"...The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field."
Matthew 13:24 (NIV)
Life's essence lies within a seed. All things are born from seeds. Life springs forth from these humble origins - plants, animals, and humans alike. The maxim "reap what you sow" reverberates through the ages, a parable that reveals the cosmic law of input and output. Like a masterful conductor, every seed carries within its core the echoes of its source, dictating the form it will manifest in. But what about spiritual seeds?
"The farmer sows the word."
Mark 4:14 (NIV)
Jesus, as foretold in the prophecy of Isaiah (Isaiah 6:9-10, Isaiah 29:11), skillfully enshrouded his teachings in parables. The deliberate veiling of his true meaning served several purposes yet to be unveiled, but we will soon dissect in the near future. However, at the current juncture, our gaze narrows onto Matthew 13—a parable of a farmer sowing good seeds in his field. Earlier in the same chapter, in verses 10-11, Jesus explains to his disciples that he uses parables, “because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them,” meaning the disciples were ready to receive the true meaning of the parable, but not the others who were there when Jesus spoke.
Then what is a seed? More specifically, what is a good seed?
We will find the answer to these questions in the parable of the four fields, found in Matthew 13:1-9. Yes, finding the meaning of the seed in every verse in Matthew chapter 13 leads to verse 24. This is good because now you are eager to find the true meaning of the seed and you are no longer thinking in terms of the physical attributes of a seed, but rather, you’re seeking spiritual meaning. Your reward for this eagerness is this:
“But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it.”
Matthew 13:23 (NIV)
The seed refers to the “word.” The meaning was right in front of us the entire time. That is something to think about for future topics. Also, we will go into deep discussion about the parable of the four fields (Matthew 13:1-9) in the near future as well. For now, it is vital to understand that the meaning of seed in parables is “word.”
Born Again of God's Seed
The words of 1 Peter 1:23 (NIV) connect to the parable of the good seed in the field: For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God." Clearly this “imperishable” seed is referring to something in the spiritual world, not the physical. God’s seed is God’s word, as we learned earlier in Matthew chapter 13. Remember that everything is born from a type of seed. In this verse, we learn about being born again—a rebirth. The teaching of rebirth can be seen again in John 3:1-3 (NIV): "except a man [person] be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." This metamorphosis, enigmatic yet powerful, encapsulates the renewal that springs from the word of God—a rebirth depicted in the parables of Mark 4:14 and Matthew 13:24.
In the fertile fields of our minds, we should yearn for the truth and cultivate a terrain ripe for comprehension of this truth when it is presented. As we continue on this path of knowledge, we will next discuss the difference between Good Seed and Bad Seed, God’s Seed versus Satan’s Seed.
Gimbap Team
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