Jesus Explains the Story about the Farmer
Jesus told them: If you don't understand this story, you won't understand any others. What the farmer is spreading is really the message about the kingdom. The seeds that fell along the road are the people who hear the message. But Satan soon comes and snatches it away from them.
The seeds that fell on rocky ground are the people who gladly hear the message and accept it right away. But they don't have any roots, and they don't last very long. As soon as life gets hard or the message gets them in trouble, they give up.
The seeds that fell among the thorn bushes are also people who hear the message. But they start worrying about the needs of this life. They are fooled by the desire to get rich and to have all kinds of other things. So the message gets choked out, and they never produce anything.
The seeds that fell on good ground are the people who hear and welcome the message. They produce thirty or sixty or even a hundred times as much as was planted.
Light
Jesus also said: you don't light a lamp and put it under a clay pot or under a bed. Don't you put a lamp on a lamp stand?
There is nothing hidden that will not be made public. There is no secret that will not be well-known. If you have ears, pay attention! Listen carefully to what you hear! The way you treat others will be the way you will be treated--and even worse. Everyone who has something will be given more. But people who don't have anything will lose what little they have.
Another Story about Seeds
Again Jesus said: God's kingdom is like what happens when a farmer scatters seeds in a field. The farmer sleeps that night and is up and around during the day. Yet the seeds keep spreading and growing, and he doesn't understand how. It is the ground that makes the seeds sprout and grow into plants that produce grain. Then when harvest season comes, and the grain is ripe, the farmer cuts it with a sickle.
A Mustard Seed
Finally, Jesus said: what is God's kingdom like? What story can I use to explain it? It is like what happens when a mustard seed is planted in the ground. It is the smallest seed in all the world. But once it is planted, it grows larger than any garden plant. It even puts out branches that are big enough for birds to rest in its shade.
The Reason for Teaching with Stories
Jesus used many other stories when he spoke to the people, and he taught them as much as they could understand. He did not tell them anything without using stories. But when he was alone with his disciples, he explained everything to them.