4 1Another time Jesus began teaching by the lake, and a large crowd gathered around him. He got into a boat so that he could sit and teach from the lake. All the people stayed on the shore near the water. 2Jesus used stories to teach them many things. One of his lessons included this story:3"Listen! A farmer went out to sow seed. 4While he was scattering the seed, some of it fell by the road. The birds came and ate all that seed. 5Other seed fell on rocky ground, where there was not enough dirt. It grew quickly there because the soil was not deep. 6But then the sun rose and the plants were burned. They died because they did not have deep roots. 7Some other seed fell among thorny weeds. The weeds grew and stopped the good plants from growing. So they did not make grain. 8But some of the seed fell on good ground. There it began to grow, and it made grain. Some plants made 30 times more grain, some 60 times more, and some 100 times more." 9Then Jesus said, "You people who hear me, listen!" 11Jesus said, "Only you can know the secret truth about God's kingdomb. But to those other people I tell everything by using stories. 12I do this so that,
16"Other people are like the seed planted on rocky ground. They hear the teaching, and they quickly and gladly accept it. 17But they don't allow it to go deep into their lives. They keep it only a short time. As soon as trouble or persecutione comes because of the teaching they accepted, they give up. 18"Others are like the seed planted among the thorny weeds. They hear the teaching, 19but their lives become full of other things: the worries of this life, the love of money, and everything else they want. This keeps the teaching from growing, and it does not produce a cropf in their lives. 20"And others are like the seed planted on the good ground. They hear the teaching and accept it. Then they grow and produce a good crop - sometimes 30 times more, sometimes 60 times more, and sometimes 100 times more." 33Jesus used many stories like these to teach the people. He taught them all they could understand. 34He always used stories to teach them. But when he was alone with his followers, Jesus explained everything to them. 39Jesus stood up and gave a command to the wind and the water. He said, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind stopped, and the lake became calm. 40He said to his followers, "Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?" 41They were very afraid and asked each other, "What kind of man is this? Even the wind and the water obey him!" aapostle A follower of Jesus chosen to represent him in a special way. During his earthly ministry, Jesus named twelve men as apostles. They had the specific responsibility and authority to represent him and proclaim his message throughout the world. Later, he appeared to Paul and gave him a similar commission, especially to non-Jewish people. Barnabas, Paul’s missionary companion, and James, the brother of Jesus, are also called apostles, as well as several others in the New Testament. Some of these occurrences of the word, however, have the more general sense of “messenger” or “representative.” bGod’s kingdom The “reign” or “rule” of God over all people who submit to him by accepting Jesus as the Messiah (the appointed king), who represents God’s kingdom on earth. Jesus was the perfect example of submission to the will of God. When people give control of their lives to Jesus, they become part of God’s kingdom and begin to enjoy the blessings he has promised his people from the beginning. (Note that in Matthew this term also translates the Greek word “kingdom” by itself or the phrase, “the kingdom of the heavens,” which was used by Jews as a way to avoid saying the divine name.) cIsaiah 6:9-10 dSatan A name for the devil meaning “the enemy,” or “the accuser.” epersecution The act of persecuting or being persecuted. See “persecute.” f4:19 produce a crop Meaning to do the good things God wants his people to do. |