The David Spoon Experience 9-5-23 Part 1

A) This teaching will be challenging because we will not provide a full explanation. The reason for this is that the full explanation and its meaning are given later in the text. However, we will review and acknowledge that this is the chapter of parables in Matthew, starting with the parable of the Sower. 

B) A parable is something “cast alongside” something else. Jesus’ parables were stories that were “cast alongside” a truth to illustrate that truth. They were teaching aids and can be thought of as extended analogies or inspired comparisons. A common description of a parable is that it is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning.

C) Jesus explained that His use of parables had a two-fold purpose: to reveal the truth to those who wanted to know it and to conceal it from those who were indifferent.

D) The parable of the Sower: There are multiple interpretations as to whether these four different grounds for receiving the seed equate to salvation or not. In one sense, they do, and in another sense, they don’t. This is because someone can have hard soil the first few times they hear the word of God and the gospel, but that soil can become softer at different times.

E) In our text, the disciples ask an amazing question: Why do you always talk to people about Kingdom truths in a story fashion? Jesus’s answer is even more remarkable: To you, it has been given to know the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but this is not the case for everyone.