CHAPTER 9

Jesus left Peter’s house in Capernaum and sat on the northwest coast of Lake Galilee, and large crowds of people were gathering around him. The crowds became so large that he sat down in a fishing boat out on the lake, while all the people stood along the shore at the water’s edge.

Then Jesus taught them many things in stories called parables.

Turning to the crowd, Jesus told the story of a farmer. He said, “A farmer went out and threw seed on his field. As he was throwing the seed, some of the seed fell on the walking path. The seed was trampled on, and the birds came and ate the seed. Some seed fell onto rocky ground that had little soil. Because the soil was shallow, the seed grew very quickly, but the sun burned the plants. The plants withered be- cause they had no roots in the soil to get water and keep them alive. Other seed fell among thorns, but the thorns grew up and choked the plants, so they did not produce grain. But other seed fell on good, deep soil. The seed grew and produced an abundant harvest that was 30, 60, and 100 times more than what was planted.” Then Jesus declared, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear!”

In private Jesus told his disciples the meaning of his story. He said, “The seed that the farmer threw into his field was the word of God. Some people are like the seed the farmer threw onto the walking path. They are people who when they hear the message of the kingdom of God do not accept it. As soon as they hear the word of God, Satan comes and quickly steals the word of God that was planted in their hearts, so that they will not believe and be saved.

“Some people are like the seed the farmer threw onto the rocky ground. They hear God’s word and immediately receive it with joy, but since they do not have deep roots, they believe for only a short time. When times of testing, trouble, and persecution come be- cause of the word of God, they quickly fall away. Some people are like the seed the farmer threw into the thorns. They hear God’s word, but the worries of this life, the deception of wealth, pleasures, and the de- sire for earthly things come in and choke the word of God. So they are unfruitful and do not grow and mature. Some people are like the seed the farmer threw on the good deep soil. These people have honest and good hearts. They hear God’s word, and accept it, understand it, and hold fast to it. And by persevering, they produce an abundant crop— some 30, some 60, some 100 times more than was planted.”

Then Jesus told the story of light and understanding. He said, “No one lights a lamp and hides it under a clay bowl or puts it under a bed. Instead, they put the lamp on a stand, so that those who come into the house can see the light. For there is nothing hidden that will not be revealed, and nothing kept secret that will not be known or brought out into the open.” Then Jesus said, “Whoever has, will be given more; whoever has very little, even what they have will be taken away. Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear!”

Then Jesus spoke about the kingdom of God by telling the story of the weeds. He said, “The kingdom of God is like a landowner who threw good seeds of wheat on his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and threw seeds of weed among the wheat and ran away. When the good seed grew and produced wheat, the weeds also appeared. These weeds were called darnel, a weedy rye grass with poisonous black seeds which resembles wheat in its early growth.

The landowner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you throw good seed on your field? Where then did these weeds come from?’ The landowner said to them, ‘An enemy did this.’ The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to pull up the weeds?’ ‘No, for when you pull up the weeds, you will also pull out the wheat. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: ‘First pull up the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and store it in my barn.’”

In private Jesus told his disciples the meaning of his story. He said, “The one who threw the good seed in the field is the Son of Man. The field is this world, and the good seed refers to the people of the kingdom of God. The weeds are the people of Satan, and the enemy who sows them is Satan. The harvest is the end of this world, and the harvesters are angels. As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this world. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will remove from his kingdom everyone that causes sin and all who do evil. They will all be thrown into the blazing furnace of fire, where people will be weeping and grinding their teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.”

Then Jesus spoke about the kingdom of God by telling the story of the mustard seed and yeast. He said, “The kingdom of God is like a small mustard seed that a man planted in his field. Although the mustard seed is one of the smallest seeds, it grows larger than all the plants and becomes a large bush in the field, so that birds come and make nests in its large branches. The kingdom of God is like yeast that a woman mixed in her flour until the yeast spreads through all the dough.”

Then Jesus told these stories about the kingdom of God.

“The kingdom of God is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man discovered the treasure, he buried it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he owned and bought that field.

“The kingdom of God is like a merchant searching for valuable pearls. When he found a pearl of great value, he went away and sold everything he owned and bought the pearl. Therefore, every teacher of the law of Moses who has become a disciple in the kingdom of God is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom both old and new treasures.

“The kingdom of God is like a fishing dragnet that was thrown into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. When it was full, the fishermen pulled the dragnet up on the shore. Then they sat down and put the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad fish away. This is how it will be at the end of this world. God’s angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the blazing furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.” Jesus asked his disciples, “Do you understand?” And they said, “Yes.”

Jesus spoke the word of God to the crowd of people using many other stories. He did not teach anything to them without using a story. So this fulfilled what is written in Psalm 78:2, “I will speak in stories, I will speak about things hidden since the creation of the universe.”

When Jesus was alone, the disciples asked Jesus, “Why do you teach the people in stories? Jesus said to them, “The knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of God have been given to you, but to the people on the outside I teach everything by telling stories. Whoever has a receptive heart, an abundance will be given to them. But whoever does not have a receptive heart, what they have will be taken from them. This is why I teach the people in stories: Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. This fulfills what is written in Isaiah 6:9-10, ‘so they may be always looking, but never perceiving, and always hearing, but never understanding; otherwise they might turn to God and be forgiven!’ For the people’s hearts have become dull. They are hard of hearing and have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might hear with their ears, see with their eyes, and understand with their heart and turn to me, so that I can heal them. But blessed are your eyes because they see, and blessed are your ears because they hear. For I tell you the truth: Many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.”