Parables conceal the mysteries of the government (kingdom) of God. They contain things “kept secret from the foundation of the world.”
One parable, the parable of the sower, is the key that will unlock the understanding to all the parables, and that is the parable of the sower. Know ye not this parable? And how then will ye know all parables? (Mark 4:13). It is found in Matthew 13:1-9.
Behold, a sower went forth to sow; and when he sowed, Some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: and when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.
And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them; but other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirty-fold. Who has ears to hear, let him hear.
He mentions three levels of fruit production—thirty, sixty and one hundred fold. Just like some plants produce more fruit than others, some true Christians will “produce” more fruit of the Spirit than others. Some will remain “babes in Christ,” mostly concerned with what God can do for them. Some will grow to be young men and women in God. And some will grow up fully “into Him,” or rather He will be fully manifested in them. All three of these fruit bearers are in His fold, in His kingdom, and yet, some will have Christ walking in them fully.
The Master goes on and explains this parable in v. 18-23. The seed that the sower sows is the word of the kingdom, the words about God’s government that rules the human heart and also the governments of this world. Seed by the wayside is snatched up by Satan. Seed on stony ground can’t get rooted because of fear of what their friends and neighbors will say, so it withers. Seed among the thorns is when this word is choked out and pushed aside by loving the riches of this present world system. But seed into good ground is a “good and honest heart” taking in this truth, and understanding it, and bearing fruit–the fruit of the Spirit, which is “love, joy, and peace.” These are the “good ground” who will bear fruit at different levels–30, 60, and 100 fold.
We will not all remain children “tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine.” We will not all remain powerless “against the wiles of the devil.” We will not all remain weak and powerless against sin and sinning. Some will become the “manifested sons of God.” Some of us will fulfill this “high calling of God in Christ.” Some will be able to say like Paul the apostle, “It is no longer I that lives, but Christ that lives in me.” Some will not remain in buildings with the other pretenders, who go through the motions of “going to church” instead of being the church, the very body of Christ.
Yes, some will see and believe the secret concealed in this parable and will realize that there are different distinct levels of fruit bearing in His kingdom. Some of his offspring will walk in His Spirit in a greater depth than others.
The apostle John writes to Christians on different fruit bearing levels in I John 2: 12-13–children, young men, and fathers. Many other scriptures confirm this. “First the blade, then the ear, then the full corn in the ear…Faith, hope, and charity (agape love)…Justification, sanctification, and glorification…” and many more.
This does not set well with the politically correct. It never has. The same word of the kingdom is sown to all, but the growth by the “good ground” depends on how much the seed is watered by study and prayer.
Finally, as the last line of the parable of the sower says, “Who has ears to hear, let him hear.” Let those who can take this in and understand it, do so. For some do not have “ears to hear” this parable. Kenneth Wayne Hancock
{For more on this read a chapter in my book at http://www.yahwehisthesavior.com/yahch20.htm . Also see
https://immortalityroad.wordpress.com/2008/05/04/parables-conceal-the-mysteries-of-god/ for more on parables.
Immortality Road 