Luke 8:4-21

And when a great crowd was gathering and people from town after town came to him, he said in a parable, “A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell along the path and was trampled underfoot, and the birds of the air devoured it. And some fell on the rock, and as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it. And some fell into good soil and grew and yielded a hundredfold.” As he said these things, he called out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” - Luke 8:4-8 ESV

I've heard some say that the sower is Jesus alone, but it would seem that, since the seed is the Word of God, the reception of the Word is not limited only to when Jesus preached, but includes how the Word is received when presented by His followers.

Land on the path and birds eat it - devil come and takes away anything that could sprout in their lives so they're left empty, with no seed even sprouting (v12). The unprepared, unwilling, uncaring, unbelieving unbeliever.

Land on the rock - they receive the Word, seem to sprout, but have no root. Temptation comes their way and when they're faced with the fence, with God's side being not giving into that temptation and the other side being giving into the temptation and getting the temporary joy out of it, they choose to go to temptation. Almost like joy seekers; whatever brings them the most joy and the best feeling in the moment. No root. (v13)

Land on thorny ground - they receive the Word, it very well might take root in their lives, but then the cares and lusts and desires of the world come and choke out the seed that has taken root so it doesn't really make a change in their lives. They want to control their earthly lives the way they want to. They hear, but the seed doesn't produce fruit. The world chokes it out. (v14).

Land on good soil - those that hear the Word, keep the Word, and the bear fruit of the Word. When temptation comes, they don't go to the other side. When the lusts and desires of the world come, they give them up to follow Jesus. There's action in this and also the grace of God that we are given the Word. "... who, hearing the word, hold it fast" Hearing - someone else presenting it for you to receive. Hold it fast - you not letting what you heard go. If you're climbing a rope and you're three stories up, you hold the rope fast. You don't let it go. You hold on for dear life. Hear the Word and hold on.

---

And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant, he said, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that ‘seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.’ - Luke 8:9-10 ESV

The disciples wanted the accurate explanation. They may have had a guess, but might not have. Also remember that they didn't have the entire New Testament like we do; they were living it. So when we think "how do you not get it?", remember that not all of it has happened for them to get. They don't have nearly two thousand years of church history to guide them in that moment towards understanding. So God gives them that understanding.

A bit of commentary on "seeing they do not see".

There's a heart ready to receive and a heart that isn't. Others may hear and not understand because they don't really care. We experience people like that sometimes. You talk to them about something you're passionate about, and they don't really care, and you can tell. They'll miss some crucial details in your words because they aren't really paying attention or applying it to themselves.

A heart ready to receive is the one paying attention. They apply it to themselves.

So does Jesus block out people from understanding by using parables? In a way, yes. However, I'd say the better way for us to phrase it would be that Jesus uses parables to weed out those who truly are listening, who are seeking, who want to learn and know and have a relationship.

---

Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away. And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience. - Luke 8:11-15 ESV

Three ways the Word of life is choked out in the life of a listener, one way in which it bears fruit. Do not grow discouraged if it seems sharing your faith is producing no change in others. Jesus warned us of this. Just keep sharing the faith. Fling the seed.

---

“No one after lighting a lamp covers it with a jar or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a stand, so that those who enter may see the light. For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light. Take care then how you hear, for to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away.” - Luke 8:16-18 ESV

Dr. McGee's commentary (summarized)

Light creates responsibility. The person who receives truth has to act. We were in darkness before the light of the Gospel came, and now that the light of the Gospel has come, we have to make a choice and act on it. Either rejection of or acceptance of the light, which is Christ.

---

Then his mother and his brothers came to him, but they could not reach him because of the crowd. And he was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see you.” But he answered them, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.” - Luke 8:19-21 ESV

In Mark it's said they were attempting to seize Him. Either way, this is an interruption of the work He is doing; teaching. Jesus prioritizes God's work in this situation. Jesus obeys God's will in this instance, not disobeys His family's will.

Most importantly, He introduces a wonderful truth; we are brothers and sisters of Christ when we follow Him, doing as He commands through the Word of God. We are in the family of believers.