Templeton Project: Parable of the Sower, Seed, and Soils: Interpretation–Part V, 2
Back in October 2015 I wrote about the inauguration of the Abington Templeton Foundation (see here). The project is now underway (see here) and I will be posting our writing here.
Check out the latest piece entitled “Parable of the Sower, Seed, and Soils: Interpretation–Part V, 2.”
See also:
- Grounds for the Project
- The Biblical Foundation – Apology
- Apology in the New Testament II
- Apology in the New Testament III
- With Gentleness and Respect
- Elect Exiles of the Dispersion – the Importance of Identity
- The Present Cultural Environment in America
- Flannery O’Connor’s ‘Push Back’
- Saint Paul’s Civility
- Unbelievers
- Christ, Culture, and Christians
- Jesus and His Opponents in the Gospel according to Saint Matthew
- The Holy Spirit as Apologist
- On Listening to God and One Another
- Deep Conviction and Commitment
- Questions Unbelievers (especially Atheists) May Ask in Dialogue
- Waning Faith and Yearning Heart
- The Apostle on Mars Hill (Areopagus)
- A Fire, a World of Unrighteousness
- Civil Blood Makes Civil Hands Unclean
- Examples of Uncivil and Civil Speech
- Of Self-Control
- Humor in Dialogue
- Utopian Dreams
- Do we understand each other?
- When We Differ
- Dialogue and Personality
- Of Anger
- Discipleship and Apologetics
- Nurturing Christian Disciples
- Discipleship in Matthew and Apologetics I
- Discipleship in Matthew and Apologetics II–Wise as Serpents and Innocent as Doves
- Discipleship in Matthew and Apologetics III–Endurance
- Discipleship and Apologetics IV–Family Conflict
- Discipleship in Matthew and Apologetics V–Doing the Will of the Father as Peacemakers
- Discipleship in Matthew and Apologetics XII–“The Tree is Known by Its Fruit”
- Discipleship in Matthew and Apologetics VI–A Sword, Not Peace
- Discipleship in Matthew and Apologetics VII–Repentance and the Forgiveness of Sins
- Discipleship in Matthew and Apologetics VIII–Mission to the Gentiles
- Discipleship in Matthew and Apologetics IX–The Parable of the Sower
- Discipleship in Matthew and Apologetics X–“Fear not, do not be afraid
- Discipleship in Matthew and Apologetics XI–“Come to me, . . . and I will give you rest
- Discipleship in Matthew and Apologetics XIII–Humility
- Discipleship in Matthew and Apologetics XIV–Woes Turned to the Wisdom of Christ and the Blessings of the Kingdom
- Discipleship in Matthew and Apologetics XV–The Sign of the Cross
- Discipleship in Matthew and Apologetics XVI–The Resurrection
- Discipleship in Matthew and Apologetics XVII–The Judgment
- Discipleship in Matthew and Apologetics XVIII–The Vision
- Templeton Project: Inside the Heart and Mind of an Atheist
- Spare, Knowledgeable, and Wise Speech
- Truth as the Only Solid Foundation for Inquiry and Dialogue
- What is Bigotry
- What is Bigotry? Part II: Ideology
- Establishment and Distortion of the Facts
- Confused Mind and Inconstant Heart
- Encounters with Jesus in the Gospel of John–John the Baptist
- Encounters with Jesus in the Gospel of John–The Mother of Our Lord
- Encounters with Jesus in the Gospel of John–Nicodemus
- Encounters with Jesus in the Gospel of John–The Samaritan Woman
- The Need for Self-Control
- Self-control and American Culture
- Is Transformation Possible?
- Values and Virtue–the Difference
- The Coronavirus
- Encounters with Jesus in the Gospel of John–The Healing of an Official’s Son
- Coronavirus Update
- A Prayer in a Time of Pandemic
- A Troubled Nation
- Articulation of the Faith in Times of Crisis
- Father Seraphim on Nihilism
- Day to Day Nihilism
- Who or What is Absurd?
- Christian Leadership
- The Power of the Invisible
- The Great Revolution
- Religious vs. Spiritual
- Encounters with Jesus in the Gospel of John–The Man at the Pool of Siloam, the Blind Man, and the Dead Man
- The Ideological Use of a Virus (Covid-19)
- Encounters with Jesus in the Gospel of John–His Enemies
- Encounters with Jesus in the Gospel of John–His Enemies Part 2
- What Fire Cleanses?
- Babel–A Confusion of Tongues
- Babel and Jerusalem
- The American Olympians
- Encounters with Jesus in the Gospel of John–Pilate
- Who and What is Evil?
- Encounters with Jesus in the Gospel of John–Peter
- Gratitude, Humility, and Wonder–Key Words for Christian Living
- Encounters with Jesus in the Gospel of John–Thomas the Doubter
- The Early Christian Apologists–The Letter of Mathetes to Diognetus
- Dogma and Bigotry
- Squeeze Out the Spiritual Life–A Dictum of Our Secular Culture
- The Early Christian Apologists–Aristides
- Our Aspirations
- The Promise
- To Be Like God
- The Misuse of the Word Eternal
- The Sacred Obscure Amidst the Secular
- An Overall Idea
- Symbolism and Orthodoxy
- Witnessing and Division in the Church
- Camus, Absurdism, and the Faith of the Church
- Overcoming Evil without Being Overcome
- The State of the United States
- Did the Last Post Show Disrespect?
- With Gentleness and Respect
- Athenagoras’ A Plea for the Christians
- Defy and Deify
- At Present
- At Present Revised
- Musings during the Hours of Night
- Mysterium Tremendum–A Day at Hawk Mountain
- The Lower Yellowstone River Falls
- He Turned Aside
- Emptiness (A Sonnet)
- The Brazen Eagle Soars
- Emptiness Part II
- Lenten Reflection
- Chaos Set Right
- The Holy Sepulcher
- A Press of Leaves
- The Prairie– The Flint Hills
- The Sanctuary Light
- The World and the World
- Authority
- Two Novels
- To the Unknown God or a God Unknown
- Gospel in Saint Mark
- Evangelization in Kensington
- What is New is Old; What is Old is New
- Kensington II
- Virtual or Virtuous?
- Obstacles to Christian Witness
- Judgment and Apologetics
- Worship as Witness and Apology
- Apologetics, Apology, and Witness
- O Source and End
- It is I
- From O My God to O My God to OMG
- Water Is Thicker Than Blood
- We Rather Than I
- The Nativity
- The City of God and the City of Man
- Rules of the Community
- Mixed Together until the End
- Minucius Felix–Christian Apologist–The Problem with Hearsay
- The Will of the Father–Part I
- The Beatitudes–Part II
- Sending Out–Part III
- Confronting Nihilism
- The Judgment and Utopia–Part IV
- Parable of the Sower, Seed, and Soils–Part V
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The meaning of the parable of the sower, seed, and soils stands without aid of any further elaboration, though many original hearers didn’t understand what the parable meant. The throwing of seed on the different types of soil represents the proclamation of the kingdom to the hearers. Though much seed is for naught, the result is a superabundant harvest from the good soil, that is, many hearers will respond to the preaching. Jesus further explains the parable to the disciples by employing allegory, a mode of expression revealing what meaning lies behind the various images in the narrative.
Below is a summary of the meaning of the soils in the allegory.
The Soil Represents
Along the path Those who do not understand the Word of the kingdom
On rocky ground Those who receive the Word with joy but fall away in tribulation and persecution
Among thorns Those who hear the Word; but, the cares of the world and riches choke it.
On good soil Those who hear the Word and understand it. They bear abundant fruit.
The seed is the Word of the kingdom that the sower broadcasts. Satan takes away the seed along the path; because, the Word is not understood. That on rocky ground is received with joy; but, they fall away when trials and tribulations come. In Matthew 25 Jesus warns the disciples that a time will come when many will fall away; because, they are persecuted for following the Word. Those who endure to the end will be saved. This warning is also found in Matthew 10 where Jesus gives instructions to the disciples before they go forth to evangelize. The thorny ground represents those who are swayed by the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches that cause unfruitfulness. The story of the rich young man is representative of this instance.
The seed is the Word; the soil describes those who receive or do not receive the Word. The sower is not identified; but, we can assume that He is the Lord whose Word comes to us through the disciples’ proclamation.
The parable outside of its allegorical interpretation represents a contrast between unfruitful soil and exceedingly fruitful soil. Mention of the fruitfulness of the good soil concludes the parable. The allegory, told only to the disciples, actually names the three soils as unfruitful. The series of three unfruitful soils is followed by the fruitfulness of the good soil.
Disciples of Christ are the good soil that is fruitful on behalf of the Lord. They do the will of the Father that includes the spreading of the message of the kingdom of heaven. They hear and understand the message. Their eyes and ears are open so that they comprehend what the Lord proclaims.
We the readers of the Gospel are privileged to be let in on the ‘secrets of the kingdom.’ With the Twelve we are in the place where Jesus speaks of the meaning of the parable. We have responded through acceptance of the Gospel and fruitful work that indicates a commitment to doing the will of the Father.
Disciples are a chosen group of people who don’t allow riches, cares, persecution, or tribulation prevent them from faithfulness and fruitfulness. In every age these are the people who do God’s work in a troubled world.
No special mark distinguishes disciples from everybody else. The cross on their foreheads is invisible, known only to God for whom they work. They desire no special recognition; for, their reward is the Lord Himself. They do not let the left hand know what the right hand is doing. Their good works are in secret before their Father in heaven (Matthew 6); and yet, they are to be a light that shines before others. In other words, their activity is not for personal advantage but solely for the kingdom.
The sower in the parable represents God Himself who uses us to spread His Word. We bear the light into the darkness where God does His redemptive work.
Michael G. Tavella
The Purification of Mary and the Presentation of Our Lord
February 2, 2024
Articles not sent in December and January:
Water is Thicker Than Blood–Dec.16
We Rather Than I–Dec. 19
The Nativity–Dec. 26
The City of God and the City of Man–Dec. 27
Rules of the Community–Dec. 29
Mixed Together until the End–
Minucius Felix–Christian Apologist–The Problem with Hearsay–Jan. 7
The Will of the Father–Jan. 7
The Beatitudes–Jan.13