The parable of the sower

Soon afterwards he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. The twelve were with him, as well as some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their resources.

When a great crowd gathered and people from town after town came to him, he said in a parable: ‘A sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell on the path and was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up. Some fell on the rock; and as it grew up, it withered for lack of moisture. Some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew with it and choked it. Some fell into good soil, and when it grew, it produced a hundredfold.’ As he said this, he called out, ‘Let anyone with ears to hear listen!’

Then his disciples asked him what this parable meant. He said, ‘To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God; but to others I speak in parables, so that

“looking they may not perceive,

and listening they may not understand.”

‘Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. The ones on the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. The ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe only for a while and in a time of testing fall away. As for what fell among the thorns, these are the ones who hear; but as they go on their way, they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. But as for that in the good soil, these are the ones who, when they hear the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patient endurance.

- Luke 8:1-15

It's important to note that as Christ continues his mission, he not only has with him his twelve disciples but also women who help support his ministry - Luke records that these women provided for them out of their resources. I think it's important to note that, coming right after the story of the 'sinful woman' who bathed Jesus' feet, Luke notes several of the women who were prominent and apparently necessary for the support of Jesus' ministry. We have here a special notation to the importance of the women involved in this ministry, in spreading the gospel of the Good News. I think we must see our physician Luke as particularly attentive to the nature of the kingdom in that each of its members are necessary - the healed are now those who carry out ministry to others. No one is barred from participation in the work of redemption, having been themselves redeemed through faith. Luke finds this so important that he names several of these women by name so that we have a record of their important presence. Once again, the outsiders are now included.

Jesus' famous parable of the sower of the seed is given to the crowds. I've read in a commentary that the Hebrew and Aramaic words for parable also mean "allegory," "riddle," or "proverb." I found the following commentary on parables in the Orthodox Study Bible:

The truth communicated by Jesus' parables, however, is not evident to all who hear them. One must have spiritual eyes to see and spiritual ears to hear, and then there are degrees of understanding of the parables.

Thus, "to those who are outside, all things come in parables" (Mark 4:11) may be translated " to those who are outside, all things come in riddles." Jesus' quotations of Isaiah 6:9, 10...demonstrates that people are responsible for their own receptivity.

Jesus' parables I find are meant to be vivid illustrations of the points he's trying to make. Often I do not find them to be far-extended metaphors but rather witty and to the point in terms of illustrating a particular truth. But I also think that the word "riddle" is very important, and ties in ancient traditions regarding mystery and faith to our present time, and we must keep this in mind when we read the parables. Two thousand years later, we have come to expect to have all of these things explained to us in depth as well. But we shouldn't forget to cultivate the heart that is open to truth in faith, nor the relationship necessary for this openness to understanding of spiritual truth.

Jesus' parable, which has come to us now as so well known, is still important for its illustration of spiritual truth - that the rock or bed of understanding is still within us, and perhaps more importantly, it's still our responsibility to cultivate spiritual truths within ourselves and our own receptivity to this reality. If, after all, we've come to a place where the desire to understand spiritual mystery is lacking, then I don't think we thirst for truth in the way Jesus expects those who make up that "good soil" to be thirsty for truth so that it will bear fruits "with patient endurance."

Sunday's reading from Matthew was one in which we were exhorted to "ask, seek and knock" and we too often forget that this seeking and receiving is about the desire for truth, to unlock the doors of mystery to spiritual truth. Jesus is looking for followers who thirst for righteousness, not just food or an easy life, but the healing that comes from spiritual transcendence, and is initiated by faith and a heart open to spiritual truth. The parables challenge us as riddles in order to tease out those who really want this gift, and to winnow out those who are just following along but in whom that word does not take root, nor bear fruit. In this passage we have a riddle about a riddle - 2,000 years later Jesus mirrors us back to ourselves. Are we cultivating ears to hear?