Parable of the Planter

by Frederick Hoehn, copyright 2014, all rights reserved.  

Chapter 1  

The Parable of the Planter is also called the Parable of the Sower.  Sower is the old-fashioned, King James English word for planter.  But perhaps they use the word sower in England;  it’s not used much these days in American English.  

The first four books of the New Testament are The Gospel of Matthew, The Gospel of Mark, The Gospel of Luke, and The Gospel of John.  

Many of the things such as parables that are in one of the gospels can also be found in one or more of the other gospels.  

The main place to find the words that Jesus spoke while he was on earth are the four gospels.  

Although the whole Bible is important, the words of Jesus are of foremost importance because they tell us how to get to heaven by faith in God’s Son, Jesus.  

Paul, the Apostle, also further explained God’s plan of salvation, later on in the New Testament, but Paul wouldn’t have had much to write about if there hadn’t first been the words of Jesus as found in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.  

The Parable of the Planter is in Matthew chapter 13, Mark chapter 4, and Luke chapter 8.  

After Jesus told the parable, the disciples, in Mark chapter 4, asked Jesus to explain the parable.  In Mark 4:13, Jesus said, “Don’t you know this parable?  And how will you know all parables?”  

Kenneth E. Hagin said, “In other words, this is like the granddaddy of all parables.”  

Jesus seems to be saying that if we understand this parable, we’ll understand the other parables.  

But we do understand this parable because Jesus explained it for us.  

So here is the Parable of the Planter from Mark chapter 4:
 3 "Listen, a planter went out to plant.
 4 And as he planted, some fell by the way side, and the birds of the air came and devoured it.
 5 And some fell on stony ground, where it didn't have much earth, and immediately it sprang up, because it was in shallow earth.
 6 But when the sun was up, it was scorched, and because it had no root, it withered away.
 7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.
 8 And other fell on good ground, and yielded fruit that sprang up and increased, and produced, some thirtyfold, and some sixtyfold, and some a hundredfold.
 9 And he said to them, he that has ears to hear, let him hear."
 10 And when he was alone, those who were around him with the twelve asked him about the parable.
 11 And he said to them, "To you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God, but to those who are outside, all these things are done in parables,
 12 So that seeing they will see, but not perceive, and hearing they will hear, and not understand, so they won't be converted, and have their sins forgiven."
 13 And he said to them, "Don't you know this parable?  And how then will you know all parables?
 14 The planter plants the word.
 15 And these are the ones by the way side, where the word is planted, but when they've heard, Satan comes immediately, and takes away the word that was planted in their hearts.
 16 And these are the ones also who are planted on stony ground, who, when they've heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness,
 17 But have no root in themselves, and so endure briefly.  Afterward, when affliction or persecution arises for the word's sake, immediately they are offended.
 18 And these are the ones that are planted among thorns, such as hear the word,
 19 And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.
 20 And these are the ones who are planted on good ground, such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixtyfold, and some a hundredfold."  

Chapter 2

The Planter plants the seed in four categories:  on the way side, on stony ground, among thorns, and on good ground.  

The category we need to be in is the good ground that produces fruit thirtyfold, or sixtyfold, or a hundredfold.  I’ve asked the Lord to make me one of those hundredfold Christians, and I believe he’ll do that or better for me.    

The wayside category is where the birds eat it, or where it gets trampled (in another gospel).  

On the stony ground, it gets scorched.  

Among thorns, the thorns choke it.  

The birds in the way side category represent the enemy, Satan and his demons, who take away the word.  Maybe they’ll tell you that it doesn’t mean what you think it means.  Maybe they’ll tell you it’s just a story and has no basis in reality.  Maybe they’ll try to tell you that was an error in translation.    

But Jesus didn’t waste words.  He made every word count.  He didn’t joke around.  He knew that our souls would be at stake.  Jesus wants us to take him quite seriously, which is why he often used the expression, “Verily, verily, I say to you…”   Or, in other words, Truly, truly, I say to you…”  

Jesus said, “Broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many there are who go that way.  Narrow is the way that leads to life, and there are few who find it.”

Jesus is hoping that you’ll be one of the few that go to heaven, and not one of the many that go to hell.  

The stony ground category is where they have no roots in themselves, and so affliction or persecution causes them to fall away.  

The thorns category is where the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things choke the word, so the word becomes unfruitful.   

God told us in the Old Testament that he is a jealous God.  The Lord wants to be number one in your life, if you’re going to follow Jesus to heaven.  

Your career is not more important than going to heaven.  Jesus said we have to love him more than we love husband or wife or children.

There have been those who had to choose between keeping their spouse, or following Jesus.  The right choice, if you have to make that choice, is following Jesus.  I’m not going to go to hell for anyone, would you?   

I’ll try to take people with me to heaven.  But I won’t let them take me with them to hell.  

I knew a man who was a Christian but had a girlfriend who was an unbeliever.  At first, he talked of trying to witness to her about Jesus.  Last I heard, she had won him over to not being a Christian.  

What a pity.  Does he really think that hell won’t be so bad because she’s there with him in hell?  That will promptly be disproven soon after he arrives in hell.  

In Corinthians, we’re told, “Don’t be unequally yoked together with unbelievers.”  

A Christian man should not have an unbeliever as a girlfriend.  A Christian woman should not have an unbeliever as her boyfriend.  

Jesus said, “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”  

If you’ll put Jesus first, he’ll take care of you.  But if you put something else first on your list of priorities, you’ll lose.

Jesus said, “He that finds his life shall lose it, but he that loses his life for my sake shall find it.”  

___James chapter 1
 1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes that are dispersed around, greetings.
 2 My brothers, count it all joy when you fall into various temptations,
 3 Knowing this, that the testing of your faith works patience.
 4 But let patience have its perfect work, so you'll be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God for it, who gives to all men liberally, and won't find fault, and it shall be given to him.
 6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering.  For he that wavers is like a wave of the sea driven by the wind and tossed.
 7 For let that man not think that he'll receive anything from the Lord.
 8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
 9 Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted,
 10 But the rich, in that he is made low, because as the flower of the grass he'll pass away.
 11 For the sun has no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withers the grass, and the flower of it falls, and the grace of the fashion of it perishes, so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.
 12 Blessed is the man that endures temptation, for after he's been tested, he'll receive the crown of life, that the Lord has promised to those who love him.
 13 Let no man say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God," for God can't be tempted with evil, nor does he tempt any man,
 14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed.
 15 Then when lust has conceived, it produces sin, and sin when it's finished, produces death.
 16 Do not err, my beloved brothers.
 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, nor shadow of turning.
 18 He chose to father us with the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.
 19 So, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger,
 20 For the anger of man doesn't accomplish the righteousness of God.
 21 So, lay apart all filthiness and the unnecessary naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
 22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like a man seeing his natural face in a mirror,
 24 For he sees himself, and goes his way, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.
 25 But whoever looks into the perfect law of liberty, and continues in it, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
 26 If any man among you seems to be religious, and doesn't bridle his tongue, but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is for nothing.
 27 Pure religion and undefiled before God the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

___James chapter 2
 1 My brothers, don't have the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.
 2 For if a man with a gold ring comes to your assembly in fancy clothes, and a poor man in dirty clothes comes in also,
 3 And you have respect to him that wears the fancy clothes, and say to him, "Sit here in a good place," and say to the poor, "Stand there, or sit here under my footstool,"
 4 Aren't you then partial in yourselves, and have become judges with evil thoughts?
 5 Listen, my beloved brothers, hasn't God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him?
 6 But you have despised the poor.  Don't rich men oppress you, and bring you before the judgment seats?
 7 Don't they blaspheme that worthy name by which you're called?
 8 If you fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, "You shall love your neighbor like yourself," you do well,
 9 But if you have respect of persons, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as sinners.
 10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
 11 For he that said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not kill."  Now if you don't commit adultery, yet if you kill, you've become a breaker of the law.
 12 Speak in such a way, and do, as those who'll be judged by the law of liberty.
 13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that has shown no mercy, and mercy rejoices against judgment.
 14 What does it profit, my brothers, though a man says he has faith, and doesn't have works?  Can faith save him?
 15 If a brother or sister needs clothes, and lacks daily food,
 16 And one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you don't give them the things that are needed for the body, what good is that?
 17 Even so faith, if it doesn't have works, is dead, being alone.
 18 Yes, a man could say, "You have faith, and I have works, show me your faith without your works, and I'll show you my faith by my works."
 19 You believe that there is one God, you do well, the devils also believe, and tremble.
 20 But don't you know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
 21 Wasn't Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son on the altar?
 22 Do you see how faith worked with his deeds, and by works faith was made perfect?
 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness, and he was called the friend of God."
 24 You see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
 25 Likewise also wasn't Rahab the prostitute justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
 26 For like the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

___James chapter 3
 1 My brothers, don't be many masters, knowing that we'll receive the greater condemnation.
 2 For in many things we offend all.  If any man doesn't offend in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.
 3 See, we put bits in the horses' mouths, so they'll obey us, and we turn around their whole bodies.
 4 Look also at the ships, which though they're so large, and are driven by fierce winds, yet they're turned around by a very small helm, wherever the captain wants.
 5 Even so, the tongue is a little member, and boasts great things.  See how great a matter a little fire kindles!
 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of sin, so is the tongue among our members that it makes dirty the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature, and it is set on fire by hell.
 7 For every kind of animals, and of birds, and of snakes, and of things in the sea, gets tamed, and has been tamed by mankind,
 8 But no man can tame the tongue, it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
 9 With it we bless God, the Father, and with it we curse men, who are made after the likeness of God.
 10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing.  My brothers, these things ought not to be.
 11 Does a fountain send out at the same place sweet water and bitter?
 12 Can the fig tree, my brothers, produce olive berries?  Or a vine, figs?  So no fountain can yield both salt water and fresh.
 13 Who is a wise man, possessing knowledge among you?  Let him show out of a good lifestyle his works with meekness of wisdom.
 14 But if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, don't glory, and don't lie against the truth.
 15 This wisdom doesn't descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
 16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be reasoned with, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
 18 And the fruit of righteousness is planted in peace by those who make peace.

___James chapter 4
 1 Where do wars and fightings among you come from?  Don't they come from your lusts that war in your members?
 2 You lust, and don't have, you kill, and desire to have, and can't obtain, you fight and war, yet you don't have, because you don't ask.
 3 You ask, and don't receive, because you ask wrongly, so you can consume it on your lusts.
 4 You adulterers and adulteresses, don't you know that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God?  Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world is an enemy of God.
 5 Do you think that the scripture says for nothing, "The spirit that lives in us lusts to envy?"
 6 But he gives more grace.  So he says, "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble."
 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God.  Resist the devil, and he'll run away from you.
 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.  Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double minded.
 9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and cry, let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he'll lift you up.
 11 Don't speak evil about each other, brothers.  He that speaks evil about his brother, and judges his brother, speaks evil about the law, and judges the law, but if you judge the law, you're not a doer of the law, but a judge.
 12 There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy, who are you that judges someone else?
 13 Go on now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we'll go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and make a profit,"
 14 Actually, you don't know what will happen tomorrow.  For what is your life?  It is a puff of steam, that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away.
 15 For you ought to say, "Lord willing, we'll live, and do this, or that."
 16 But now you rejoice in your boastings, all such rejoicing is evil.
 17 Therefore to him that knows to do good, and doesn't do it, to him it is sin.

___James chapter 5
 1 Go on now, you rich men, cry and howl for your miseries that shall come on you.
 2 Your riches are corrupted, and your clothes are moth eaten.
 3 Your gold and silver are rusted, and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh like fire.  You've heaped treasure together for the last days.
 4 See, the wages of the laborers who have reaped down your fields, which you've kept back by fraud, shouts, and the shouts of those who've reaped have entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabbath.
 5 You've lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton, you've nourished your hearts, like in a day of slaughter.
 6 You've condemned and killed the just, and he doesn't resist you.
 7 Be patient therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord.  See, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, and has long patience for it, until he receives the early and latter rain.
 8 You also be patient.  Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is getting near.
 9 Don't grudge against each other, brothers, so you won't be condemned, see, the judge stands at the door.
 10 Take, my brothers, the prophets, who've spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.
 11 See, we count them happy that endure.  You've heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord, that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.
 12 But above all things, my brothers, don't swear, not by heaven, nor by the earth, nor by any other oath, but let your yes be yes, and your no, no, so that you don't fall into condemnation.
 13 Is anyone among you afflicted?  Let him pray.  Is anyone merry?  Let him sing psalms.
 14 Is anyone sick among you?  Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord,
 15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up, and if he has committed sins, he'll be forgiven.
 16 Confess your faults to each other, and pray for each other so you'll be healed.  The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man is does a lot of good.
 17 Elijah was a man subject to the same kind of passions that we are, and he prayed earnestly that it wouldn't rain, and it didn't rain on the earth for three years and six months.
 18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.
 19 Brothers, if any of you strays from the truth, and someone converts him,
 20 Let him know, that he that converts the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.