After Jesus was asked about the meaning of what some call the “Parable of the Sower” (Mark 4:3-8), He was asked about the meaning of it (see Mark 4:10-12). Now, what He said next (as recorded in the Gospel of Mark) might come across a little harsh when translated into English. I don’t know enough about Greek or first-century rabbis to know the tone in which Mark 4:13 was given, though, and it’s there in the gospel, so we can’t just ignore it.
Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? The farmer sows the word.
Mark 4:13-14 NIV
https://bible.com/bible/111/mrk.4.13-14.NIV
It might also be [per Black] that understanding this parable was foundational to other lessons that Jesus would teach. And, I think that we understand that concept from other parts of society: if you missed the class on addition, for instance, the test on multiplication will be even harder yet! Still, Jesus proceeds to explain the parable to those who asked.
Now, even if you previously learned how Jesus explained this parable, I’m glad that it’s written down in the Bible. There are new Christians being born again every day, as well as those who haven’t yet gotten to read this particular passage, so His explanation is good for those who haven’t yet heard it, and it’s a good refresher for those of us who have. After all, while I’ve had people explain things to me before, when Jesus Himself gives you the answer, that’s a big deal! The good news is that He is there to speak to anyone who will listen, and we can all share in that privilege.
I encourage you to read all of Mark 4:13-20, to get Jesus’ explanation. We learn from His teaching here that the seed being sown is “the word” (God’s word), and the different places where it falls are people (not that seed falls on people literally, like throwing rice or birdseed at a married couple after their wedding; instead, they read, hear, or otherwise receive the word within their inner selves). We might say that each type of soil reflects a different set of attitudes in the hearts and minds of those who receive the word.
The first group doesn’t retain the word very long. These might be people who reject God’s word, or maybe those who are indifferent to it. They hear the good news (which followers of Jesus are instructed to share), but it doesn’t stick with them. It doesn’t change them.
The second group gets excited about the word. And, why shouldn’t they? The arrival of God’s kingdom is good news, indeed! However, being a part of this kingdom comes with some implications, including pushback from a fallen world and the evil forces that are present in it. If someone’s decision didn’t include counting the cost, or if they don’t have help to stand strong, it might only take a metaphorical breeze to topple them over.
The third group isn’t described as falling away. They sound like people who still believe the word that was sown. However, they get distracted by other things, and the growth of their “branch” of the Kingdom of God apparently stops with them. Remember, our goal in the Kingdom of God isn’t just to “get into the kingdom”, but rather to live in a way that honors the King, and to bring others into the Kingdom, too.
However, the last group 1) hears the word, 2) accepts it, and 3) multiplies results (whether sharing the word of God with others and seeing them join God’s kingdom, or by practicing obedience and behaviors that result from living the way that God calls us to [ref. Black]). This is the group we should want to be a part of, by the way!
Interestingly, even here in Mark 4, the very words that Jesus taught in this parable were received differently by different recipients. Some heard the words, and maybe understood the picture that Jesus described, but didn’t get the message. Others asked Jesus for an explanation, and they received one from Him. So, perhaps Jesus’ audience here provided their own examples of different kinds of soils into which the word could fall.
I’ve said this before, but I want to remind us all that the end goal of following Jesus is not to merely “get saved”. It is not just so that we can claim our “mansion, robe, and crown”. Yes, salvation from our sins and the guarantee of living for eternity with God (the loving source of all good), is a wonderful gift of God’s grace. However, God’s good news is not intended to stop with us. Just as God loved us enough to deliver us from the consequences of our sins, we should love God enough to honor Him, and we should love the rest of the world enough to want them also to be rescued from the consequences of their sins.
In this parable, a faithful follower of Jesus isn’t defined by how many “rules” we follow. Success isn’t even measured by whether or not we take the word of God and grow in it. “Good soil” is defined as that which produces results. And, these results aren’t measured in bank account balances or Instagram followers, but rather – as I read it – in producing more of what led to us being alive in the first place, which verse 14 identifies as “the word”. The fruit of receiving, embracing, and multiplying God’s word is an identifier of a spiritually healthy Christian.
From Sunday School lesson prepared for September 21, 2025
References:
- Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
- The College Press NIV Commentary – Mark, by Allen Black. © 1995 College Press Publishing Co.
Those Who Sin Differently 