COMMENTARY ON MARK
LESSON NUMBER 38
“ Mark 4:14 The sower soweth the word. 15 And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts” (Mark 4:14-15; Matthew 13:18-19; Luke 8:11-12)
SEED SOWN ON THE WAYSIDE
INTRODUCTION
Jesus has delivered the parable of the sower to the multitudes. Sensing that truth is folded into this parable, yet unable to perceive it, the disciples have asked why He spoke to the multitudes in parables (Matt 13:10). They have also inquired concerning the meaning of this parable (Mark 4:10; Lk 8:9. Speaking as a King would speak, Jesus affirmed that some people were given the privilege of explanations, and some were not (Mk 4:11-12; Matt 8:11-16). This was a determination made by the Lord Himself. He also told them, “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” (Mat 13:17). The condition of the hearers was the issue in Jesus’ day, but prior to that there was also the matter of the fulness of time, which had not yet arrived. There had been prophets and righteous people who yearned to know “the deep things of God” (1 Cor 2:10), yet they were living in a time when such things could not be made known. Peter affirms that the prophets made diligent inquiry into the prophecies they were given to speak, only to be told they were not for them: “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” (1 Pet 1:12). What a unique privilege was vouchsafed to the disciples – to live in the time when these things could be known, and to have hearts to which the Lord was attracted, and disposed to expound truth that was formerly hidden. It is imperative that we learn from this to place a high value on the time in which we are living – “the day of salvation” and “the accepted time” (2 Cor 6:2). This is the time when these things can be comprehended. It is also the time when “newness of life” is available.
THE SOWER SOWS THE SEED
“ 4:14 The sower soweth the word.” Another version reads, “What the sower sows is the Message.” WEYMOUTH That is, “the word” is a the articulation of a communication with a theme and a purpose. In this case, “the word” makes known a reality that cannot be perceived with natural abilities. Thus we read of “the word of the kingdom” (Matt 13:19), “the word of this salvation” (Acts 13:26), and “the word of His grace” (Acts 14:3). Such a word makes known and expounds the Kingdom of God, the salvation of God, and the grace of God. It is more than merely quoting or reading the Scripture, or piecing together various texts in a sort of collage. Here “the Word” has primary reference to the Gospel, and matters relating to its reality, purpose, and provision.
SOWING THE WORD. Mark emphasizes the process – “soweth the word.” Sowing the Word is equivalent to preaching “the word” (Mk 2:2; 2 Tim 4:2), preaching “the Gospel” (Lk 20:1), preaching “Christ” (Acts 8:5), and declaring “all the counsel of God” (Acts 20:27). Preaching and teaching is more like sowing seed than marketing an idea. It is not an act of salesmanship, but one of scattering seed that will sprout and grow in good ground.
Jesus spoke of the growth process of a spouting seed. He taught that there are forces at work behind the scenes. “And He said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; and should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how. For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear” (Mark 4:26-28).
Those who “sow the seed” are scattering a message – a message that speaks of Divine intention and purpose. They are dispensing that word among the sons of men – making known the counsels, purpose, and provisions of the Lord. This is involved in the church being “the pillar and ground of the truth” (1 Tim 3:15).
THE SOWER. Matthew emphasizes the one scattering the seed – “the sower.” “Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower” (Matt 13:18). Some versions use the word “farmer.” NIV This, however, is not a proper word. A “farmer” tends the vineyard, cultivates the field, and harvests the crop, as well as planting the seed. Here, the emphasis is not on the care of the seed, but on the distributing of the seed. The “sower” has more in mind than producing a productive field. He is also discovering acceptable soil that will yield a productive harvest. That is precisely why he sows the seed indiscriminately, upon all kinds of soil.
In a sense, this is similar to the word of Solomon, which spoke of lesser matters. “Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days” (Eccl 11:1). Solomon was teaching that we should sow good deeds without regard to reaping immediate benefits from them – like throwing bread on the surface of a flowing stream. The deed itself was the point. So it is with a sower sowing seed. Here, the point was the sowing itself, which is an integral part of the work of the Lord. Even if it appears that nothing is coming from it, the seed will discover all manner of things, including “the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Heb 4:12). Those who are laboring together with God will be copious sowers. They will have a lot to say, much to declare, and will be noted for their words.
THE SEED. Luke focuses on the seed itself – “the word of God.” “Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God” (Luke 8:11). The phrase “the word of God” means the word that comes from God – the word that God has given. It is the message that He has delivered, the “record” He has “given of His Son” (1 John 5:10). At the heart of the matter, this is the Gospel of Christ, through which faith comes (Rom 10:17) – the message that is “the power of God unto salvation” (Rom 1:16). Matthew refers to the seed as “the word of the kingdom” (Matt 13:19) – a message that speaks of Sovereign rule and purpose, of Divine accomplishment and provision.
The message that distinguishes the good from the bad, and the receptive from the unreceptive, is not a message of rules and regulations, like the Law. It is not a message about how to make society better, or how to succeed in life. That is not the “seed” of God’s kingdom. It is not what discovers the nature of men’s hearts, and produces and sustains spiritual life. Rather, it is the Gospel that announces that God, unable to find a suitable deliverer among the sons of Adam, has Himself wrought salvation. This is according to the promise of Isaiah. “And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore Mine own arm brought salvation unto Me; and my fury, it upheld me” (Isa 63:5). That is core of the true message. The significance of every other word is measured by how it integrates with the Gospel of Christ without distracting from it. This is an indispensable lesson to learn: “The seed IS the word of God!”
WHEN IT IS HEARD
“ 15a And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard . . .” Notice how Jesus focuses our attention on those who are “BY the way side.” The idea is that they are near the road – like the shoulder of modern highway. Other versions read, “by the road,” NASB “along the path,” NIV “on the path.” NRSV Luke reads, “Those by the way side are they that hear . . .” (Luke 8:12).
BY THE WAY SIDE. Think of the “way side” as “the broad way that leadeth to destruction” (Matt 7:13). Here, Jesus is speaking of people who are standing or walking close to that road – “by” it. These are not “enemies of the cross” (Phil 3:18), purposely distorting the message, and avowed haters of God. These have not taken an open stand against the Gospel, They are not such as have descended into the quagmire of reprobacy. They are not in the center of the way to hell, but are, as it were, walking leisurely along the side of the road. The people they see the most, and with which they are the most familiar, are headed for perdition. They occupy a place where life is not springing up to any productive degree. If a sprout is found here or there, it is unusual, and no one expects anything to come from it.
These are people whose hearts are like a footpath, beaten down and hardened by fleshly thoughts, interspersed with occasional intentions that appear noble. They lead lives in which nothing good and spiritually productive can really grow, and by virtue of their choice of direction, the Gospel has no real attraction to them.
The path “by the wayside” is uncultivated. It is not intended to grow anything, but is a mere convenience for those who have chosen the “broad way.” Travelers to perdition may seek to briefly pursue some noble thing, taking a rest from their rapid descent to perdition. But they have no mind to remain here – on the side of the road. These are people whose hearts and minds are not prepared to receive the Word of the Lord. Those walking “by the way side” are not outwardly wicked, but they have no capacity to think upon the good word of God. This world has their attention, and they are moving along with it to destruction, even though they are walking at a more leisurely pace along the side of the road.
These are people like Felix who, upon hearing the word of the Lord responded, “Go thy way for this time; when I have a more convenient season, I will call for thee” (Acts 24:25). He was “by the wayside,” and thus could only muster a momentary curiosity for the things of God. Way side people are also like Agrippa who said, “Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian” (Acts 26:28). Their minds are so beaten down and hardened with worldly activity, that the seed can do nothing more than lie on the surface of their hearts.
It is with great sadness that I must acknowledge I have found such hearts within the professed church. In fact, lamentable as it may be, preaching the Word in many churches is like sowing the seed on all four soils mentioned in this parable.
UNDERSTANDETH NOT. Matthew provides a further explanation of these people. “When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not,” or “does not understand it,” NKJV or, “does not grasp or comprehend it” AMPLIFIED (Mat 13:19).
Here we see the effect of hard soil – soil that is walked upon, but never really prepared for holy planting. We do not need to speculate about the results that hardness yields. Here it is spelled out for us. This kind of people hear the word, but “understandeth it not.” It makes no sense to them. They see nothing in it to pursue, nothing that provokes inquiry, nothing that alerts them to a dangerous condition. They do not hear the tone of promise or the trumpet of warning. They cannot hear any description of themselves or their condition. They cannot perceive that God is speaking to them, or that He has provided for them. Hearing the Word is no different than hearing some form of childish gibberish, or a language that they do not understand.
Matthew says they did not understand “the word of the kingdom.” To them, the message was not about an essential and profitable kingdom. It did not speak of a king to which they were accountable, who upheld all things by the word of His power (Heb 1:3). To them, “the word of the kingdom” was nothing more than a novelty, and not even an interesting one at that. They were like the horse and the mule “which have no understanding” (Psa 32:9). These are a “foolish people, and without understanding; which have eyes, and see not; which have ears, and hear not” (Jer 5:21). They cannot “handle accurately the word of God” (2 Tim 2:15), because it makes no sense to them. They imagine that it has no relevancy, and is not important. Even though it is properly called “the word of life” (Phil 2:16), they see absolutely no association of that word with their life. The realm they have chosen to occupy has made them hard, and they cannot even prepare to hear the word. It is the Word itself that discovers their miserable condition.
SATAN COMETH IMMEDIATELY
“ 15b . . . Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.” Matthew reads, “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 13:19).
IMMEDIATELY. The “immediately” of Mark is the “then” of Matthew and Luke. Other versions read, “as soon as they hear it,” NIV “straightway,” ASV “Satan comes at once.” NAB The word “immediately” means precisely what comes to your mind when you read it: “right away, at once, and right after that.” FRIBERG The idea is that they never got beyond hearing. As soon as they heard it, from a practical point of view, they forgot it. It meant nothing more to them that the ordinary sounds that filled the air all about them. Remember, this IS what takes place in those who hear the word of God and have no understanding of it – particularly the Gospel, which is God’s word concerning Jesus Christ and His salvation.
TAKETH AWAY THE WORD. “Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word.” Matthew says “the wicked one catches it away.” To “catch away” means to pluck it up by force – like fowls of the air who “devoured it up” (Matt 13:4; Mk 4:4; Lk 8:5). Luke says “the devil . . . taketh away the word.”
There is no question, therefore, about WHO is taking the action. The devil, like hovering and stalking birds, is close to the hard places, where worldly commerce is the activity, and no thought is given to the Lord. Even as the devil was found by the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen 3:1), so he is near the broad road that leads to destruction. The closer one is to the world, and the more one is involved in the affairs of this world, the more prominent Satan will be!
When the devil takes away the word of God, the individual cannot think upon it, recall it, remember it, or ponder it. For all practical purposes, it is just as though the word was never heard at all. The conscience of such people does not smite them. They are not convicted by the Holy Spirit, and it is not hard for them to “kick against the pricks” (Acts 9:5). The devil is licensed to operate in such people, having been given a free hand with them. If men have no heart for the truth, God will not protect them from the devil.
Men should not imagine that because they have heard the good word of the Lord they can recall it whenever they want, revisiting it when they have a more convenient time. Nor, indeed, should they allow themselves the luxury of thinking they can be indifferent to the sound of the truth. Satan will waste no time in pulling the word out of the hearts of those who do not understand it – those who have no heart for it, or capacity to receive it.
SOWN IN THEIR HEARTS. Note that the word is not said to have been sown in the mind, but “in their hearts.” All three Gospel writers make a point of this: “in his heart,” “in their hearts,” “out of their hearts” (Matt 13:19; Mk 4:15; Lk 8:12). Luke is most precise in his expression: “taketh away the word out of their hearts.” This is the opposite of the word of Christ dwelling “richly” in the heart (Col 3:16). The sower sowed the seed. The seed fell into the heart. The heart did not embrace it. The devil took it out of the heart! It was not there anymore, and thus the person gave no further thought to it. This hearer did not merely forget, but the word was taken out of his heart. This is an action those on the way side cannot stop – in fact they have no desire to do so. It is dreadful to consider that this may be an explanation for why many never have a serious thought about the Lord.
LEST THEY SHOULD BELIEVE. “ . . . then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved” (Luke 8:12). Luke assigns a cause to taking away of the word “out of their hearts.” The word is so powerful, that if it remains in the heart, it will do a gracious work. As it is written, “the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe” (1 Thess 2:13). That working, however, presumes the heart is “broken and contrite” (Psa 51:17), and that the “fallow ground” has been broken up (Jer 4:3; Hos 10:12). As powerful as the word is, it will NOT work in a “way side” heart! In fact, it will not be allowed to remain there, but will “immediately” be removed. That is, the means through which believing and being saved are accomplished will be removed! Here is the fulfillment of Isaiah’s word – a word of judgment against the hardhearted. “And He said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed” (Isa 6:9-10). This is what Jesus’ word – His parabolic sayings – did to the departing multitudes. It made their hearts more calloused. It made the things of God more difficult to understand. It pushed them backward more and more, until they finally fell, rather than understanding, being converted, and being healed (Isa 28:13).