Thursday, August 24, 2006
NOW; CAN YOU HEAR ME?
Matt. 13: 9. "He who has ears, let him hear."
Mark 4: 9. And He was saying, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."
Luke 8: 8b. As He said these things, He would call out, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."
Jesus has had, on this day, a very intensive confrontation with the religious leaders. He had taken direct opposition to their orthodoxy in open view of even some of those who are continuing to listen to Him right here by the Sea of Galilee. It is important to understand that He was becoming less and less welcome within the circles of those in charge of religion. Therefore the ears of the public became the very soil in which He was sowing His messages.
The ears of the religious were closed to the glorious gospel that offered them the salvation that they saw no need for. He explained to them that the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit shall not be forgiven (Matt. 13:31) on this same day. Hendriksen aptly says, “Is it not lack of receptivity that which, if persisted in, leads directly to the unpardonable sin?
The hearer is warned by this verse that more important information lies beyond the surface of simple hearing. He who has an ear, which would certainly be everyone listening, let him hear is a call to pay close attention.
William Barclay gives insight by an example of one speaking a playful pun. He writes, “A jest’s prosperity lies not in the tongue of him who tells it, but in the ear of him who hears it. A jest will succeed when it is told to a man who has a sense of humor, and who is prepared to smile. A jest will fail when it is told to a humorless creature, or to a man who is grimly determined not to be amused.
Mark 4: 9. And He was saying, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."
Luke 8: 8b. As He said these things, He would call out, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."
Jesus has had, on this day, a very intensive confrontation with the religious leaders. He had taken direct opposition to their orthodoxy in open view of even some of those who are continuing to listen to Him right here by the Sea of Galilee. It is important to understand that He was becoming less and less welcome within the circles of those in charge of religion. Therefore the ears of the public became the very soil in which He was sowing His messages.
The ears of the religious were closed to the glorious gospel that offered them the salvation that they saw no need for. He explained to them that the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit shall not be forgiven (Matt. 13:31) on this same day. Hendriksen aptly says, “Is it not lack of receptivity that which, if persisted in, leads directly to the unpardonable sin?
The hearer is warned by this verse that more important information lies beyond the surface of simple hearing. He who has an ear, which would certainly be everyone listening, let him hear is a call to pay close attention.
William Barclay gives insight by an example of one speaking a playful pun. He writes, “A jest’s prosperity lies not in the tongue of him who tells it, but in the ear of him who hears it. A jest will succeed when it is told to a man who has a sense of humor, and who is prepared to smile. A jest will fail when it is told to a humorless creature, or to a man who is grimly determined not to be amused.
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
GOOD SOIL PRODUCES
Matt. 13:8. "And others fell on the good soil, and yielded a crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.
Mark 4: 8. "And other seeds fell into the good soil and as they grew up and increased, they yielded a crop and produced thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold."
Luke 8: 8a. "And other seed fell into the good soil, and grew up, and produced a crop a hundred times as great."
The fourth type of ground is the good soil. In this type of soil the seed fell and could easily penetrate as to take root unhindered and grew up. The fruition is stated as they, the seeds, yielded a crop and produced thirty, sixty, and a hundred fold. This is a phenomenal ratio because the typical yield in this place and time in the world would have been somewhat less than eightfold.
Mark 4: 8. "And other seeds fell into the good soil and as they grew up and increased, they yielded a crop and produced thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold."
Luke 8: 8a. "And other seed fell into the good soil, and grew up, and produced a crop a hundred times as great."
The fourth type of ground is the good soil. In this type of soil the seed fell and could easily penetrate as to take root unhindered and grew up. The fruition is stated as they, the seeds, yielded a crop and produced thirty, sixty, and a hundred fold. This is a phenomenal ratio because the typical yield in this place and time in the world would have been somewhat less than eightfold.
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
THORNY GROUND
Matt. 13:7. "And others fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them out.
Mark 4:7. "And other seed fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it, and it yielded no crop.
Luke 8:7. "And other seed fell among the thorns; and the thorns grew up with it, and choked it out.
As with the rocky soil, the thorny ground appears just like the good soil with the exception that the plow will dig deep with ease. The problem with this soil is that it is unrecognizably full of the fibrous roots of the perennial weeds that are now dormant and ready to spring to life.
In this third kind of soil some of the sower’s seed fell and the thorns came up and choked them out. This is due to the strength with which the weeds grow that good seed cannot overcome. As with the rocky ground, this is other seed that fell among the thorns yielded no crop.
Mark 4:7. "And other seed fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it, and it yielded no crop.
Luke 8:7. "And other seed fell among the thorns; and the thorns grew up with it, and choked it out.
As with the rocky soil, the thorny ground appears just like the good soil with the exception that the plow will dig deep with ease. The problem with this soil is that it is unrecognizably full of the fibrous roots of the perennial weeds that are now dormant and ready to spring to life.
In this third kind of soil some of the sower’s seed fell and the thorns came up and choked them out. This is due to the strength with which the weeds grow that good seed cannot overcome. As with the rocky ground, this is other seed that fell among the thorns yielded no crop.
Monday, August 21, 2006
ROCKY SOIL
Matt. 13:5. "And others fell upon the rocky places, where they did not have much soil; and immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of soil.
6. "But when the sun had risen, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.
Mark 4: 5. "And other seed fell on the rocky ground where it did not have much soil; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of soil.
6. "And after the sun had risen, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.
Luke 8: 6. "And other seed fell on rocky soil, and as soon as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture.
Other seed fell on soil that had a limestone subsurface covered only by a shallow layer of fertile ground. This is also common to the area around the Sea of Galilee. Matthew describes this as soil that had no depth. The seed would quickly germinate and grow root until it was turned by the underlying rocky strata. Thus these plants immediately sprang up.
As the plants got larger their demand for moisture increased at a rate that the soil could not provide. Luke records, “It had no moisture.” These tender seedlings would fall prey to the sun after it had risen; dehydrating what little moisture was remaining.
In good soil the root would seek moisture at the deeper levels, but these roots hit firm into rock so that they were scorched and withered away. One may accurately ascertain that because they no depth of soil to grow in, they had no root to draw moisture or sustenance.
6. "But when the sun had risen, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.
Mark 4: 5. "And other seed fell on the rocky ground where it did not have much soil; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of soil.
6. "And after the sun had risen, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.
Luke 8: 6. "And other seed fell on rocky soil, and as soon as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture.
Other seed fell on soil that had a limestone subsurface covered only by a shallow layer of fertile ground. This is also common to the area around the Sea of Galilee. Matthew describes this as soil that had no depth. The seed would quickly germinate and grow root until it was turned by the underlying rocky strata. Thus these plants immediately sprang up.
As the plants got larger their demand for moisture increased at a rate that the soil could not provide. Luke records, “It had no moisture.” These tender seedlings would fall prey to the sun after it had risen; dehydrating what little moisture was remaining.
In good soil the root would seek moisture at the deeper levels, but these roots hit firm into rock so that they were scorched and withered away. One may accurately ascertain that because they no depth of soil to grow in, they had no root to draw moisture or sustenance.
Sunday, August 20, 2006
THE SOWER
Matt. 13: 3b. saying, "Behold, the sower went out to sow;
Mark 4:3. "Listen to this! Behold, the sower went out to sow;
Luke 8:5a "The sower went out to sow his seed;
It is likely that Jesus looked out over the land and actually saw the sower, as did all who were attending His teaching. He would be wearing a seed bag much like a newspaper boy carries his papers, slung over his shoulder. He casts out seed randomly yet methodically to gain ample coverage over his field.
We again find Jesus speaking the word “behold” indicative of the necessity of paying close attention.
Matt. 13:4. and as he sowed, some seeds fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate them up.
Mark 4:4. and it came about that as he was sowing, some seed fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate it up.
Luke 8:5b. and as he sowed, some fell beside the road; and it was trampled under foot, and the birds of the air ate it up.
The fields would be long narrow cultivated strips with paths or right of ways separating them. This would the road that passers by would use. As the sower was sowing, the wind or an unintentional cast would land the seeds beside, or on, the road where it would be trampled under foot and pulverized. Another way the seed would be rendered ineffective would be by the birds feeding upon a very accessible meal. We find Jesus explaining that the birds came and ate them up.
These paths were like the ones in section 60 (Matt. 12:1-8; Mark 2:23-28; Luke 6:1-5) where the Pharisees admonished Him for allowing His disciples to profane the Sabbath by picking and eating the grain as they walked a similar path.
Mark 4:3. "Listen to this! Behold, the sower went out to sow;
Luke 8:5a "The sower went out to sow his seed;
It is likely that Jesus looked out over the land and actually saw the sower, as did all who were attending His teaching. He would be wearing a seed bag much like a newspaper boy carries his papers, slung over his shoulder. He casts out seed randomly yet methodically to gain ample coverage over his field.
We again find Jesus speaking the word “behold” indicative of the necessity of paying close attention.
Matt. 13:4. and as he sowed, some seeds fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate them up.
Mark 4:4. and it came about that as he was sowing, some seed fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate it up.
Luke 8:5b. and as he sowed, some fell beside the road; and it was trampled under foot, and the birds of the air ate it up.
The fields would be long narrow cultivated strips with paths or right of ways separating them. This would the road that passers by would use. As the sower was sowing, the wind or an unintentional cast would land the seeds beside, or on, the road where it would be trampled under foot and pulverized. Another way the seed would be rendered ineffective would be by the birds feeding upon a very accessible meal. We find Jesus explaining that the birds came and ate them up.
These paths were like the ones in section 60 (Matt. 12:1-8; Mark 2:23-28; Luke 6:1-5) where the Pharisees admonished Him for allowing His disciples to profane the Sabbath by picking and eating the grain as they walked a similar path.
