Posted on 07/26/2013 9:30:56 AM PDT by NYer
We are reading the parable of the Sower in Daily Mass. Someone asked me a question: Since the sower is the Son of Man, Jesus himself, why would the Lord, who knows everything ahead of time, sow seed he knew would not bear fruit?
First, let’s review the text:
“A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky ground, where it had little soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep, and when the sun rose it was scorched, and it withered for lack of roots. Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it. But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit, a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold. Whoever has ears ought to hear.” (Matt 13:1-9)
So the question presents, Why then would God waste any seed on rocky or thin soil, or the path?
Perhaps a series of possible “answers” is all we can venture. I place “answers” in quotes since we are in fact touching on some mysteries here of which we can only speculate. So, here are some “answers.”
I. God is extravagant - it is not just seed He scatters liberally, it is everything. There are hundreds of billions of stars in over 100 billion galaxies, most of these seemingly devoid of life as we understand it. Between these 100 billion galaxies are huge amounts of, what seems to be, empty space. On this planet where one species of bird would do, there are thousands of species, tens of thousands of different sorts of insects, a vast array of different sorts of trees, mammals, fish etc. “Extravagant” barely covers it. The word “extravagant” means “to go, or wander beyond.” And God has gone vastly beyond anything we can imagine. But God is love, and love is extravagant. The image of him sowing seeds, almost in a careless way is thus consistent with the usual way of God.
This of course is less an answer to the question before us than a deepening of the question. The answer, if there is one, is caught up in the mystery of love. Love does not say, what is the least I can do? It says “What more can I do.” If a man loves a woman, he does not look for the cheapest gift on her birthday, rather he looks for an extravagant gift. God is Love and God is extravagant.
II. Even if the failed seed represents those who ultimately reject him, God loves that seed anyway. Remember, as Jesus goes on to explain, the seeds that fail to bear fruit, are symbols of those who allow riches, worldly preoccupation, persecution and other things to draw them away from God. But, even knowing this, does not change God’s love for them. He still wills their existence. Scripture says elsewhere, But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous (Matt 5:44-45).
Yes, God loves even those who will reject him and will not, knowing ahead of that rejection, say to them, “You cannot exist.” He thus scatters even that seed, knowing ahead of time that it will not bear fruit. Further, he continues to send the sun and rain, even on those who will reject him.
Hence this parable shows forth God’s unfailing love. He sows seeds, even knowing they will not bear the fruit he wants. He wills the existence of all, even those who he knows ahead of time will reject him.
III. That God sows seeds and allows them to fall on bad soil is indicative of God’s justice. The various places the seed falls is indicative of human freedom, more than illustrative of the intent of God. For one may still question, “Why would God “allow” seed to fall on the path, or among thorns, or in rocky soil?” And the only answer here is that God has made us free. Were He to go and take back the seeds that fell in unfruitful places one could argue that God withdrew his grace and that one was lost on account of this, namely that God manipulated the process by withdrawing every possible grace. But God, in justice calls everyone and offers sufficient grace for all to come to faith and salvation. And thus the sowing of the seed everywhere is indicative of God’s justice.
IV. The variety of outcomes teaches us to persevere and look to faithfully sowing, rather than merely to the harvest. Sometimes we can become a bit downcast when it seems our work has born little fruit. And the temptation is to give up. But, as an old saying goes, “God calls us to be faithful, not successful.” In other words, it is up to us to be the means the means whereby the Lord sows the seed of his Word. The Word is in our hands, by God’s grace, but the harvest is not.
This parable teaches us that not every seed we sow will bear fruit. In fact a lot of it will not, for the reasons described by the Lord in a later part of the parable.
The simple mandate remains ad is this: preach the Word, Go unto all the nations and make disciples. St. Paul would later preach to Timothy: Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage–with great patience and careful instruction (2 Tim 4:2). In other words, sometimes the gospel is accepted, sometimes it is rejected. Preach it any way. Sometimes the gospel is popular, sometimes not. Preach it anyway. Sometimes the Gospel is in season, sometimes it is out of season. Preach it anyway. Sow the seeds, don’t give up.
Discharge your duty! St. Paul goes on to sadly remark, For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry. (2 Tim 4:3-5). Once again the message is the same: preach anyway, sow the seed of the Word, persevere, do not give up, do not be discouraged. Discharge your duty and be willing to endure hardship, just preach! Some of the seed will yield a rich harvest, some will not, preach anyway.
So, permit these “answers.” God sows seed he knows will bear no fruit because he is extravagant, because he loves and wills the existence even of those he knows will reject him, because of his justice, and to teach us to persevere, whatever the outcome.
Ping!
“So the question presents, Why then would God waste any seed on rocky or thin soil, or the path?”
Because good seed will grow even in the most adverse conditions.
So he knows ahead of time those who will reject Him?
We have free will and can choose to improve our "soil".
Add to this the parable of the lost sheep and we find that God never stops trying to reach out to all.
yes. now ask if He is happy about that.
And don’t forget extravagant. I love that part!
Yes, He knows who will reject Him...He is outside of time and space and knew everything before He made it.
Wouldn’t we all like to be loved by Someone like this on planet earth? Very few do get that and it’s hard to imagine that kind of love especially if you’ve come from a hateful and unloving environment but it is so true and I love it.
I like to imagine which of those 100 billion galaxies I might get to hang out on for eternity and what I’d do there.
No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9
So, God’s foreknowledge is absolute and thus identifies a fixed outcome. Hmmm.
Yes, and revealed in Scripture. It’s all right there for anyone who wants to know. Even Satan and the fallen angels know they will eventually be defeated but they keep on trying...makes you wonder why. I can only beat a dead horse myself for so long and I get weary.
If you do reject Him, He will not impose Himself on you; however he will give you what you have asked for which is a life totally free from Him...that is hell in a nutshell....eternal separation from God.
I, for one, do not plan on being separated. I am ready to rock n roll and go now, but I am premature and it is not my time yet. But I can imagine it is beyond sweet!!
knowing something will happen doesn’t mean you cause it to happen. you make the mistaken assumption that God doesn’t do anything to try to get these people to turn to Him. I know from your post you do not believe God wants everyone saved, even though He says He does. if God just wanted robots that couldn’t say no to Him He would have made things like that,and they would not have any choice but to accept Him, and you and i would not be having this conversation because you’d accept God and have no choice but to do so. and how genuine would that be?
You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?”
But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?”
Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?
What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction,
in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory— even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles?
-- Romans 9:19-24No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.
--John 6:44a
Even Peter had a couple of moments of unfaithfulness.
We are human not yet Sons of God. Some will stray, some will waiver, some will hold fast. That’s the answer...............
ping for later
This is a typical atheist taunt.
“If God already knows how its all going to work out, why bother playing the game?”
I think it is worse to know Him and be backslidden as they say than not to know Him at all. In your ignorance, you don’t know and that ignorance can be bliss. But once you’ve had that fellowship and pull a Peter for lack of a better phrase, it is so hard (for me anyway) to go back. The shame is part of it but also the disappointment I have caused is unbearable. It feels like you are are standing there naked before God just as Adam and Eve were all those many years ago...all you want to do is hide away. It’s very hard for me to let that go and repent and let Him restore fellowship.
But we know how it ended with Peter and so it will with us....He will not lose a single one who belongs to Him.
yes...and it’s about the free choice we humans have.
I prefer Paul’s explanation, too. The “what if” seems to twist the knife a little deeper even! As if to say “What if God is as ‘unfair’ as you say? It’s His right!” I always get a lift in my spirit when God’s sovereignty is preached. Puts me in the place of being needy of His kindness, as without it I’m lost.
Well, He certainly wants all kinds of people to be saved. However, He has disclosed that, before Esau was born, before he had done anything good or evil, God decided to hate the man. I would be careful putting other words into His mouth.
If anybody is a receiver of God’s grace, it is surely Paul.
Read the parable of the Prodigal Son........
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