How Do You Hear the Word?

KEY VERSE: “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 13:23

SELECTED SCRIPTURE: Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

JESUS SAID TO his disciples, “Blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.” Then he explained “that many prophets and righteous men have desired to see these things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.” (Matt. 13:16,17) There is a due time for every detail of the divine plan to be accomplished, and it was not then the due time for the “many prophets and righteous men,” mentioned by Jesus, to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven.

“The seed is the Word of God,” Jesus said. (Luke 8:11) “When anyone 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 wayside.” (Matt. 13:19) This is a prophecy as well as a parable. The truth of the kingdom has been presented to millions throughout the age who have not understood it, as Jesus foretold; ‘the wicked one’ removed it.

Even though the sowers have been forewarned what to expect, this is a difficult fact to accept. Those who proclaim the truth often wonder if their failure to get the message over is not due to their own inability to present it plainly. It is proper that we present the truth with as great clarity and force as possible; but, let us remember that nearly 2,000 years ago Jesus foretold that much of the seed sown would fall by the wayside and be snatched away by the “fowls of heaven.”—Ps. 104:12

Still, some of the seed of the parable fell on ‘good ground’, and this is most important. Jesus explained that, “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, and some thirty.”—Matt. 13:23

Luke’s account omits reference to the percentage of fruit that is borne by the ‘good ground’ believers. He describes them as “they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the Word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.”—Luke 8:15

Much patient endurance is required to bring forth the fruits of the Holy Spirit. The ‘good ground’ Christians are subjected to the heat of persecution, and they would be ‘scorched’, even as the ‘stony ground’ believers, except that their roots of faith lay hold firmly on the promises of God from which they receive the strength to endure.

Jesus commissioned his followers to preach the Gospel, and this commission has never been withdrawn. What the Lord does through his faithful people varies. (Matt. 13:39; 28:19,20; Acts 1:8) But in all our efforts to bear witness to the truth, let us remember Jesus’ introduction to this parable, in which he emphasizes that it is only those who have eyes and ears to see and hear who will respond to the Gospel of the kingdom. The only ones in this category are those whom the Lord is drawing.

Remembering this, we will not be discouraged when the wayside hearers turn away, as they did with Paul, saying, “We will hear thee again” at another time. Nor will we be surprised when some who at first show appreciation do not continue in the way of truth. We will regret that some allow the cares of this life to hold them back, but we will rejoice that one here and there responds, and with a good and honest heart brings forth fruit with patience.

| Home Page | Table of Contents |