Chapter # 4 Paragraph # 3 Study # 7
June 2, 2020
Moss Bluff, Louisiana
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Thesis: Seed sown into the good earth brings forth the sought-after fruit.
Introduction: In all of our studies of this first parable we have seen a primary focus upon "the mystery of the Kingdom of The God" in respect to the question of
why people respond to the Gospel message of God's offer of the forgiveness of sins in the ways that they do. Given the nature of the outcome of the forgiveness of sins and the entire down-line consequences that accrue to the forgiven, this is no small question. Why do people react to this Gospel in the ways that they do?
This parable sets the parameters for our understanding of God's explanation for those reactions. The primary instrument of those reactions is that which causes them: the proclamation of the Word of The God...the sower sows The Word (4:14). In every case of "reaction", it is The Word that is sown (4:15, 16, 18, and 20). And, in every case of "reaction", it is the condition of the "landing place" of the seed that is determinative of the reaction. And, again, in every case there is an underlying reality that is determinative of the condition of the "landing places": they are already in existence and "settled" as to their nature. But, there is a very strong declaration by Jesus, Himself, that those pre-existing, settled realities are as they are because God, Himself, has determined them because of His reactions to the overall "problem": sin's pervasive impact upon all of humanity and the limitations God has placed upon Himself in respect to how He responds individually in every case. There are those to whom God responds by giving them a fruitful understanding of the "mystery" unto forgiveness and fruitfulness, and there are those to whom God responds by deliberately blocking such an understanding so that those so blocked will not be forgiven (4:11-12), nor fruitful. It is sin that creates the conditions of those landing places that prove to be unfruitful, and it is the grace of Yahweh that disallows sin's creation of those conditions in that landing place which proves to be "relatively" fruitful. Theologically, when "sin" is present, there is a "reaction" by Yahweh that is determined by which of His attributes He "permits" to be dominant: Justice or Grace. The "permission" is His to give and the very fact that men screech and howl over that reality simply proves the fact that sin's impact is pervasive. "Sin" despises both "Justice" and "Grace": "Justice" because it holds them to strict account and blames them for their behavior; and "Grace" because, by its very essence and definition, they cannot control it -- thus proving themselves to be unworthy to be the "Gods" they seek to be.
This evening we are planning to conclude our studies of this parable by looking into the final "landing place" of The Word of God proclaimed: the good earth.
- I. The Original Statement of the Parable and Jesus' Explanation.
- A. The original statement of this part of the parable: "Other [seeds] fell into the good soil, and as they grew up and increased, they yielded a crop and produced thirty, sixty, and a hundred fold" (4:8, NASB).
- B. The Explanation: "And those are the ones on whom seed was sown on the good soil; and they hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold" (4:20, NASB).
- II. The Interpretation of Jesus' Explanation.
- A. The word translated "those" is significant because Mark consistently uses it when he is attempting to "make a distinction" between two different entities.
- 1. In 4:15 and 16, when referring to those characterized as "landing places", he uses "these" (a demonstrative pronoun) and in 4:18 he uses "others" (a demonstrative pronoun that means "others of the same basic variety"; the significance of which is most easily seen in Galatians 1:6-7 where Paul used a word for "other" that means "another of a different kind" and contrasted it with "another of the same kind").
- 2. In 4:20 Jesus used the word "those" to make a distinction between the first three "landing places" which all proved to be unfruitful: "...those...bear fruit...".
- 3. Thus, in contrast with the first three "landing places" of the seed, which proved to be unfruitful, "those" proved to be fruitful.
- a. This switch in pronouns makes the issue that of "unfruitfulness"/"fruitfulness".
- b. The fact that the sower sows The Word indicates that the goal of the sower is "fruitfulness", but whether that goal is realized is determined by the condition of the places upon which the seed lands.
- c. This establishes the fact that one of the elements in the "mystery" is that the sowing will be "indiscriminate": the sower will not make a large effort to make sure the seed lands where it can be fruitful.
- d. Additionally, the record of the movement from "roadside" conditions through "rocky" conditions through "thorny" conditions to "good earth" conditions indicates that another element in the "mystery" is the fact that God's "Justice" responses vary just like His "Grace" responses vary (thirties, sixties, hundreds).
- B. The translation of the NASB is slightly misleading.
- 1. It says that "those" "are the ones on whom seed was sown" (indicating that "those" are the people "on whom the seed was sown").
- 2. The Greek says, "And there are those which were sown upon the good earth" (indicating that "those" are "the seed" which were sown upon good earth).
- 3. The point is that the focus remains upon the sower sowing seed (The Word), but that "those" seed landed upon "good earth" in distinction to "these" that landed on fruitless places.
- C. The particular "landing place" for "those seed" in this case is "good earth".
- 1. The literal Greek would be rendered "the earth, the good" producing an emphasis upon "good" as opposed to "trampled and barren", to "a rock with soil lightly sifted upon it", and to "ground already permeated with the roots and early growth of thorns".
- 2. Mark's/Jesus' concept of "good", derived from a consideration of Mark's later uses, means "suiting the major purpose intended".
- a. In our parable, the major purpose intended is "fruit"; the sower has no other reason for his labor.
- b. "Good earth" is earth that "suits that purpose": it brings forth the desired fruit.
- D. The distinguishing characteristics of "good" earth.
- 1. Those represented by it "hear The Word" in a different way than the "hearing" of 4:15, 16, and 18.
- a. This "difference" has already been addressed in 4:12.
- b. The other "hearing" generates "fruitlessness" in spite of hearing.
- 2. The major difference is "both hearing and accepting".
- a. The issue of "acceptance" is revealed by the six texts of the New Testament in which it is found: in addition to this sole use by Mark, we have Acts 15:4; 16:21; and 22:18, we have 1 Timothy 5:19, and we have Hebrews 12:6.
- b. The word means "to accept as an actual, and definitive, and enduring guide in the processes of life".
- E. The outcome: relative fruitfulness.
- 1. All "bear fruit".
- 2. The amount of fruit varies significantly.
