Parable of the Sower: Those on the wayside

Those on the wayside

A. The Parable and the interpretation in Matthew

1. Matthew 13:3, 4 “”…Behold, a sower went forth to sow; And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the wayside, and the fowls came and devoured them up:”

a. In Matthew 2 things occur: the seeds fell by the way side and the fowls devoured them up.

2. Matthew 13:19 “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.”

a. In Matthew Jesus says these people hear the word, but do not understand it and the wicked one [the devil] seizes it out of their heart.

b. catcheth [726 * harpazo] [Zodhiates: Literally, to seize upon with force, to rob. It denotes an open act of violence in contrast to cunning and secret stealing.

c. understandeth [Strong: 4920 suniemi soon-ee'-ay-mee from 4862 and hiemi (to send); to put together, i.e. (mentally) to comprehend; by implication, to act piously:-- consider, understand, be wise. ] [Bullinger: to bring together…to collect together the single features of an object into a whole; hence to collect, apprehend, grasp, comprehend, understand, to be earnestly occupied with the object, to reflect morally, ponder, lay to heart, (implying mental activity, knowledge acquired by reflection and consideration…)

d. Understanding in one sense is just the ability to comprehend, to grasp something mentally but in the other sense of the word it is a choice. I choose to earnestly occupy myself with the word to reflect and to consider or I choose not to.

3. Reasons for not understanding in Matthew. The most important component of the failure to understand the Scripture found in Matthew is the choice of the hearers. Regardless of the probability that these who make this choice are ignorant of its ramifications, the result is the same. The enemy of their souls steals away from them God’s loving desire to bless their lives and eternity.

a. In Matthew 13:10-12 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
13:11 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.
13:12 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.”

4. A clear understanding of what Jesus is referring, is given in Mark’ gospel.

a. Mark 4:24, 25 And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given.
4:25 For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath.

1). heed [Strong: 991 blepo blep'-o a primary verb; to look at (literally or figuratively):--behold, beware, lie, look (on, to), perceive, regard, see, sight, take heed.] [Bullinger:to look, to see, have the power of sight applied to mental vision or consideration, to consider, take to heart, employed to express a more intent, earnest spiritual contemplation.]

2) [Amplified Bible] Mark 4:24 “And He said to them, Be careful what you are hearing. The measure of thought and study you give to the truth you hear will be the measure of virtue and knowledge that comes back to you, and more besides will be given to you who hear.”

3). Saints, the same effort that we give to seeking out the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven will be the same amount of revelation we receive back. Jesus went on to say that if we give no effort to seek out the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, then the little that we have will be taken from us. We are responsible for the to keep the Word into our hearts and not allow it to slip from our hearts.

a). Hebrews 2:1 Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.

b. Matthew 13:13-15 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
13:14 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:
13:15 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.”

1). Jesus goes on to explain in Matthew 13:13-15, that the effect of not understanding on the part of the people is a fulfillment of a passage in Isaiah. This explanation also clears up a misunderstanding of Isaiah 6:9, 10.

2). Isaiah 6:9, 10 And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.
6:10 Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.

3). In looking at the passage in Isaiah it seems that God out of sovereign choice is the one making the people to not understand, because he says make their heart hat, make their ears heave, and shut their eyes. But Jesus clears it up by saying the people themselves caused their own inability to hear or see, through their own disobedience.

a). waxed gross [Strong: 3975 pachuno pakh-oo'-no from a derivative of 4078 (meaning thick); to thicken, i.e. (by implication) to fatten (figuratively, stupefy or render callous):--wax gross.] [Zodhiates: to become dull and callous.]

b). In his definition, Zodhiates cites a passage in Deuteronomy.

c). Deuteronomy 32:15 But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked: thou art waxed fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness; then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation.

B. The parable and the interpretation in Mark.

1. Mark 4:3, 4 Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow:

4:4 And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up.

a. In Mark 2 things occur: seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls devoured it up.

2. Mark 4:15 And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.

a. Jesus says they hear the word, but Satan takes it out of there heart.

b. taketh [Strong: 142 airo ah'-ee-ro a primary root; to lift up; by implication, to take up or away; figuratively, to raise (the voice), keep in suspense (the mind), specially, to sail away (i.e. weigh anchor); by Hebraism (compare 5375) to expiate sin:--away with, bear (up), carry, lift up, loose, make to doubt, put away, remove, take (away, up).] [E. W. Vine: to lift, carry, take up or away.]

1). Reasons for not understanding in Mark

a). Mark 4:10-12 And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable.
4:11 And he said unto them, 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:
4:12 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.

2). All of the inability to understand is ultimately linked to failure to be obedient. The devil, our enemy will certainly take advantage of this.

a). Leviticus 26:14-16 But if you will not hearken unto me, and will not do all these commandments.
26:15 And if ye shall despise my statutes, or if your soul abhor my judgments, so that ye will not do all my commandments, but that ye break my covenant:
26:16 I also will do this unto you; I will even appoint over you terror, consumption, and the burning ague, that shall consume the eyes, and cause sorrow of heart: and ye shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it.

C. The parable and the interpretation in Luke.

1. Luke 8:5 A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.

a. In Luke 3 things occur: some fell by the way side, it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.

2. Luke 8:12 Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh the word out of their heart, lest they should believe and be saved.

a. saved [Strong: 4982 sozo sode'-zo from a primary sos (contraction for obsolete saos, "safe"); to save, i.e. deliver or protect (literally or figuratively):--heal, preserve, save (self), do well, be (make) whole.] [Zodhiates: to save, deliver, make whole, preserve safe from danger, loss, destruction…Sozo occurs fifty-four times in the Gospels [fifty-six in the KJV]. Of the instances where sozo is used, fourteen relate to deliverance from disease or demon possession; in twenty instances, the inference is to the rescue of physical life from some impending peril or instant death; the remaining twenty times, the reference is to spiritual salvation.]

b. The phrase “trodden down’ is used in the parable but not in the interpretation.

c. trodden down [Strong: 2662 katapateo kat-ap-at-eh'-o from 2596 and 3961; to trample down; figuratively, to reject with disdain:--trample, tread (down, underfoot).]

d. I am fully persuaded that this passage is not exclusively referring to getting born again, but includes all the Covenant blessings and promises, victory over sin, healing, preservation, all of the promises. Inheriting the kingdom is receiving all the Covenant promises, if we fail to be obedient in we will not receive the inheritance.

2. Reasons for not understanding in Luke

a. Luke 8:9, 10 And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be?
8:10 And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.

D. Summary

1. The clear explanation of the inability to understand on the part of “those on the wayside” is their own failure to invest the time and effort to seek out the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven.