Audio Download

Matthew 13:1–30 The Parable of the Sower and That of the Weeds

[Study Aired June 16, 2025]

The study today is about the parable of the Sower and of the weeds. In the study we shall come to understand why Jesus spoke in parables to the multitudes. The study also highlights Jesus’ interpretation of the parable of the Sower to guide us, His elect, in understanding all His parables.  

Mar 4:13  And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables? 

The study ends with the parable of the weeds and its interpretation. 

The Parable of the Sower

Mat 13:1  The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side. 
Mat 13:2  And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore. 
Mat 13:3 And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow; 

The use of the phrase “the same day” is to let us know how our Lord Jesus worked hard like an ox during the three and half years of His ministry here on earth. The Greek word for ‘ox’ is ’shore’, and it is translated in English as bullock, bull, cow, ox and oxen. A key characteristic of an ox is its service or production and increase in wealth during the Biblical days.

Pro 14:4  Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: but much increase is by the strength of the ox. 

It is through the work of Christ, described as an ox during His time here on earth, that has made us spiritually rich.

As we have indicated in previous studies, the great multitude that followed Jesus represents those who are not given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of Heaven. They signify our brothers and sisters in the physical churches of this world who are not given to understand the spiritual reality of the word of the Lord. At a certain stage of our walk with Christ, we were part of the multitude when we were in the churches of this world. It is significant to note that the multitude stood on the shore while Jesus got up from the shore and went into a ship to speak to the multitude. 

In the Book of Revelation, it was while we were standing at the shore of the sea that we saw the beast coming out of the sea. Standing on the shore signifies our time in the churches of Babylon, since the shore represents the earth, but its closeness to the sea means that it is influenced by the sea of flesh as the raging waves of the sea foams out their own shame on the corridors of Babylon (shore). It is in Babylon that the Lord starts to show us what we really are – a beast! 

Rev 13:1  And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. 

Jud 1:13  Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever. 

Psa 73:22  So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee. 

The fact that Jesus was sitting on the shore before He went into a ship is to demonstrate to us that to know our Lord Jesus Christ, we must first be in Babylon before we are given to be in a ship of fellow elect, plowing through the sea of flesh. 

Rev 18:4  And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her (Babylon), my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. 

As we are aware, the sea represents the flesh of man, and being in a ship on the sea signifies overcoming the pulls of the flesh. In other words, being in a ship on the sea means being delivered from the pulls of the flesh. It is when the Lord comes to us with His judgment that we are gradually delivered from the pulls of the flesh and are given to hear Him speak to us.

Heb 12:22  But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, 
Heb 12:23  To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,
Heb 12:24  And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. 
Heb 12:25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven: 

In verse 3, the Lord spoke to the great multitude in a ship while they were standing on the shore of the sea, which represents the churches of this world or Babylon. In this age, the Lord speaks in parables to our brothers and sisters in Babylon so that they cannot understand. The reason they cannot understand is that they are of their father the devil. In times past, we were also of our father the devil, and therefore we could not understand what the Lord was saying to us. 

Joh 8:43  Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. 
Joh 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

Mat 13:4  And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: 
Mat 13:5  Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: 
Mat 13:6  And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. 
Mat 13:7  And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: 
Mat 13:8  But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold. 
Mat 13:9  Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.  

Without Jesus explaining what the parable of the sower means, it would have been impossible for us to understand what He was saying to us who were part of the multitude at a certain stage of our walk with Christ. From verses 4 to 7, the parable shows us our responses when we heard the word of the Lord in our time in Babylon. We did not appreciate the truth of the word of the Lord because we were spiritually blind and deaf. In the fullness of time, when the Lord opened our hearts and minds to understand His words, we started to produce fruit. This is the Lord’s explanation of the parable of the Sower: 

Mat 13:18  Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower. 
Mat 13:19  When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. 
Mat 13:20  But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; 
Mat 13:21  Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.
Mat 13:22  He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. 
Mat 13:23 But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 

The Lord’s explanation of the parable of the sower is to teach us, His elect, how to rightly divide the word of truth.

2Ti 2:15  Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 

In Matthew 13:23, it is the good ground that received the seed or the word of the Lord sown, and as a result was able to bear fruits. The good ground refers to the heart and mind of an elect. As we are aware, it takes time for a farmer to prepare the soil for planting. In a similar way, it takes time for our hearts and minds to be prepared to be recipients of the word of the Lord. 

Rom 1:20  For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 

The preparation of our hearts and minds is the Lord’s judgment of our old man or flesh, which we are going through to prepare us to receive the word of the Lord and to bear fruits of the spirit. These are the fruits of the spirit which we are to bear:

Gal 5:22  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Gal 5:23  Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 
Gal 5:24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 

1Pe 4:1  Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; 
1Pe 4:2 That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. 

The Purpose of the Parables

Mat 13:10  And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? 
Mat 13:11  He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. 

These verses show us that in this age, the Lord is saving a few people known as His elect. In verse 11, the elect who are privileged to be saved in this age are represented by the Lord’s disciples. What verse 11 also means is that it is a privilege in this age to be given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of Heaven and not a right. We are called and chosen before the foundation of the world by God to be saved in this age. 

Eph 1:4  According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 
Eph 1:5  Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 
Eph 1:6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

Those who are not given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of Heaven are the people of this world and our brothers and sisters in the churches of this world or Babylon. Their bondage to corruption is all part of the design by the Lord to prevent them from understanding the mysteries of the kingdom in this age. In Romans 8:20, we are told that it is not that people choose to sin willingly, but that their subjection to vanity is according to the counsel of God with the aim of liberating them at the right time to become the sons of God. That is why the whole of creation are waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God, His elect, who will be the agents of liberation of the people of the world including our brothers and sisters in Babylon.

Rom 8:19  For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. 
Rom 8:20  For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, 
Rom 8:21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 

We are therefore the source of salvation or saviors to the whole of humanity. 

Oba 1:21  And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD’S.

The verses following show us how the Lord is making the people of this world, including our brothers and sisters in Babylon, blind, so that they do not know Him in this age.  

Mat 13:12  For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. 
Mat 13:13  Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. 

The Lord is taking away from our brothers and sisters in Babylon even the little knowledge they have of the Lord and giving it to us, His elect. In other words, the Lord is making blind our brothers and sisters in Babylon including the people of the world, so that they do not come to know the truth in this age. As a result, the word of the Lord has become a parable to them to keep them in blindness, as shown in verse 13.

Joh 9:39  And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind. 
Joh 9:40  And some of the Pharisees [our brothers and sisters in Babylon] which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also? 
Joh 9:41 Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth. 

Mat 13:14  And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: 
Mat 13:15 For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. 

The blindness of our brothers and sisters in the churches of this world is due to the smoke that comes out of the bottomless pit, which represents our hearts and minds. The smoke is the false doctrines in their hearts and minds that eclipse the truth of the word of the Lord such that hearing they will hear and not understand, and seeing they will see and not perceive. 

Rev 9:1  And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit. 
Rev 9:2  And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit. 
Rev 9:3 And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. 

The propagators of these false doctrines are the false prophets who are described as locusts in the verses above. They come as angels of light but inwardly, they are grievous wolves. 

2Co 11:13  For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 
2Co 11:14  And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 
2Co 11:15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. 

The works of these false prophets show themselves by people’s hearts becoming gross as their ears become dull of hearing and their eyes are blinded to the truth of the word of the Lord, as shown in verse 15. We must remember that at a certain stage of our walk with Christ, we were also in such condition, as our eyes were blinded and our ears could not hear the truth.

Eph 2:1  And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins
Eph 2:2  Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 
Eph 2:3  Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. 
Eph 2:4  But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 
Eph 2:5  Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
Eph 2:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

Mat 13:16  But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. 
Mat 13:17 For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.     

It is indeed a privilege to be counted as children of the Lord in this age. Not that we deserved it, but in His mercy, He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world to become saviors with our Lord Jesus Christ.

Rom 11:30  For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief: 
Rom 11:31  Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.
Rom 11:32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all. 

The prophets and righteous men of old were not given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of Heaven. All the work they did was for our sake, as shown in the following verses:

1Pe 1:10  Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: 
1Pe 1:11  Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. 
1Pe 1:12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.

As verses 18 to 23 highlight the explanation of the parable of the Sower, which we have addressed, we shall proceed to the parable of the weeds as follows:

The Parable of the Weeds

Mat 13:24  Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: 
Mat 13:25  But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. 
Mat 13:26  But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. 

The man who sowed good seed in his field represents Christ and His Christ. The good seed signifies the word of the Lord. The field represents our hearts and minds. Christ came to us when we were part of the people of the world to deliver us so that we shall no longer conform to the standards of this world, but live as children of Christ. In our zeal, we unsuspectingly entered the churches of this world thinking we shall grow in the knowledge of Christ and His grace. However, as the parable suggests, this is the period of our walk when we were spiritually sleeping, just like the ten virgins who fell asleep while waiting for the bridegroom.  In other words, it is while we were in the churches of this world that we fell asleep and the enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat that is sown in our hearts and minds. The enemy here represents the devil who works through his false prophets to sow false doctrines of man’s wisdom and traditions in our hearts and minds while we were in the corridors of the churches of this world. These false doctrines are the tares.

2Pe 2:1  But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. 
2Pe 2:2  And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. 
2Pe 2:3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.  

It is the fruits which are born by the wheat and the tares that serves to distinguish between them. If false doctrines of man’s wisdom and tradition (tares) are sown in our hearts, we shall end up producing the fruits of the flesh. On the other hand, if the truth of the word of the Lord (wheat) is sown in our hearts, the result shall be the fruits of the spirit. 

Gal 5:19  Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 
Gal 5:20  Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
Gal 5:21  Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 
Gal 5:22  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 
Gal 5:23  Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 
Gal 5:24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 

As Jesus said, by our fruits, we shall know whether we are of Christ or the evil one. 

Mat 7:15  Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
Mat 7:16  Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
Mat 7:17  Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 
Mat 7:18  A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
Mat 7:19  Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 
Mat 7:20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. 

Mat 13:27  So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? 
Mat 13:28  He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?
Mat 13:29  But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. 
Mat 13:30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn. 

In verse 28, the servants of the householder wanted to go and gather up the tares, but he stopped them by saying that they should let the wheat and the tares grow together until the harvest, since in gathering up the tares, the wheat may also be rooted up. The fact that it is until the harvest that the tares will be gathered together and burnt means that it takes time for us effectively distinguish between the truth of the word of the Lord and false doctrines. It is as we are maturing spiritually that we can discern clearly between the truth of the Lord’s words and the false doctrines of the devil. The time of the harvest is therefore the period in our lives when our senses are exercised to discern the truth from false doctrines which are destroyed in our lives by the hail of the truth of His words. In other words, it is the time of the harvest that we are able to test the spirit to see if it is of the Lord.     

Heb 5:14  But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. 

1Jn 4:1  Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 
1Jn 4:2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: 

Eze 44:15  But the priests the Levites, the sons of Zadok, that kept the charge of my sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray from me, they shall come near to me to minister unto me, and they shall stand before me to offer unto me the fat and the blood, saith the Lord GOD: 

Eze 44:23  And they shall teach my people the difference between the holy and profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean. 
Eze 44:24 And in controversy they shall stand in judgment; and they shall judge it according to my judgments: and they shall keep my laws and my statutes in all mine assemblies; and they shall hallow my sabbaths. 

We are grateful to our Lord Jesus Christ for favoring us to be called and chosen in this age, to the praise of His glory. Amen!!