Read Luke 8 here (text coming …) or at Bible Gateway.
Luke 8:1-56 Chiastic Structure:
Have you ever thought that it wasn’t very fair of Jesus to speak in parables, and then not explain their meaning to the multitude, so that “seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand?”
The D pair surrounding the central axis gives us the key. Those who take heed how they hear, who have ears to hear, will be given more light, sight, and understanding. How do we have ears to hear? The parable of the sower explains it.
“Those by the way side are those who hear; then comes the devil, and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. Those on the rock are those, who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away. And that which fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to completion. But those on the good ground are those who, with an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.” Luk 8:12-15
The foundation of good soil is belief in the word heard (which in the Hebraic worldview, means doing as well as hearing), coupled with a determination to not forget it, to not make time for it, to not exalt temporal things above it, and to cultivate depth of soil. But if anyone wants to be in the inner circle club, and not in the outsider club who hears but does not understand, Jesus is not excluding you or preventing you. We ourselves determine to which club we belong. He is no respecter of persons! Aren’t you glad? ♥
If there are questions, these are good resources:
Shama, “To hear,” Strong’s H8085 – Christine Miller
Matthew 13, Developing depth of soil – Christine Miller
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