珠海市基督教香洲堂--欢迎您！

Lesson one The Parable of the Sower

Introduction

Has this been a productive week for you? Why or why not?

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Selected reading

Matthew 13:1-23 (Mark 4:1-20; Luke 8:4-15)

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What is a parable?

A parable has been called “an earthly story with a heavenly meaning.” It is a story about something that happens in everyday life that teaches a moral or spiritual truth. Jesus often used parables in His teaching about the Kingdome of God.

Two reasons why Jesus used parables: (Matthew 13:10-13)

【Mat13:1】 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake.
当那一天，耶稣从房子里出来，坐在海边。
【Mat13:2】 Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore.
有许多人到他那里聚集，他只得上船坐下。众人都站在岸上。
【Mat13:3】 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: 'A farmer went out to sow his seed.
他用比喻对他们讲许多道理，说，有一个撒种的出去撒种。
【Mat13:4】 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.
撒的时候，有落在路旁的，飞鸟来吃尽了。
【Mat13:5】 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow.
有落在土浅石头地上的。土既不深，发苗最快。
【Mat13:6】 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.
日头出来一晒，因为没有根，就枯干了。
【Mat13:7】 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants.
有落在荆棘里的。荆棘长起来，把它挤住了。
【Mat13:8】 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop--a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.
又有落在好土里的，就结实，有一百倍的，有六十倍的，有三十倍的。
【Mat13:9】 He who has ears, let him hear.'
有耳可听的，就应当听。
【Mat13:10】 The disciples came to him and asked, 'Why do you speak to the people in parables?'
门徒进前来，问耶稣说，对众人讲话，为什么用比喻呢？
【Mat13:11】 He replied, 'The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them.
耶稣回答说，因为天国的奥秘，只叫你们知道，不叫他们知道。
【Mat13:12】 Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.
凡有的，还要加给他，叫他有余。凡没有的，连他所有的，也要夺去。
【Mat13:13】 This is why I speak to them in parables: 'Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.
所以我用比喻对他们讲，是因他们看也看不见，听也听不见，也不明白。
【Mat13:14】 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: '`You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
在他们身上，正应了以赛亚的预言说，你们听是要听见，却不明白。看是要看见，却不晓得。
【Mat13:15】 For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.'
因为这百姓油蒙了心，耳朵发沉，眼睛闭着。恐怕眼睛看见，耳朵听见，心里明白，回转过来，我就医治他们。
【Mat13:16】 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.
但你们的眼睛是有福的，因为看见了。你们的耳朵也是有福的，因为听见了。
【Mat13:17】 For I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.
我实在告诉你们，从前有许多先知和义人，要看你们所看的，却没有看见。要听你们所听的，却没有听见。
【Mat13:18】 'Listen then to what the parable of the sower means:
所以你们当听这撒种的比喻。
【Mat13:19】 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path.
凡听见天国道理不明白的，那恶者就来，把所撒在他心里的夺了去。这就是撒在路旁的了。
【Mat13:20】 The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy.
撒在石头地上的，就是人听了道，当下欢喜领受。
【Mat13:21】 But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away.
只因心里没有根，不过是暂时的。及至为道遭了患难，或是受了逼迫，立刻就跌倒了。
【Mat13:22】 The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful.
撒在荆棘里的，就是人听了道，后来有世上的思虑，钱财的迷惑，把道挤住了，不能结实。
【Mat13:23】 But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.'
撒在好地上的，就是人听道明白了，后来结实，有一百倍的，有六十倍的，有三十倍的。

【Mak4:1】 Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water's edge.
耶稣又在海边教训人。有许多人到他那里聚集，他只得上船坐下。船在海里，众人都靠近海站在岸上。
【Mak4:2】 He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said:
耶稣就用比喻教训他们许多道理。在教训之间，对他们说，
【Mak4:3】 'Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed.
你们听阿。有一个撒种的。出去撒种。
【Mak4:4】 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.
撒的时候，有落在路旁的，飞鸟来吃尽了。
【Mak4:5】 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow.
有落在土浅石头地上的，土既不深，发苗最快。
【Mak4:6】 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.
日头出来一晒，因为没有根，就枯干了。
【Mak4:7】 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain.
有落在荆棘里的，荆棘长起来，把他挤住了，就不结实。
【Mak4:8】 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, multiplying thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times.'
又有落在好土里的，就发生长大，结实有三十倍的，有六十倍的，有一百倍的。
【Mak4:9】 Then Jesus said, 'He who has ears to hear, let him hear.'
又说，有耳可听的，就应当听。
【Mak4:10】 When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables.
无人的时候，跟随耶稣的人，和十二个门徒，问他这比喻的意思。
【Mak4:11】 He told them, 'The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables
耶稣对他们说，神国的奥秘，只叫你们知道，若是对外人讲，凡事就用比喻。
【Mak4:12】 so that, '`they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!' '
叫他们看是看见，却不晓得。听是听见，却不明白。恐怕他们回转过来，就得赦免。
【Mak4:13】 Then Jesus said to them, 'Don't you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable?
又对他们说，你们不明白这比喻吗？这样怎能明白一切的比喻呢？
【Mak4:14】 The farmer sows the word.
撒种之人所撒的，就是道。
【Mak4:15】 Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them.
那撒在路旁的，就是人听了道，撒但立刻来，把撒在他心里的道夺了去。
【Mak4:16】 Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy.
那撒在石头地上的，就是人听了道，立刻欢喜领受。
【Mak4:17】 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.
但他心里没有根，不过是暂时的，及至为道遭了患难，或是受了逼迫，立刻就跌倒了。
【Mak4:18】 Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word;
还有那撒在荆棘里的，就是人听了道。
【Mak4:19】 but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.
后来有世上的思虑，钱财的迷惑，和别样的私欲，进来把道挤住了，就不能结实。
【Mak4:20】 Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop--thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown.'
那撒在好地上的，就是人听道，又领受，并且结实，有三十倍的，有六十倍的，有一百倍的。

【Luk8:4】  While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from town after town, he told this parable:
当许多人聚集，又有人从各城里出来见耶稣的时候，耶稣就用比喻说，
【Luk8:5】  'A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up.
有一个撒种的出去撒种。撒的时候，有落在路旁的，被人践踏，天上的飞鸟又来吃尽了。
【Luk8:6】  Some fell on rock, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture.
有落在磐石上的，一出来就枯干了，因为得不着滋润。
【Luk8:7】  Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants.
有落在荆棘里的，荆棘一同生长，把它挤住了。
【Luk8:8】  Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.' When he said this, he called out, 'He who has ears to hear, let him hear.'
又有落在好土里的，生长起来，结实百倍。耶稣说了这些话，就大声说，有耳可听的，就应当听。
【Luk8:9】  His disciples asked him what this parable meant.
门徒问耶稣说，这比喻是什么意思呢？
【Luk8:10】 He said, 'The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that, '`though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand.'
他说，神国的奥秘，只叫你们知道。至于别人，就用比喻，叫他们看也看不见，听也听不明。
【Luk8:11】 'This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God.
这比喻乃是这样。种子就是神的道。
【Luk8:12】 Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.
那些在路旁的，就是人听了道，随后魔鬼来，从他们心里把道夺去，恐怕他们信了得救。
【Luk8:13】 Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away.
那些在磐石上的，就是人听道，欢喜领受，但心中没有根，不过暂时相信，及至遇见试炼就退后了。
【Luk8:14】 The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature.
那落在荆棘里的，就是人听了道，走开以后，被今生的思虑钱财宴乐挤住了，便结不出成熟的子粒来。
【Luk8:15】 But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.
那落在好土里的，就是人听了道，持守在诚实善良的心里，并且忍耐着结实。

Questions for discussion

1. What does the seed represent? (Luke 8:11)

[8] Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown." When he said this, he called out, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."

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2. What does the sower do? How important is his job? Who do you think the sower represents? (Mark 4:14)

[14] The farmer sows the word.

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3. What four types of soil did Jesus mention? (Matthew 13:3-8; 19-23) What do you think the soil represents?

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4. What happened to the seed that fell along the path? (Matthew 13:19) What happened to the seed that fell on the rocky places? (Matthew 13:21)

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5. Why did the seeds which fell among the thorns die? (Matthew 13:22)

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6. What does “good soil” refer to? What happens to the seed sown in good soil? (Matthew 13:23) What do you think it means to bear fruit?

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A time to reflect

1. What kind of soil are you? How has God’s Word taken root in your heart?

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2. What can you do to make sure you are “good soil”?

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