Rebranding the Parable of the Sower: Reflections on Matthew 13

July 03, 2011 by Alyce McKenzie

Continued from Page 2

Unlike in Mark, where the "duh-ciples" never learn much of anything, in Matthew they do "understand" Jesus and his teaching. In the parables of Matthew 13, Jesus reminds the disciples of the exceeding value of the kingdom and the necessity of total commitment to it.

Not "the Allegory of the Seeds," but "the Allegory of the Soils"
Matthew 13:18-23 is often called the "allegory of the seeds," but I think it is better named "the allegory of the soils." An allegory is a story in which each figure and feature actually refers to something else beyond the story. Allegories can be used as a code for oppressed groups to communicate with one another during times of persecution.

The word choices and themes of the allegorical explanation of the sower reveal that it is probably the product of the early Church. Jesus' initial parable (Mt. 13:1-9; Mk. 4:3-8) is about how his listeners are to respond to God. The church's appended explanation of his parable in verses 18-23 reflects how various groups responded to Jesus' teachings about the kingdom of God. It also seems to reflect that many people believed those teachings were completely negated by his crucifixion.

The seed parables point us to hidden realities whose power and activity will one day be manifested. They remind hearers and readers of Jesus, whose power was hidden on the cross, glimpsed in the resurrection, and is now growing steadily in the world despite the appearance of initial failure and repeated rejections of Church's ministry and message. Matthew, as well as Mark, uses the seed parables to define discipleship as hearing, accepting, and bearing fruit, following the way of Jesus that yields a bountiful harvest. Says biblical scholar John Donahue, "The miracle and mystery of growth provide a polyvalent cluster of images which evokes God's power and graciousness in all areas of life."(Donahue 51)

The parable of the careless sower, the miraculous harvest, the helpless, hapless seeds, or the good soil? Which brand name(s) do you prefer? Whichever one(s) you pick, "let's hear something we've never heard before."

Sources Consulted

John Donahue, The Gospel in Parable: Metaphor, Narrative and Theology in the Synoptic Gospels (Fortress Press: 1988).

Alyce M. McKenzie, The Parables for Today (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2007).

Donald Senior, Abingdon New Testament Commentaries, Matthew (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1998).

Bonnie Bowman Thurston, Preaching Mark, Fortress Resources for Preaching (Fortress Press, 2002).

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About Alyce McKenzie

Alyce M. McKenzie is the George W. and Nell Ayers Le Van Professor of Preaching and Worship at Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University.

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