The Parable of the Soils

Sowing Seed

Saint Mathew tells us, "Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore.Then he told them many things in parables." "Listen!" said Jesus to get the crowd's attention. "A farmer went out to sow his seed."

Jesus probably looked around and saw a farmer sowing seed by hand in a field on the hillside behind the people. Maybe the crowd turned around to get a look as Jesus motioned spreading the seed from his hand on to the land.

This was a familiar scene for these country people. Jesus spoke in words and word pictures that the people could understand as he does to us today. So we have, "The Parable of the Sower," or as I would call it, "The parable of the Soils" for it is much more about the types of soil the seed falls into than the farmer who does the sowing. The seed is the Word of God, God's voice in our lives and in the Bible. There are different types of soil as there are different types of hearers and different responses to God's Word amongst us.

There was the seed that fell upon the path around the field."As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up." Jesus explains that the path represents the kind of people who hear God's Word and do not understand it and as result Satan comes and snatches away what is sown in their hearts. The birds represent the Evil One, who aims to harm us. The Evil One does not wear red horns and a forked tail but comes in subtle disguises to lead us astray.

Tight Rope Walker

Several years ago, a young Frenchman captured the attention of the world by walking a tightrope between the towers of New York's famous World Trade Center. It scares me just to think of walking along a thin wire 1350 feet in the air. A few months later however, while practicing in St. Petersburg in Florida he fell 30 feet and was injured. As he lay waiting for help, he reportedly beat his fist on the ground saying, "I can't believe it! I can't believe it! I never fall." He had become careless.

Mother Teresa of India, the 1979 Nobel Peace Prize recipient said, "The biggest disease today is not leprosy or tuberculosis, but rather the feeling of being unwanted, uncared for and deserted by everyone. The greatest evil is the lack of love and charity, the terrible indifference towards one's neighbor."

Thorns

Jesus then talked about the rocky places with little soil between them."Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root." Jesus explains that this is the person who hears the Word of God and immediately receives it with joy yet he has no root in himself and endures for a while but when pressure comes, he folds.

John Nesbitt writes in "New Directions - Transforming our Lives" "People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care." We can know a lot about Jesus without actually knowing Him personally as our friend and Savior.

A Crane

Next, Jesus talks about the thorns, "Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants." Jesus explains that the cares of the world and the delight in riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. A new car, overtime at work, a holiday cruise, savings for retirement, pay off the mortgage, a boat, trailer, or a cottage. The delight in riches chokes the word and it proves unfruitful.

An old fable tells about a crane that was wading in a stream looking for some snails when a beautiful swan landed nearby. The crane had never seen a swan before, so he asked, "What are you?" "I'm a swan," came the reply, "and where did you come from?" the crane inquired. "Heaven," the swan answered. "What is that?" asked the crane. The swan eagerly began to explain its beauty and glory. He spoke of the New Jerusalem, the city of pure gold, with a jasper wall and pearly gates. He described its "pure river of water of life, as clear as crystal." At this point the crane interrupted, "Tell me, are there any snails in Heaven?" "No, I'm afraid not," the swan said. "Then I don't care to go there," the crane stated decisively, "I like snails!"


"Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop - a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown." Jesus later explains, "This is he who hears the Word, and understands it; he indeed bears fruit."

When someone is converted from sin and becomes a Christian, they affect other lives by the way they live. Selfless devotion, kindness and a deep love of God produces fruit in other people's lives 100, 60 or 30 fold. This may seem overstated to us but this past week I had an email from a Pauo Godson who had been on my website ( www.tellout.com) from Ibadan Oyo State in Nigeria. He had heard the Word and received it so he went out and told all his family and friends. He wrote, "I realized that I am a lost sinner so I repented of my sins and gave my whole life to Jesus Christ who is now my Lord and Messiah. I did not stop, I went ahead telling other friends about Jesus and to the glory of God 61 other brothers and sisters gave their lives to Christ."In the end there were 62 who were converted! Now they can't wait to get enough Bibles for everyone and start reading them and "lead other lost souls to Christ." What a wonderful thing. Praise God.

"He who has ears, let him hear." says Jesus. In other words, just do it!

That's what I think, anyway.

Rev Ron
from Matthew's Gospel Chapter 13:1-9 (N.I.V.)

The Yoke of Christ

In Matthew's Gospel, Jesus tells his disciples, "Come unto me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (1)

This passage is amongst the special treasures of Matthew's Gospel. No sublimer words exist than this call of Jesus to the toiling and the burdened in a state of weariness to come to him. He assures us, "I will refresh you." Far more than mere rest, it is rejuvenation.

A Wooden Yoke

You may be puzzle by the expression, "For my yoke is easy." A yoke is a wooden harness that fits over the shoulders of a single ox or two oxen. It is attached to a plough or a piece of equipment the oxen are about to pull. Like the Pilgrim in "Pilgrim's Progress," it reminds us of the heavy burdens in life we often carry or pull behind us.The sins or wrongs we have committed and are ashamed of, the guilt we feel for sin, the bad conscience that lingers in our minds, or fears both real or imaginary. Then there are the hurts or pressures we experience from others or from our society.

Strangely, by taking Jesus' yoke upon our necks, he frees us from all these burdens. The rest that Jesus promises is love, healing and peace with God. Martin Luther writes in "Creation and Fall," "In the Bible, 'rest' really means more than 'having a rest.' It means rest after the work is accomplished, it means completion, it means the perfection and peace of God in which the world rests, it means tranfiguration, it means turning our eyes absolutely upon God's being God and towards worshipping him." (2) A relationship with God changes meaningless, wearisome toil into spiritual productivity and purpose.

Two Oxen with a yoke

So Jesus says ..."For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Jesus offers refreshment in his partnership and promises to make the burden light, because he is a meek, a patient and a humble teacher.

I will always remember listening to Mr Hogarth, a teacher at the Bible Training Institute that I attended in Glasgow, Scotland, who was once a missionary in Argentina.  He told us about a ploughing festival held each year involving oxen. Elders first brought out the oldest most mature ox draped in flowers and beautiful decor. He was led gently and easily to his place and a yoke was placed around his neck without a problem. As he stood patiently waiting, another young unbroken ox was dragged out bellowing and pulling on its ropes, resisting at every step. With great difficulty, a group of strong men forced his head down and the yoke was tied around his neck. Both oxen were then let go and off they went, the young one dragging the older around the field at a great pace, The older ox allowed this at first but then as time passed started resisting the younger and pulling him into line. At last, the young one was too tired to resist and submitted to the older and was ready to plough. We are often stubborn like this young ox and resist Jesus' yoke. "Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me," says Jesus.

Oxen pulling cart

When Matthew writes that Jesus says, "my yoke is easy," he uses the Greek word "chrestos" which can also mean, "well fitting." (3)

There is a legend that, as a village carpenter, Jesus made the best ox-yokes in all Galilee, and that people from all over the country came to buy yokes from him. In Palestine, ox-yokes were made of wood, so the ox was brought, and measurements were taken. The yoke was then roughed out, and the ox brought back to have the yoke tried on. The yoke was carefully adjusted, so that it would fit well, and not chaff the neck of the patient beast. The yoke was tailor-made to fit the ox. 

In those days, as now, shops had their signs above the door, and it has been suggested that the sign above the door of the carpenter's shop in Nazareth may well have read,

"MY YOKES FIT WELL"

Jesus may well be using the words over the his shop when he says, "My yokes fit well." What he means is, "The life I give you is not a burden to weigh heavily upon you, your task is made to measure to fit you." Whatever God sends us is made to fit our needs and our abilities exactly. We would be wise to do as Jesus suggests and, "Take my yoke upon you, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

Thats what I think anyway,

Rev Ron
(1) Matthew 11.28-30 (2) Martin Luther "Creation and Fall"  (3) Dr. William Barclay "Daily Bible Study."

Charles Darwin and the Tree of Life

Charles Darwin

On BBC Television recently, there was an interesting television program with the title, "Charles Darwin and the Tree of Life." The presenter sought to parallel the Biblical "Tree of Life" with the theoretical "Amniote Phylogeny presented as the 'Tree of Life'" of the evolutionary process (see Memorial University Diagram by Steven M. Carr.) In this theory, original life, whatever that was, moved from one primitive form through the apes to human beings.

Charles Darwin, in 1859 wrote, "The affinities of all the beings of the same class have sometimes been represented by a great tree... As buds give rise by growth to fresh buds, and these if vigorous, branch out and over top on all sides many a feebler branch, so by generation I believe it has been with the great Tree of Life, which fills with its dead and broken branches the crust of the earth, and covers the surface with its ever branching and beautiful ramifications."

Old Tree

To use the term "Tree of Life" without reference to its source in Creation or the Last Days would not have made any sense to the Christian gentleman, Charles Darwin. He was well aware that God placed the first human beings not in an opulent palace but in a natural garden.

"The Tree of Life" is first found in the Garden of Eden in Genesis 2.9, "And the Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground - trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the Tree of Life and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil."

Traditional Area of Garden of Eden

Eden is clearly located in Genesis 2.10-14 at the intersection of the Tigris River, the Euphrates River, the Pishon and the Gihon Rivers. "A river watering the garden flowed from Eden; from there it was separated into four headwaters. The name of the first is the Pishon; it winds through the entire land of Havilah, where there is gold. (The gold of that land is good; aromatic resin and onyx are also there.) The name of the second river is the Gihon; it winds through the entire land of Cush. The name of the third river is the Tigris; it runs along the east side of Asshur. And the fourth river is the Euphrates."

Note that in the Garden of Eden there were two trees mentioned, the "Tree of Life" and the "Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil." This second tree was the one that was forbidden of Adam and Eve by God and eventually was the cause of the Fall and the ejection of Adam and Eve from the Garden. Disobeying God and eating from the "Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil" turned into shame for the first humans as they realized that they were naked and tried to cover themselves from the sight of God with leaves. Note that this benevolent God, even at this time of great disruption, still clothed Adam and Eve with animal skins to keep them warm and maintain their dignity in God's sight.

"The Tree of Life" reappears at the end of time in the Book of Revelation. God says in Revelation 2.7, "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the Tree of Life, which is in the paradise of God."

Flag of Tree of Life

Again the Tree of Life is pictured in the great street of the New City of Jerusalem where "the River of Life" runs. Thus Revelation 22.2 reads, "down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the Tree of Life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations." There will be no more pain, tears or heartache for individuals there or the nations of the new earth whose differences will be healed.

The River of Life, the Tree of Life and entrance into the Holy City are reserved for the redeemed. In Revelation 22.14 we read, "Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city." This privilege is reserved according to 22.19 for those who do not add to nor take away words from this Book of Prophecy i.e. The Book of Revelation. "And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book." It is a serious crime to add to the words of Scripture or cut pieces out to suit our own fancies and such a travesty will not remain unpunished by our all knowing God.

Pangea

In a strange sense, the television program drew the archeological record closer to Biblical truth in the assertion of one single continental mass, called the Pangea (see the numerous videos on You Tube showing the presumed movement of the continents over 400 million years from the Pangea to the Present day.) From this one land mass, all living beings and presumably human beings came. This conforms to an interesting and ancient Jewish tradition that after the flood, the three sons of Noah, that is Ham, Shem and Japheth were of the three distinctive racial groups who went out from the Tigris/ Euphrates region to populate the world (i.e. Pangea). Thus the descendants of Japheth (white people) went into Europe, the descendants of Shem of the yellow species migrated towards china, and the descendants of Ham (the Black skinned group) moved into Africa.

Maybe this has given you some pause for thought. I hope so. That's what I think anyway,

Rev Ron