַשְׁמֵן֙ לֵב־הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֔ה וְאָזְנָ֥יו הַכְבֵּ֖ד וְעֵינָ֣יו הָשַׁ֑ע פֶּן־יִרְאֶ֨ה בְעֵינָ֜יו וּבְאָזְנָ֣יו יִשְׁמָ֗ע וּלְבָבֹ֥ו יָבִ֛ין וָשָׁ֖ב וְרָ֥פָאלֹֽו׃
⦁ Ezekiel 12:2
2 “Son of man, in the midst of a rebellious house you dwelling, which has eyes to see but does not see, and ears to hear but does not hear; for they are a rebellious house.
⦁ Ezekiel 12:2 חפר
2 בֶּן־אָדָ֕ם בְּתֹ֥וךְ בֵּית־הַמֶּ֖רִי אַתָּ֣ה יֹשֵׁ֑ב אֲשֶׁ֣ר עֵינַיִם֩ לָהֶ֨ם לִרְאֹ֜ות וְלֹ֣א רָא֗וּ אָזְנַ֨יִם לָהֶ֤ם לִשְׁמֹ֨עַ֙ וְלֹ֣א שָׁמֵ֔עוּ כִּ֛י בֵּ֥ית מְרִ֖י הֵֽם׃
✖︎
H1223. בָּצְרָה boṣrāh fem. noun
(pen, sheepfold)
Mic. 2:12(KJV, boṣrāh [H1224,A]).
H1224. A. בָּצְרָה boṣrāh proper noun
(Bozrah: city in and sometime capital of Edom)
Gen. 36:33; 1 Chr. 1:44; Isa. 34:6; 63:1; Jer. 49:13,22; Amos 1:12; Mic. 2:12(NASB, NIV, boṣrāh [H1223]).
B. בָּצְרָה boṣrāh proper noun
(Bozrah: city in Moab)
Jer. 48:24.
⦁ Micah 2:12-13 (NKJV – Israel Restored)
12 “I will surely assemble all of you, O Jacob,
I will surely gather the remnant of Israel;
I will put them together like sheep of the fold (h1223. בָּצְרָה ḇoṣrâ),
Like a flock in the midst of their pasture;
They shall make a loud noise because of (so many) people.
13 The one who breaks open will come up before them;
They will break out,
Pass through the gate,
And go out by it;
Their king will pass before them,
With the LORD in their head.”
- and remember John 10:1-6
Yeshua was a revolutionary, “challenging existent” power structure of the time. He was a master of parables, designed to keep ideas “hidden” but for those who were fertile ground.
Did Constantine understand this principle in making Christianity the “official” religion? “If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em?” Who then becomes the powers structure? Who the must “challenge existent?”
This writer is a product of the Vietnam generation that strongly challenged the existent power structure. Where is the king, the leader, to pass before them with the LORD יהוה in their head בראשם?
– see that זרוע cognate permutation is included in “in their head בראשם.”
Ask yourself why humility was the trademark of the teaching of Yeshua.
Why did his teaching have the potential to turn the world upside down?
Why is less more?
He teaches the humble his ways (Psalm 25:9) and because of this we have teaching such as:
⦁ Matthew 5:3-12
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn,
For they shall be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek,
For they shall inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
For they shall be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful,
For they shall obtain mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
For they shall see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
For they shall be called sons of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
AND
⦁ John 2:9
9 When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom.
- The master does not know, but the servants “know.”
And recall that in 2 Kings 5, the prideful Naaman cannot be healed of his “leprosy” until there is a sharing from the Hebrew servant maiden (see especially verses 2-3) and then again his servants:
⦁ 2 Kings 5:13
13 And his servants came near and spoke to him, and said, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do something great, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?”
The wisdom comes from the lowly. It is the lowly that challenge the existent.
Blessings, PG
Ⓒ Copyright Philip E. Gates; LogAndSpeck.com May 2025.