The Year of our Lord, Jesus Christ
Matthew 13:8
But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.
Mark 4:8
And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred.
Luke 8:8
And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Yes, these are the same three verses used yesterday, but today, consider the various amounts of fruit the good soil brings forth. Thirty-fold, sixty-fold, and an hundred-fold. Concerning this notice two things.
First notice Luke 8:15. But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience. He singularly states three things about this good ground: it is honest, it is good, and it has patience. Neither Matthew nor Mark include these attributes. But wait, notice something else, only Luke while introducing the good ground type of soil in the heart lists only the amount of hundredfold. Matthew and Mark state thirty, sixty and hundred, but Luke only states hundredfold, he omits the thirty and sixty levels. When explaining what the good ground consists of, only Luke adds honest, good, and patient. Think about that for a while, there is a lesson there.
Secondly, the various levels of fruit bearing are three. This corresponds perfectly with the great fruit bearing chapter of John 15. John does not convey the parable of the Seed and Sower, but he does go into detail concerning bearing fruit. Read John 15:1-8. He records three stages, or levels of fruit bearing: fruit (vs. 2a), more fruit (vs. 2b), and much fruit (vs 5 & 8). Could it be that fruit is the thirtyfold, more fruit is the sixtyfold, and much fruit is the hundredfold? When we all get to Heaven let’s ask John!
Two final thoughts. One, ground doesn’t judge the harvest of other ground, the farmer judges the harvest of the ground. Two, God keeps records.
Until Next Time,
William T. Howe, Ph.D.
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