Luke 8:9–15 (ESV)
The Purpose of the Parables
9 And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant, 10 he said, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in
parables, so that ‘seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.’ 11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12 The
ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. 13 And the ones on the rock are those who, when
they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away. 14 And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as
they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. 15 As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast
in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.
Jesus uses an agricultural metaphor to explain how the Gospel ministry works and why it is sometimes thwarted. As our own experience bears out, the sinful
nature, the world, and the devil all resist the Holy Spirit, who calls people to faith and would lead them into committed discipleship. By God’s grace, however, our faith not only withstands trial and temptation but even grows stronger. The Christian’s
faithful endurance is a testimony to Christ’s constant love.
I pray: “To Thee our wants are known, From Thee are all our pow’rs; Accept what is Thine own And pardon what is ours. Our praises,
Lord, and prayers receive, And to Thy Word a blessing give.” Amen.
Edward A. Engelbrecht, The Lutheran Study Bible (St. Louis, MO: Concordia Publishing House, 2009), 1725.