The Parable of the Sower
Verse(s)
3 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: "A farmer went out to sow his seed.
4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.
5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow.
6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.
7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants.
8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop--a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.
9 He who has ears, let him hear."
Matt 13:3-9 (NIV) 18 "Listen then to what the parable of the sower means:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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."
Matt 13:18-23 (NIV)
Personal Exegesis in Refutation of OSAS
Notice in v.5 that "the plant" sprang up quickly. The plant represents life. Is this physical life? No. This is life resulting from hearing "the word of God" (Luke 8:11); "the message about the kingdom" (Matt 13:19). This is spiritual life. The fact that believing results in salvation (spiritual life) is shown in Luke’s contrasting passage about the first hearer:
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.
Luke 8:12 (NIV)But with the second hearer, there is believing & resulting spiritual life, as is evidenced by the plant’s growth:
5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow.
Matt 13:5 (NIV)Jesus’ explanation is:
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.
Matt 13:20 (NIV)But what happened to this believer?
6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.
Matt 13:5-6 (NIV)Plants with no roots wither & die. Jesus’ explanation indicates that this person actually falls away from the faith:
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.
Matt 13:21 (NIV)Luke’s parallel passage reads as follows:
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.
Luke 8:13 (NIV)These passages indicate that this "hearer" actually did believe "for a while". He had spiritual life, for a while. But, as a result of persecution, he fell away from the faith, no longer believing (since he only believed "for a while").
These passages seem to pretty clearly indicate that it’s possible to believe & gain spiritual life, but then to stop believing, and die spiritually.
As for the third "hearer", I wouldn’t’ place a lot f confidence in his eternal salvation either, though it’s not as clear as it is for the second hearer.
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.
Matt 13:22 (NIV)The question is, "What happens to trees that bear no fruit?"
10 The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.
19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
Matt 3:10 (NIV)
Matt 7:19 (NIV) 1 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.
2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit,
John 15:1-2 (NIV) 4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
John 15:4 (NIV) 6 If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.
John 15:6 (NIV)