Verklaring van de evangelische parabolen

The first Parable in this main section reads as follows:
verse 3. — Behold, a Sower went out to sow.
4. And as he sowed, some [seed] fell by the
way: and the birds came, and ate it
up.
5. And another [part] fell on stony [places,]
where it did not have much earth, and
it sprang up immediately, because it had no depth of
earth.
6. But when the Sun had risen, it was
scorched, and because it had no
root, it withered away.
7. And another [part] fell among the thorns:
and the thorns grew up, and choked
it:
8. And another [part] fell into the good earth,
and gave fruit, some a hundred, another
sixty, and another thirty-[fold.]

Of which the specific explanation by Jesus
Christ follows thus.

verse 18---23. You then, hear the parable of the Sower.
19. When anyone hears that word of the Kingdom,
and does not understand it, then comes the wicked one, and
snatches away that which was sown in his heart. This
is he who was sown by the way.
20. But he who is sown in stony [places,]
this is he who hears the word, and
receives it immediately with joy.
21. Yet he has no root in himself,
but is for a time: and when oppression
or

or persecution comes, for the sake of the word,
he is immediately offended.
22. And he who is sown in the thorns, this is
the one who hears the word, and the care
of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches
choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.
23. But he who is sown in the good earth, this is
the one who hears the word and understands it, who
also bears fruit, and brings forth, some a hun-
dred, another sixty, and another thirty-
[fold.]

§. XVII. In the first of these Parables, the Lord Je-
sus Christ compares the various qualities of the
Listeners of the Gospel doctrine, and the various effects
of that same Doctrine, in relation to those qualities,
by the various types of earth, in relation to the seed
that is thrown into it. As appears from the explanation
of the Parable itself, which the Lord gave. verses 19--23.

Excellence of the Parable.

§. XVIII. Which Parable (when we observe the matters
that are compared with each other) does not seem
difficult to understand. For not only are the grounds of that compari-
son already laid in the Scriptures of the Old Testament; such as
(a) Jeremiah 4:3. (b) compare Hebrews 6:7, 8. Psalm 126:5, 6. Isaiah
32:20. but one even finds such comparisons not infrequently
in the writings of Plutarch, Seneca, Cicero and other
secular writers. But if we pay attention to the particu-
lar circumstances of this parable, and to the way
Jesus Christ has worked out this Parable, we shall find
that it is very wise and ingenious, and that the Parable has much more in
its interior than it shows on its forehead that is, its surface appearance.
§. XIX.

(a) Jeremiah 4:3. Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among the thorns.

(b) The following places Hebrews 6:7, 8. Psalm 126:5, 6. and Isaiah 32:20.

Blessed are you who SOW beside all waters; shall in the future
be closer considered. Indeed, regarding Psalm 126:5, 6. the
reader can look up the explanation in our Work, after the explanation of
the Letter to the Colossians. And regarding Hebrews 6:7, 8. likewise in its
place, in our Explanation of that Epistle.

Content of the first Parable