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The Power of Jesus' Parables

Jesus’ parables can be understood on multiple levels.  For example, take the parable of the sower and the seed which is found in Mark 4:3 “Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.” 

This parable can be understood on a physical level.  Farmers should avoid scattering their seed on the path because the dirt is beaten down and the seed will not take root. Farmers remove as many rocks as they can from their fields because seeds on rocks will never have deep enough roots and eventually they will wilt in the sun. Farmers need to get rid of weeds in their fields because the weeds will take water, nutrients and sunshine from potentially beneficial plants which will make the plants unproductive. Farmers should prepare the ground where they will be planting the seeds, be careful how they plant the seeds and continue to monitor and care for the seeds as they sprout and grow.  Every person who was there understood Jesus on a physical level. 

This parable could be understood psychologically. If we are struggling to have meaningful relationships we need to assess why we are resistant to healthy relationships. What has beaten us down and hardened us so that we will not accept healthy interactions with others. What are the rocks in our minds which cause us to have shallow and short-lived relationships with others? What are the weeds and thorns in our minds that are stealing our strength and choking out our potential? How can we have minds that are open and receptive to new ideas and healthy relationships which would be excitement and growth to our lives? 

This parable can be understood spiritually as Jesus intended. Jesus explains the parable from a spiritual perspective in Mark 4:13 Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? 14 The farmer sows the word. 15 Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. 16 Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. 17 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 18 Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; 19 but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. 20 Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.” 

Please notice that the physical and psychological interpretations are not wrong, but they are incomplete, they are only part of the story.  Our physical and psychological understandings make the most sense and are the most complete when we view them from a spiritual perspective. When our motivation is to honor God in our words, thoughts, actions and relationships it will affect what we do physically and it will affect how we see ourselves and other psychologically. 
  • God the Father will expose the beaten down areas of our lives, wrongs that have been done to us, that we need to allow God to till and renew.  
  • The Holy Spirit will show us rocks in our lives, negative attitudes and fears, which are causing us to have a shallow understanding of God and others. 
  • Jesus came to earth so that we could be freed from weeds and thorns which are choking us and affecting those around us. 

Mark 4:23 “If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear.” Jesus spoke in parables which could be understood by the mind, body or spirit. But Jesus message was ultimately that God the Father can change our lives eternally, from the inside out. 
But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  
To him be glory both now and forever! Amen. 2 Peter 3:18 
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