9-14-08
Sorry, you must have Windows Media Player 9 or higher. This is a large file which may take a few seconds to start Windows Media Real Audio MP3 Click here, or scroll down to view today's diagram AN OVERVIEW OF THE PARABLE Commentary: These current messages are centered upon an exegesis of “The Sower Soweth the Word,” with an emphasis on how this key and most important of Bible parables (Mark 4:13) reveals the causative factors of all sickness and disease in mankind. The thesis being explored is that all sicknesses and diseases, both physical and mental, of internal origins (primarily stony ground) and of external origins (primarily among the thorns), are inspired by Satan and manifested through his evil fallen angels (demons, unclean spirits, devils). However, we were only able to just barely mention “sickness” last week, and that not to any meaningful demonic reference, because the understanding of this parable requires much explication before we can knowledgeably identify and examine in depth the demonic influences. As our spiritual vision improves and we begin to grow in understanding of the symbols that Jesus Christ used in this parable, and their connotations and lateral associations, the presence of those demonic influences will become clearly evident in the first three soils, and clearly absent in the fourth soil of good ground. A second most notable and not coincidental factor separating the first three soils from the fourth soil of good ground is that only the good ground bears fruit, and only that fruit is the evidence of salvation. In particular regard to the blessed good ground, may we note the following: 1. Matthew Henry’s Commentary On The Whole Bible: Now that which distinguished this good ground from the rest, was, in one word, fruitfulness. By this true Christians are distinguished from hypocrites, “that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.” (John 15:8). He [Jesus Christ] does not say that this good ground has no stones in it, or no thorns; but there were none that prevailed [syn: triumphed, overcame, got the victory] to hinder its fruitfulness. Saints [overcomers], in this world, are not perfectly free from the remains of sin; but happily freed from the reign of it. a. (John 15:1,2) I [Jesus Christ] am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman [Gk: farmer]. Every branch in me [every person, as a branch of humanity] that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it [Gk: cleanses it, prunes it], that it may bring forth more fruit. (John 15:6) If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered [Gk: shriveled: dried up]; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. 2. (Mat 12:22) Then was brought unto him [Jesus] one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him [please note the words the Lord used here through the vessel of Matthew, instead of “and he cast the devil out”], insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw. 3. Matthew Henry’s Commentary On The Whole Bible: [regarding Matt 12:22] A soul under Satan’s power, and led captive by him, is blind in the things of God, and dumb at the throne of grace; sees nothing, and says nothing to the purpose. Satan blinds the eye of faith, and seals up the lips of prayer. His cure was very strange, and the more so, because sudden; “he healed him.” Note, The conquering and dispossessing of Satan is the healing of souls. And the cause being removed, immediately the effect ceased; “the blind and dumb both spake and saw.” Note, Christ’s mercy is directly opposite to Satan’s malice; his favours, to the devil’s mischief. When Satan’s power is broken in the soul, the eyes are opened to see God’s glory, and the lips opened to speak his praise. BY THE WAY SIDE PERSONS (Mark 4:13-15) And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables? The sower soweth the word [of God: Luke 8:11]. And these are they by the way side [Gk: road side] [the side of the road], where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan [the fowls, the wicked one, the fowls of the air, the devil] cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts [“lest they should believe and be saved” Luke 8:12]. 1. (Luke 8:5) A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it. 2. (John 15:1) I [Jesus Christ] am the true vine, and my Father [God] is the husbandman [Gk: land-worker, farmer]. 3. Commentary: Please note that “The sower” of Mark 4:13 is differently rendered as “A sower” in Luke 8:5. By employing the definite article “The” preceding “sower” indicating a singular subject, we discern with absolute confirmation in John 15:1, that the identity of “The sower” in Mark 4:13 is that of Father God, and it is written that “his seed” is the only begotten Son of God, Jesus Christ, who is also “the Word (of God)” (Luke 8:11; John 1:14), and it is this “seed” of Jesus Christ that is sown into our hearts. What happens then? Well, by our willing acceptance of the seed of Father God planted in our heart, versus our unwilling acceptance which would be indistinguishable from rape, we become born-again children of God, “the planting of the LORD” (Isa 61:3), who then grow up in maturity to become the sons of God, having the likeness of God (Gen 1:26; 1 John 3:2), the mind of Christ (1 Cor 13:9-12), and doing “the works of God” (John 9:3). What are the works of God? Father God sows “His seed: and as He sowed, some fell by the ….” 4. Commentary: We who are born-again are now little sowers learning (2 Tim 2:15) to become big sowers, for all eternity throughout the vast universe. Thus “A sower went out to sow his seed” (Luke 8:5) utilizes the indefinite article “A” indicating one of many, i.e., one of us. “And he said unto them [His disciples, His plantings], Go ye into all the world [Gk: kosmos; cosmos, universe], and preach the gospel [His seed] to every creature [expansive of all sentient life vs. diminutive only of sentient man].” (Mark 16:15). The true meaning of the latter verse graciously lifts the understanding hearer happily residing on good ground beyond the frontier of our limiting earthly mind-set, and presents us with a new boundless virtually incomprehensible never-ending heavenly picture of the glorious duty that it is our great and wonderful honor to joyfully perform for all eternity, namely, preaching “the everlasting gospel” (Rev 14:6) to every creature in the entire universe. We might add that spiritually, the act of sowing God’s seed is an act of profound procreation. 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AN OVERVIEW OF THE PARABLE
Commentary: These current messages are centered upon an exegesis of “The Sower Soweth the Word,” with an emphasis on how this key and most important of Bible parables (Mark 4:13) reveals the causative factors of all sickness and disease in mankind. The thesis being explored is that all sicknesses and diseases, both physical and mental, of internal origins (primarily stony ground) and of external origins (primarily among the thorns), are inspired by Satan and manifested through his evil fallen angels (demons, unclean spirits, devils). However, we were only able to just barely mention “sickness” last week, and that not to any meaningful demonic reference, because the understanding of this parable requires much explication before we can knowledgeably identify and examine in depth the demonic influences. As our spiritual vision improves and we begin to grow in understanding of the symbols that Jesus Christ used in this parable, and their connotations and lateral associations, the presence of those demonic influences will become clearly evident in the first three soils, and clearly absent in the fourth soil of good ground. A second most notable and not coincidental factor separating the first three soils from the fourth soil of good ground is that only the good ground bears fruit, and only that fruit is the evidence of salvation. In particular regard to the blessed good ground, may we note the following:
1. Matthew Henry’s Commentary On The Whole Bible: Now that which distinguished this good ground from the rest, was, in one word, fruitfulness. By this true Christians are distinguished from hypocrites, “that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.” (John 15:8). He [Jesus Christ] does not say that this good ground has no stones in it, or no thorns; but there were none that prevailed [syn: triumphed, overcame, got the victory] to hinder its fruitfulness. Saints [overcomers], in this world, are not perfectly free from the remains of sin; but happily freed from the reign of it.
a. (John 15:1,2) I [Jesus Christ] am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman [Gk: farmer]. Every branch in me [every person, as a branch of humanity] that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it [Gk: cleanses it, prunes it], that it may bring forth more fruit. (John 15:6) If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered [Gk: shriveled: dried up]; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
2. (Mat 12:22) Then was brought unto him [Jesus] one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him [please note the words the Lord used here through the vessel of Matthew, instead of “and he cast the devil out”], insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw.
3. Matthew Henry’s Commentary On The Whole Bible: [regarding Matt 12:22] A soul under Satan’s power, and led captive by him, is blind in the things of God, and dumb at the throne of grace; sees nothing, and says nothing to the purpose. Satan blinds the eye of faith, and seals up the lips of prayer. His cure was very strange, and the more so, because sudden; “he healed him.” Note, The conquering and dispossessing of Satan is the healing of souls. And the cause being removed, immediately the effect ceased; “the blind and dumb both spake and saw.” Note, Christ’s mercy is directly opposite to Satan’s malice; his favours, to the devil’s mischief. When Satan’s power is broken in the soul, the eyes are opened to see God’s glory, and the lips opened to speak his praise.
BY THE WAY SIDE PERSONS
(Mark 4:13-15) And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables? The sower soweth the word [of God: Luke 8:11]. And these are they by the way side [Gk: road side] [the side of the road], where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan [the fowls, the wicked one, the fowls of the air, the devil] cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts [“lest they should believe and be saved” Luke 8:12].
1. (Luke 8:5) A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.
2. (John 15:1) I [Jesus Christ] am the true vine, and my Father [God] is the husbandman [Gk: land-worker, farmer].
3. Commentary: Please note that “The sower” of Mark 4:13 is differently rendered as “A sower” in Luke 8:5. By employing the definite article “The” preceding “sower” indicating a singular subject, we discern with absolute confirmation in John 15:1, that the identity of “The sower” in Mark 4:13 is that of Father God, and it is written that “his seed” is the only begotten Son of God, Jesus Christ, who is also “the Word (of God)” (Luke 8:11; John 1:14), and it is this “seed” of Jesus Christ that is sown into our hearts. What happens then? Well, by our willing acceptance of the seed of Father God planted in our heart, versus our unwilling acceptance which would be indistinguishable from rape, we become born-again children of God, “the planting of the LORD” (Isa 61:3), who then grow up in maturity to become the sons of God, having the likeness of God (Gen 1:26; 1 John 3:2), the mind of Christ (1 Cor 13:9-12), and doing “the works of God” (John 9:3). What are the works of God? Father God sows “His seed: and as He sowed, some fell by the ….”
4. Commentary: We who are born-again are now little sowers learning (2 Tim 2:15) to become big sowers, for all eternity throughout the vast universe. Thus “A sower went out to sow his seed” (Luke 8:5) utilizes the indefinite article “A” indicating one of many, i.e., one of us. “And he said unto them [His disciples, His plantings], Go ye into all the world [Gk: kosmos; cosmos, universe], and preach the gospel [His seed] to every creature [expansive of all sentient life vs. diminutive only of sentient man].” (Mark 16:15). The true meaning of the latter verse graciously lifts the understanding hearer happily residing on good ground beyond the frontier of our limiting earthly mind-set, and presents us with a new boundless virtually incomprehensible never-ending heavenly picture of the glorious duty that it is our great and wonderful honor to joyfully perform for all eternity, namely, preaching “the everlasting gospel” (Rev 14:6) to every creature in the entire universe. We might add that spiritually, the act of sowing God’s seed is an act of profound procreation.
Amen
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