Mark P. Achtemeier, “Expository Article,” Interpretation (January 1990), p. 61-65
“Expository Article”
In a very remarkable way, then, Jesus’ teaching confronts his hearers with an existential decision. His use of parables shifts the focus of their encounter: away from the transmission of discursive knowledge and in the direction of life commitments and personal preparedness to receive the kingdom. …
… the parable of the Sower stands as in invitation and guide to a process of self-examination leading to repentance and renewed discipleship. (p. 63)
Thomas R. Haney, Today’s Spirituality, p. 77
John Dominic Crossan, “Parables of Advent,” In Parables, p. 39-44
John Dominic Crossan, The Essential Jesus, p. 31, 147
2 Luke 5:1-3
3-8 Thomas 9; 1 Clement 24:4-5
3 Imaging the Word, Vol. 2, p. 238-241
1 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. 2 And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat there; and the whole crowd stood on the beach. 3 And he told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. 5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they had not much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, 6 but when the sun rose they were scorched; and since they had no root they withered away. 7 Other seeds fell upon thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8 Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 He who has ears, let him hear.”
13:1 εν δε τη ημερα εκεινη εξελθων ο ιησους απο της οικιας εκαθητο παρα την θαλασσαν 13:2 και συνηχθησαν προς αυτον οχλοι πολλοι ωστε αυτον εις το πλοιον εμβαντα καθησθαι και πας ο οχλος επι τον αιγιαλον ειστηκει 13:3 και ελαλησεν αυτοις πολλα εν παραβολαις λεγων ιδου εξηλθεν ο σπειρων του σπειρειν 13:4 και εν τω σπειρειν αυτον α μεν επεσεν παρα την οδον και ηλθεν τα πετεινα και κατεφαγεν αυτα 13:5 αλλα δε επεσεν επι τα πετρωδη οπου ουκ ειχεν γην πολλην και ευθεως εξανετειλεν δια το μη εχειν βαθος γης 13:6 ηλιου δε ανατειλαντος εκαυματισθη και δια το μη εχειν ριζαν εξηρανθη 13:7 αλλα δε επεσεν επι τας ακανθας και ανεβησαν αι ακανθαι και απεπνιξαν αυτα 13:8 αλλα δε επεσεν επι την γην την καλην και εδιδου καρπον ο μεν εκατον ο δε εξηκοντα ο δε τριακοντα 13:9 ο εχων ωτα ακουειν ακουετω
Mary Oliver, “The Moths,” New and Selected Poems, p. 132
12 Matthew 25:29; Mark 4:25; Luke 8:18, 19:26; Thomas 41
14-15 Isaiah 6:9-10
16-17 Luke 10:23-24
12 John Dominic Crossan, The Essential Jesus, p. 57, 153f.
10 Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” 11 And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 For to him who has will more be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 With them indeed is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah which says: ‘You shall indeed hear but never understand, and you shall indeed see but never perceive. 15 For this people’s heart has grown dull, and their ears are heavy of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should perceive with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and turn for me to heal them.’ 16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. 17 Truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.
13:10 και προσελθοντες οι μαθηται ειπον αυτω δια τι εν παραβολαις λαλεις αυτοις 13:11 ο δε αποκριθεις ειπεν αυτοις οτι υμιν δεδοται γνωναι τα μυστηρια της βασιλειας των ουρανων εκεινοις δε ου δεδοται 13:12 οστις γαρ εχει δοθησεται αυτω και περισσευθησεται οστις δε ουκ εχει και ο εχει αρθησεται απ αυτου 13:13 δια τουτο εν παραβολαις αυτοις λαλω οτι βλεποντες ου βλεπουσιν και ακουοντες ουκ ακουουσιν ουδε συνιουσιν 13:14 και αναπληρουται αυτοις η προφητεια ησαιου η λεγουσα ακοη ακουσετε και ου μη συνητε και βλεποντες βλεψετε και ου μη ιδητε 13:15 επαχυνθη γαρ η καρδια του λαου τουτου και τοις ωσιν βαρεως ηκουσαν και τους οφθαλμους αυτων εκαμμυσαν μηποτε ιδωσιν τοις οφθαλμοις και τοις ωσιν ακουσωσιν και τη καρδια συνωσιν και επιστρεψωσιν και ιασομαι αυτους 13:16 υμων δε μακαριοι οι οφθαλμοι οτι βλεπουσιν και τα ωτα υμων οτι ακουει 13:17 αμην γαρ λεγω υμιν οτι πολλοι προφηται και δικαιοι επεθυμησαν ιδειν α βλεπετε και ουκ ειδον και ακουσαι α ακουετε και ουκ ηκουσαν
22 Matthew 7:16
18 “Hear then the parable of the sower. 19 When any one hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in his heart; this is what was sown along the path. 20 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. 22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is he who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the delight in riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. 23 As for what was sown on good soil, this is he who hears the word and understands it; he indeed bears fruit, and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”
13:18 υμεις ουν ακουσατε την παραβολην του σπειροντος 13:19 παντος ακουοντος τον λογον της βασιλειας και μη συνιεντος ερχεται ο πονηρος και αρπαζει το εσπαρμενον εν τη καρδια αυτου ουτος εστιν ο παρα την οδον σπαρεις 13:20 ο δε επι τα πετρωδη σπαρεις ουτος εστιν ο τον λογον ακουων και ευθυς μετα χαρας λαμβανων αυτον 13:21 ουκ εχει δε ριζαν εν εαυτω αλλα προσκαιρος εστιν γενομενης δε θλιψεως η διωγμου δια τον λογον ευθυς σκανδαλιζεται 13:22 ο δε εις τας ακανθας σπαρεις ουτος εστιν ο τον λογον ακουων και η μεριμνα του αιωνος τουτου και η απατη του πλουτου συμπνιγει τον λογον και ακαρπος γινεται 13:23 ο δε επι την γην την καλην σπαρεις ουτος εστιν ο τον λογον ακουων και συνιων ος δη καρποφορει και ποιει ο μεν εκατον ο δε εξηκοντα ο δε τριακοντα
General References
George A. Buttrick, “The Kingdom and the Perplexing Presence of Evil,” The Parables of Jesus, p. 60-69
Vassar Miller, “Self-Ordained,” Divine Inspiration, p. 250
Oscar Romero, The Violence of Love, p. 71
Dom Helder Camara, Through the Gospel, p. 83
Thomas John Carlisle, Looking for Jesus, p. 58
Looking for Jesus
John Dominic Crossan, The Essential Jesus, p. 55, 153
John Dominic Crossan, “The Planted Weeds,” The Historical Jesus, p. 279 f.
Joachim Jeremias, Rediscovering the Parables, p. 176 ff.
David Rensberger, “The Folly of God in the Parables,” Weavings (January/February 1996), p. 16-18
“The Folly of God in the Parables”
Douglas Oakman has studied the agricultural methods of the time, and points out that weeding out darnel was standard practice. This particular weed has the unfortunate attribute of bearing seeds that are toxic. Letting it grow together with the wheat risked ruining the harvest: any flour made from it would be tainted, and if the wheat was used for seed, it would only propagate the darnel. Darnel is not easy to distinguish from wheat and eradicate, but it can be done, and prudent and diligent farmers always tried to do so. Thus the inaction of the landowner is foolish by ancient agricultural standards.
…
It is not easy to think of God being portrayed as a lazy or careless farmer. But Jesus evidently didn’t mind upsetting people by means of his parables, and the whole thrust of his mission was one that undermined much of the conventional religious and social wisdom of his day. In order to justify his offering compassion to sinners, he told this parable, which protrays God as acting in a shockingly imprudent way. (p. 18 f.)
24-30 Isaiah 27:12, 65:8; Thomas 57
30 Imaging the Word, Vol. 2, p. 242-245
24 Another parable he put before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field; 25 but while men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. 26 So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. 27 And the servants of the householder came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then has it weeds?’ 28 He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ 29 But he said, ‘No; lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.’”
13:24 αλλην παραβολην παρεθηκεν αυτοις λεγων ωμοιωθη η βασιλεια των ουρανων ανθρωπω βκαλον σπερμα εν τω αγρω αυτου 13:25 εν δε τω καθευδειν τους ανθρωπους ηλθεν αυτου ο εχθρος και εσπειρεν ζιζανια ανα μεσον του σιτου και απηλθεν 13:26 οτε δε εβλαστησεν ο χορτος και καρπον εποιησεν τοτε εφανη και τα ζιζανια 13:27 προσελθοντες δε οι δουλοι του οικοδεσποτου ειπον αυτω κυριε ουχι καλον σπερμα εσπειρας εν τω σω αγρω ποθεν ουν εχει ζιζανια 13:28 ο δε εφη αυτοις εχθρος ανθρωπος τουτο εποιησεν οι δε δουλοι ειπον αυτω θελεις ουν απελθοντες συλλεξομεν αυτα 13:29 ο δε εφη ου μηποτε συλλεγοντες τα ζιζανια εκριζωσητε αμα αυτοις τον σιτον 13:30 αφετε συναυξανεσθαι αμφοτερα μεχρι του θερισμου και εν καιρω του θερισμου ερω τοις θερισταις συλλεξατε πρωτον τα ζιζανια και δησατε αυτα εις δεσμας προς το κατακαυσαι αυτα τον δε σιτον συναγαγετε εις την αποθηκην μου
Frederick Buechner, “To Be a Saint,” The Magnificent Defeat, p. 116-123
Dom Helder Camara, Through the Gospel, p. 85
John Dominic Crossan, The Essential Jesus, p. 51, 153
John Dominic Crossan, “The Mustard Seed,” The Historical Jesus, p. 276-279
John Dominic Crossan, “Parables of Advent,” In Parables, p. 45-49
H. E. Fosdick, The Meaning of Prayer, p. 205
31 Another parable he put before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his field; 32 it is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”
13:31 αλλην παραβολην παρεθηκεν αυτοις λεγων ομοια εστιν η βασιλεια των ουρανων κοκκω σιναπεως ον λαβων ανθρωπος εσπειρεν εν τω αγρω αυτου 13:32 ο μικροτερον μεν εστιν παντων των σπερματων οταν δε αυξηθη μειζον των λαχανων εστιν και γινεται δενδρον ωστε ελθειν τα πετεινα του ουρανου και κατασκηνουν εν τοις κλαδοις αυτου
George A. Buttrick, “Similitudes of the Kingdom (I),” The Parables of Jesus, p. 14-25
John Dominic Crossan, The Essential Jesus, p. 98, 161
John Dominic Crossan, “The Leaven,” The Historical Jesus, p. 279 f.
Joachim Jeremias, Rediscovering the Parables, p. 116 ff.
Imaging the Word, Vol. 2, p. 246-249
33 Thomas 96
33 He told them another parable. “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven which a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened.”
13:33 αλλην παραβολην ελαλησεν αυτοις ομοια εστιν η βασιλεια των ουρανων ζυμη ην λαβουσα γυνη εκρυψεν εις αλευρου σατα τρια εως ου εζυμωθη ολον
Frederick Buechner, “To Be a Saint,” The Magnificent Defeat, p. 116-123
H. E. Fosdick, The Meaning of Prayer, p. 205
35 Psalm 78:2
34 All this Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed he said nothing to them without a parable. 35 This was to fulfil what was spoken by the prophet: “I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter what has been hidden since the foundation of the world.”
13:34 ταυτα παντα ελαλησεν ο ιησους εν παραβολαις τοις οχλοις και χωρις παραβολης ουκ ελαλει αυτοις 13:35 οπως πληρωθη το ρηθεν δια του προφητου λεγοντος ανοιξω εν παραβολαις το στομα μου ερευξομαι κεκρυμμενα απο καταβολης κοσμου
Frederick Buechner, “To Be a Saint,” The Magnificent Defeat, p. 116-123
H. E. Fosdick, The Meaning of Prayer, p. 205
36 Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.” 37 He answered, “He who sows the good seed is the Son of man; 38 the field is the world, and the good seed means the sons of the kingdom; the weeds are the sons of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the close of the age, and the reapers are angels. 40 Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the close of the age. 41 The Son of man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, 42 and throw them into the furnace of fire; there men will weep and gnash their teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.
13:36 τοτε αφεις τους οχλους ηλθεν εις την οικιαν ο ιησους και προσηλθον αυτω οι μαθηται αυτου λεγοντες φρασον ημιν την παραβολην των ζιζανιων του αγρου 13:37 ο δε αποκριθεις ειπεν αυτοις ο σπειρων το καλον σπερμα εστιν ο υιος του ανθρωπου 13:38 ο δε αγρος εστιν ο κοσμος το δε καλον σπερμα ουτοι εισιν οι υιοι της βασιλειας τα δε ζιζανια εισιν οι υιοι του πονηρου 13:39 ο δε εχθρος ο σπειρας αυτα εστιν ο διαβολος ο δε θερισμος συντελεια του αιωνος εστιν οι δε θερισται αγγελοι εισιν 13:40 ωσπερ ουν συλλεγεται τα ζιζανια και πυρι καιεται ουτως εσται εν τη συντελεια του αιωνος τουτου 13:41 αποστελει ο υιος του ανθρωπου τους αγγελους αυτου και συλλεξουσιν εκ της βασιλειας αυτου παντα τα σκανδαλα και τους ποιουντας την ανομιαν 13:42 και βαλουσιν αυτους εις την καμινον του πυρος εκει εσται ο κλαυθμος και ο βρυγμος των οδοντων 13:43 τοτε οι δικαιοι εκλαμψουσιν ως ο ηλιος εν τη βασιλεια του πατρος αυτων ο εχων ωτα ακουειν ακουετω
George A. Buttrick, “Similitudes of the Kingdom (II),” The Parables of Jesus, p. 26-39
Andrew Greeley, “Searching for Treasure,” When Life Hurts, p. 29-31
44-46 Psalm 119:162; Matthew 6:19-21
44 Thomas 109
45-46 Thomas 76
44-46 John Dominic Crossan, “The Pearl” & “The Treasure,” The Historical Jesus, p. 281 f.
44-46 Joachim Jeremias, Rediscovering the Parables, p. 156 ff.
44-45 John Dominic Crossan, “Parables and the Temporality of the Kingdom,” In Parables, p. 34-35
“Parables and the Temporality of the Kingdom”
The three key parables to be studied as paradigmatic references are: the Treasure in Matt. 13:44; the Pearl, in Matt. 13:45; and the Great Fish, in Gos. Thom. 81:28—82:3 (Thomas 8)
… We are confronted, for example in the Treasure parable, with a man whose normalcy of past- present-future is rudely but happily shattered. The future he had presumably planned and projected for himself is totally invalidated by the advent of the Treasure which opens up new world and unforeseen possibilities. In the force of this advent he willingly reverses his entire past, quite rightly and wisely he sells “all that he has.” … One feels that the Paul who wrote of his conversion in Gal. 1:16-18 would absolutely understand such a temporality and would even find its structure mirrored geographically in his own sequence of place: Damascus-Arabia-Jerusalem.
44-45 Mary Oliver, “Roses Late Summer,” New and Selected Poems, p. 96
44-45 R. S. Thomas, “The Bright Field,” Divine Inspiration, p. 229
“The Bright Field”
I have seen the sun break through
to illuminate a small field
for a while, and gone my way
and forgotten it. But that was the pearl
of great price, the one field that had
the treasure in it. I realize now
that I must give all that I have
to possess it. Life is not hurrying
on to a receding future, or hankering after
an imagined past. It is the turning
aside like Moses to the miracle
of the lit bush, to a brightness
that seemed as transitory as your youth
once, but is the eternity that awaits you.
44 John Dominic Crossan, The Essential Jesus, p. 107, 163
The Essential Jesus
44 Ted Loder, Guerrillas of Grace, p. 84
45-46 John Dominic Crossan, The Essential Jesus, p. 93, 160
45-46 J. Barrie Shepherd, Seeing with the Soul, p. 95
Seeing with the Soul
[The pastor] spoke simply and passionately
of the urgent need to seize the opportunity,
to claim the pearl,
the jewel of great price,
that heavenly treasure for which
it may be necessary to give up
everything one owns.
… later that same day,
… we read the latest news,
not published in the East,
of thousands of East German families
fleeing to western embassies
in Budapest and Prague,
abandoning all they owned
in their eager quest for freedom.
45 George Herbert, “The Pearl,” Selected Poetry, p. 136
47-48 John Dominic Crossan, The Essential Jesus, p. 67, 155
47-48 Joachim Jeremias, Rediscovering the Parables, p. 1766
44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, 46 who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.
47 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net which was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind; 48 when it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into vessels but threw away the bad. 49 So it will be at the close of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous, 50 and throw them into the furnace of fire; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.
13:44 παλιν ομοια εστιν η βασιλεια των ουρανων θησαυρω κεκρυμμενω εν τω αγρω ον ευρων ανθρωπος εκρυψεν και απο της χαρας αυτου υπαγει και παντα οσα εχει πωλει και αγοραζει τον αγρον εκεινον
13:45 παλιν ομοια εστιν η βασιλεια των ουρανων ανθρωπω εμπορω ζητουντι καλους μαργαριτας 13:46 ος ευρων ενα πολυτιμον μαργαριτην απελθων πεπρακεν παντα οσα ειχεν και ηγορασεν αυτον
13:47 παλιν ομοια εστιν η βασιλεια των ουρανων σαγηνη βληθειση εις την θαλασσαν και εκ παντος γενους συναγαγουση 13:48 ην οτε επληρωθη αναβιβασαντες επι τον αιγιαλον και καθισαντες συνελεξαν τα καλα εις αγγεια τα δε σαπρα εξω εβαλον 13:49 ουτως εσται εν τη συντελεια του αιωνος εξελευσονται οι αγγελοι και αφοριουσιν τους πονηρους εκ μεσου των δικαιων 13:50 και βαλουσιν αυτους εις την καμινον του πυρος εκει εσται ο κλαυθμος και ο βρυγμος των οδοντων
George A. Buttrick, “The Conflict of New and Old,” The Parables of Jesus, p. 2-13
Andrew Greeley, “Searching for Treasure,” When Life Hurts, p. 29-31
Stephen Mitchell, The Gospel According to Jesus, p. 144
The Gospel According to Jesus
Scholars who consider this verse to be a later addition explain “scribe” here as “Christian scribe.” But it would be typical of Jesus that in spite of opposition from the scribes, he could state here that they too are capable of entering the kingdom of God. In his generosity toward his opponents, he is practicing his own precept of loving your enemies.
51 “Have you understood all this?” They said to him, “Yes.”52 And he said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.”
13:51 λεγει αυτοις ο ιησους συνηκατε ταυτα παντα λεγουσιν αυτω ναι κυριε 13:52 ο δε ειπεν αυτοις δια τουτο πας γραμματευς μαθητευθεις εις την βασιλειαν των ουρανων ομοιος εστιν ανθρωπω οικοδεσποτη οστις εκβαλλει εκ του θησαυρου αυτου καινα και παλαια
John Dominic Crossan, The Essential Jesus, p. 35, 148
57 John 4:44
53 And when Jesus had finished these parables, he went away from there, 54 and coming to his own country he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? 55 Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? 56 And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all this?” 57 And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house.” 58 And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.
13:53 και εγενετο οτε ετελεσεν ο ιησους τας παραβολας ταυτας μετηρεν εκειθεν 13:54 και ελθων εις την πατριδα αυτου εδιδασκεν αυτους εν τη συναγωγη αυτων ωστε εκπληττεσθαι αυτους και λεγειν ποθεν τουτω η σοφια αυτη και αι δυναμεις 13:55 ουχ ουτος εστιν ο του τεκτονος υιος ουχι η μητηρ αυτου λεγεται μαριαμ και οι αδελφοι αυτου ιακωβος και ιωσης και σιμων και ιουδας 13:56 και αι αδελφαι αυτου ουχι πασαι προς ημας εισιν ποθεν ουν τουτω ταυτα παντα 13:57 και εσκανδαλιζοντο εν αυτω ο δε ιησους ειπεν αυτοις ουκ εστιν προφητης ατιμος ει μη εν τη πατριδι αυτου και εν τη οικια αυτου 13:58 και ουκ εποιησεν εκει δυναμεις πολλας δια την απιστιαν αυτων