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The Power of Choice (Part 1) using the Parable of the Soils
Written by on December 10, 2013
This morning during my daily read through my Bible, I had a further understanding of choice. How powerful our free will can be. I thought this would be a simple writing, but it seems I may have to break it up for ease of reading.
The scripture comes from Mark 4:1-20 (NKJV).
4 And again He began to teach by the sea. And a great multitude was gathered to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole multitude was on the land facing the sea. 2 Then He taught them many things by parables, and said to them in His teaching:
3 “Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4 And it happened, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds of the air came and devoured it. 5 Some fell on stony ground, where it did not have much earth; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth. 6 But when the sun was up it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away. 7 And some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no crop. 8 But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and produced: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”
9 And He said to them, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”
10 But when He was alone, those around Him with the twelve asked Him about the parable. 11 And He said to them,“To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables, 12 so that
‘Seeing they may see and not perceive,
And hearing they may hear and not understand;
Lest they should turn,
And their sins be forgiven them.’”13 And He said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? 14 The sower sows the word. 15 And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts. 16 These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; 17 and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they stumble. 18 Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, 19 and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. 20 But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”
Background
In this passage of text, Jesus is teaching on a ship, while sitting, while the crowd (the multitude) were on the shore. Although, standing in the boat would have made him more visible, but it was customary for rabbis and teachers of the law to sit down while teaching; Jesus begins to tell them a story. This story is called by some the “Parable of the Soils”, because of Jesus’ reference to different soil types or the “Parables of the Sower” when the focus is on the farmer. While the story is just a short one, it is a powerful one. With the Scriptures, that are many ways to look at a passage, but it must always be in context (historical, cultural, and text), be supported by other Scriptures. I will support my supposition in hopefully in all three ways, that the focus is for us as believers to choose to allow the Word of God to change us. We are the soil.
Why Parables?
Many folks wonder, why Jesus used parables or stories to teach. I have heard answers such as Jesus is using illustrations from their life, so people can relate, so they can fully understand. This is not the answer that Jesus gave. His answer in Mark 4:12 “‘Seeing they may see and not perceive, And hearing they may hear and not understand; Lest they should turn, And their sins be forgiven them.’” According to his own words, Jesus spoke in parables so that the people would not understand what he was saying and would not be forgiven.
Jesus’ answer also reminds me of Isaiah 6:8-9:
Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying:“Whom shall I send,And who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”
9 And He said, “Go, and tell this people:‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; Keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’
10 “Make the heart of this people dull, And their ears heavy,
And shut their eyes; Lest they see with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And return and be healed.”
So Christ’s answer, while many Christians may not agree with my assessment, was predicted and commanded by scripture.
Jesus says in Mark 4:11 to the twleve (and there may have been others who were there who were close to Jesus): “To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables,” God only reveals spiritual truth to those he has chosen to save (2Th 2:13), and those who are chosen must choose to accept that call. Others hear the truth but are not able to understand it because it is spiritually discerned, ie understood by revelation of the Spirit (1Co 2:14).
Some Bible translations use “to strangers” or “unto them that are without” instead of “thouse who are outside”. In any of the versions, one can conclude these are people are not disciples of Jesus Christ, nor have any intimacy with Him. Many may suppose these are people who came only to amuse themselves with the sight of his person and miracles. So to these people, “all these things are done in parables;” To their ears they hear dark sayings, and figurative expressions, the sound of which they heard, and might be pleased with the pretty similes made use of, but understood not the spiritual meaning of them.
Speaking to his followers Jesus said, ‘The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you.’ Because we, the disciples of Jesus Christ, have been chosen by God for salvation and have answered that call, we can understand spiritual truth and obey it.