Parables of Jesus

MARK 4:1-9—Two of the Master’s parables are cited for consideration in today’s lesson, the first of these being what is usually referred to as the Parable of the Sower. It was related by Jesus to a multitude “by the sea on the land,” while he was in a ship near the shore. But the multitude did not understand—at least not many of them did. Concluding the parable Jesus said, “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear,” and apparently some of the audience were sufficiently impressed to want to know more, for we read that “when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable.”—Verse 10

In response to this request Jesus said, “Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: that seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.” (Verses 11,12) It is clear from this that the ability to understand the divine plan—“the mystery of the kingdom of God”—is a blessing that is not given to all. How thankful we should be if we have been thus favored!

The Parable of the Sower is one that Jesus himself explained. “The sower soweth the Word,” he declared. This is just another way of expressing the idea of proclaiming the truth. This privilege of the Christian is expressed in the Bible in various ways. It is called witnessing, light-bearing, “holding forth the Word of life,” preaching, etc. (Phil. 2:16) In actual practice it means any and all efforts we can make to acquaint others with God’s plan for the blessing of the world.

Jesus himself was very active in sowing the Word, the glorious Gospel of the kingdom. But he knew, nevertheless, that not many would give serious consideration to the message, and this is one of the important lessons he gives us in the Parable of the Sower. The illustration of the parable is a very understandable one. As the seed leaves the hand of the sower it falls in various places—some by the wayside, some on stony ground, some among thorns, and a small portion of it on “good ground.” Only the latter grows to maturity and brings forth fruit.

The seed sown by the wayside had no opportunity at all to germinate and produce plants, for immediately it was devoured by birds. Jesus explained that this represents the fact that Satan snatches away the truth from those who do not properly respond to it. Satan, as the prince of darkness, endeavors to keep people from hearing the truth if he can, but failing in this, his next move is to snatch away the “seeds” from the minds of those who have heard; and in most cases he is successful in this.

Probably most Christians have witnessed practical demonstrations of Satan’s operations along this line. Take for example, the case of a public meeting. Among the public present there will be very few who do not indicate some measure of interest. Many will express themselves enthusiastically over the message, saying that it is what they have been looking for all their lives, yet most of these do not come to the next meeting. What has happened? According to the parable, evidently Satan has employed one or more of his many agencies to divert their minds from what they have heard and to cause them to lose interest in the message.

And then, according to the parable, some of the seeds of truth fall on “stony ground.” Here there is a measure of results, for the seed takes root and grows—for a time. But the difficulty in this case is a shallowness of character. The enthusiasm with which the truth is received is merely a display of emotionalism, and emotionalism does not stand up under the heat of persecution.

The Gospel of the kingdom is the most wonderful message in the world, and naturally one becomes overjoyed with it. Nor should we especially condemn those who profess an interest, and then fall away when they find that the truth is unpopular. After all, the Lord is seeking only a “little flock,” and each one comprising it must be a tried and tested character—one to whom the Lord and the truth means more than any other consideration in life.—Luke 12:32

The seed sown in the thorny ground represents those who have good hearts and have heard the message of the kingdom and appreciate it and rejoice in it, but they allow other interests to divide their affections. Jesus describes these dividing influences as “the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things,” which are allowed to interfere with the best interests of the new creature.

Every follower of the Master needs constantly to be on the alert lest these thorns become too prominent in his life, for the illustration of the parable might very well he used to include earth-born desires which we permit to develop even after we are well along toward maturity as new creatures in Christ Jesus. In such an event the consequences might be more serious than in the case of those who are overburdened with the cares of this world when they first hear the message, and fail to progress to fruit-bearing maturity.

Of the seed that fell on good ground, the parable indicates that while it all matured and bore fruit, some proved to be more fruitful than others—some brought forth thirty, some sixty, and some an hundredfold. (Matthew 13:8,23) Jesus does not explain what is represented by these varying degrees of fruitage, but we may well understand that the amount is determined by the degree of zeal and love that is manifested by each follower of the Master. And it may also be true that the natural handicaps over which the new creature has little or no control may have a bearing on the percentage of fruitage that is produced: In any event, it seems reasonable to conclude that all of this “good ground” class are found acceptable to live and reign with Christ.

LUKE 15:11-14—Here we have the Parable of the Prodigal Son. Perhaps no other parable of the Lord’s has touched so many hearts. Apparently its primary object was to show the Pharisees of Jesus’ day that their position respecting the publicans and sinners was wrong. The parable emphasizes that their wrong attitude toward the common people was liable to cost them their own share in the kingdom.

In the parable, the father who had two sons evidently represented Jehovah God. These two sons well represented the two general classes into which the Jewish nation was divided. The elder son, who claimed to have remained loyal to the Father, represented the Pharisees—those who sat in Moses’ seat and considered themselves to be righteous. The younger son represented the common people who were not so religiously strict in their ideals. They were known to others, and acknowledged by themselves, as publicans and sinners—not attempting to live godly lives.

This younger-son class, nevertheless, felt their degradation. They were spiritually hungry, and ragged, and many of them felt a longing to be back in the Father’s house, yet they hesitated to return. It was just such characters that Jesus especially encouraged, saying, “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matt. 11:28) Jesus represented the Father’s house, and encouraged thi.5 class to have confidence that the Father would receive them if they came to him penitently.

While the parable illustrated the two classes of the Jews, the principles set forth in it are more generally applicable. There are many noble characters in the world who love to do right—people who are well-born, and well-environed after birth. Apparently these should be the very first ones chosen by the Lord to be joint-heirs with Christ in his millennial kingdom. But the Scriptures make it clear that not many of this class will be in the spiritual phase of the kingdom—not that God is unwilling to have them because of their education, wealth, and good morals, but because these qualities make them less inclined to accept the terms upon which they may live and reign with Christ.

All are sinners whether they know it or not; and all should be honest enough to confess this fact to the Lord, and seek his forgiveness through the merit of Christ. The Lord is seeking only those who are thus willing to humble themselves before him and acknowledge the great mistake they have made in trying to live apart from him and in a manner contrary to his will.

Poverty alone, however, does not qualify one to receive the invitation of the Gospel to return home. Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt. 5:3) Many who are poor and hungry and ragged along material lines, are proud and haughty of heart. These would not be represented by the prodigal in the parable. On the other hand, there are those who are rich and well educated according to the standards of this world, who realize their own unworthiness, and their great need of God. They have learned that the best this world has to offer is but as the husks that are fed to swine in comparison with the blessings for which their hearts are yearning—the blessings of the Lord, which alone make rich. (Prov. 10:22) These God is pleased to accept when they return to him.

Probably no other parable has been so helpful to the poor and needy of soul who have desired to return from the ways of sin and to be received back into the family of God. They see themselves in this beautiful illustration, and realize that the Heavenly Father will be glad to receive them. The expression of the prodigal, “I will arise and go to my father,” represents what should be the attitude of all repentant ones—not only when the Gospel first reaches them, but at all times subsequent thereto when they realize that they have fallen short of the standards of righteousness set for them in the Scriptures. So there is a helpful lesson in the parable even for consecrated Christians. How we should all appreciate the Father’s mercy, and his willingness to cover us at all times with the robe of Christ’s righteousness!

QUESTIONS

Explain the meaning of the Parable of the Sower.

What, apparently, was the primary purpose of the Parable of the Prodigal Son?

What classes in the Jewish nation were represented by the two sons of the parable?

What general application may we make of the principles set forth in this parable?

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