"Everyone hearing the word of the kingdom and not understanding, the evil one comes and snatches away that having been sown in the heart of him..."1
This word for understanding means I consider, perceive; to set or join together in the mind, i. e. to understand. This understanding is the idea of faith when God's seed is sown in our hearts and divine persuasion is worked in our minds. This understanding is closely connected with discerning and doing the will of God. It starts with laboring in the mind, into the spiritual bread from heaven, it is a meditation on the Words of Christ. Jesus said he spoke in parables because they did not understand and he gave understanding to the disciples.
There are key players in understanding the spiritual; the Word of God, the Spirit of God, the heart and the mind. "For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword... able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart."5 It is the Word that brings faith, the Spirit of God that draws and waters. Jesus said in the parable of the sower, the seed was sown in the heart. It is in the mind that decision will be made. Spirit and Truth this helps "Discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart." This word for discerning means to think good, to pick out (choose) by separating.4 The double-edged sword of Spirit and Truth separates the mind and the heart, thoughts, and intentions. This word for thought means literally, inner-passion, (from "inside, a state or condition," intensifying "passionate response") the emotional force driving meditation and reflection, underlying conception of the seed in our heart.
"Able to discern... intentions of the heart." This word for intention means thinking, intention, purpose (from "engaged in" which intensifies "mind") – properly, the "engaged mind, "in-mind"; settled (thought-out) opinions, attitudes. So we see the mind helps to "engage" the heart. The Jews had a knowledge of scripture, but we see Jesus often say, “You have heard … but I say to you..." This is why He spoke in parables because they had no understanding of the scriptures. They did not see, their hearts were not "engaged" only their earthly senses were filled.
This word for understanding means I consider, perceive; to set or join together in the mind, i. e. to understand. This understanding is the idea of faith when God's seed is sown in our hearts and divine persuasion is worked in our minds. This understanding is closely connected with discerning and doing the will of God. It starts with laboring in the mind, into the spiritual bread from heaven, it is a meditation on the Words of Christ. Jesus said he spoke in parables because they did not understand and he gave understanding to the disciples.
There are key players in understanding the spiritual; the Word of God, the Spirit of God, the heart and the mind. "For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword... able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart."5 It is the Word that brings faith, the Spirit of God that draws and waters. Jesus said in the parable of the sower, the seed was sown in the heart. It is in the mind that decision will be made. Spirit and Truth this helps "Discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart." This word for discerning means to think good, to pick out (choose) by separating.4 The double-edged sword of Spirit and Truth separates the mind and the heart, thoughts, and intentions. This word for thought means literally, inner-passion, (from "inside, a state or condition," intensifying "passionate response") the emotional force driving meditation and reflection, underlying conception of the seed in our heart. "Able to discern... intentions of the heart." This word for intention means thinking, intention, purpose (from "engaged in" which intensifies "mind") – properly, the "engaged mind, "in-mind"; settled (thought-out) opinions, attitudes. So we see the mind helps to "engage" the heart. The Jews had a knowledge of scripture, but we see Jesus often say, “You have heard … but I say to you..." This is why He spoke in parables because they had no understanding of the scriptures. They did not see, their hearts were not "engaged" only their earthly senses were filled.
Paul writes we are to put off the old man, the old way, to be renewed in the Spirit of your mind.8 This word for renew means I am renewed, "among" which intensifies "new") – it denotes repetition, renewal, back, upward. In the Spirit of your mind, among this new creation. We were conformed to our old ways and thoughts but we are transformed by the renewing of our mind.9
The mind is key to understanding anything, so it is with faith. In the parable of the sower, the seed is sown in the heart by hearing the word, this is the throwing of the seed, so where it falls represents the person. What is important is what makes the seed received, to grow. and to bear fruit. We see good soil is needed, but what is good soil? it is hearing and understanding, "this is the one who hears the word and understands it" compared to "hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it" it is hearing, receiving with joy, and understanding.- Path: hear and no understanding and no receiving
- Rocky: hear and understand and receive and no root
- Thorns: hear and understand and receive and root and no endurance
- Good Soil: hear and understand and receive and root and endurance and fruit
The people of the kingdom they hear and understand and receive and root and endure and bear fruit. We see each part plays an important role. This word for path was also used to denote a way of thinking, feeling, deciding.10 Like as Paul writes about Agape Love, the more excellent way.11 Or the way of life, that Peter speaks of.12 This was the way of righteousness that the Pharisees did not believe but the tax collectors and prostitutes did.13 It is the way of peace they have not known.14 This way God gave to these, little children, understanding.
This seed can be snatched away. We usually associate this with the heart condition only. But what about the sower; how the seed is sown? it would seem careless to throw it on the path or rock or among thorns, some might fall there, but carelessness would not this be the fault of the sower? Have you ever heard a sermon with too many object lessons, or too many stories or points that do not link together? you walk away thinking what did I get out of that. The enemy has snatched away the seed. The seed must die before it produces fruit. Though good seed is sown the enemy puts his seed with the good, since the good seed grows deep roots and you can't tell the wheat from tare until harvest time, the good seed must grow together until the harvest. This is the testing of the seed whether it will bear fruit.
The parable of the sower can be related to human memory and that of computers. There is a computer programming language called Java, and it uses a sophisticated memory management paradigm. Memory starts in a space called Eden, it is a small space which makes memory access fast. The memory manager keeps track of things like how often the memory is used and when it was last used. When this Eden space is filled "garbage collection" is performed. Memory that is used often goes on to a more permanent, long-term storage area, the other is discarded. This management of memory operates much like our brain.
Processing information in our brain is like storing memory in a computer. Memory first goes into this Eden space, and we when we repeatedly think on something it will move on to long-term storage. We will build pathways in our memory, this is behavior that we have learned. The opposite is also true, we can re-program our thinking. We associate behavior with sensory inputs, passion, things pleasing to the senses, so we can associate feelings for something different, it is bad programming. Of course we have three enemies here; flesh, world system, and the devil, each set out to conform us to its thinking. For example, many have associated sexual feelings with love and identity. To re-learn they must break the habit and the addiction, the euphoria of these feelings. Computer programming has a life cycle of requirements analysis, design, coding, testing, maintaining. If I take the extra time to plan and design I will save time in the long term. It is so with our thinking.
There are three phases to storing information in our brain's memory; sensory to short-term to long-term memory.11 This sensory memory happens fast, for example when we have revelation, insight, often we need to write it down to remember our thoughts. Sensory memory goes into short-term memory via the process of attention which needs motivation. We must seek to associate the idea, to understand it. Short term memory is the brain's post it notes, it is the ability to remember and process information at the same time, and we have to make a conscious effort to retain it. "The transfer of information to long-term memory can be facilitated or improved by mental repetition of the information or, even more effectively, by giving it a meaning and associating it with other previously acquired knowledge."
Memorization is good, as repetition helps move information from short-term memory to long-term. But there is a more effective way. Short-term memories can become long-term memory through the process of consolidation, involving rehearsal and meaningful association. Understanding the "why" is a more effective way to store information in long-term memory, it gives meaning and association with other previously acquired knowledge. To me this is faith with works, it is the purpose of ministry in the Church to apply the knowledge of scripture, and this is for the edification of the body. It is why God chooses the ministry through affirmation in the body, as it is for the edification of the body.
Legalism causes the growth to be choked out, it puts heavy burdens on people, killing the motivation, discouraging, and it causes "disputes rather than godly edification which is in faith."12 However, Grace creates an environment for seed to grow deep roots, we are rooted and founded in His love, this is needed for the next phase of endurance. Unlike short-term memory, long-term memory encodes information for storage semantically (i.e. based on meaning and association).12 The parables that Jesus told were for association, to help the people to labor into understanding the scriptures, which they had heard from the scribes and Pharisees but had no understanding of. If I hear the word and can not relate to it in any way, I will not understand it, thus, no faith can occur.
What is key is helping people labor into understanding, it is being a light, salt... the message of good news, hope, life... Personal opinions, attacks, fear mongering... by such the enemy snatches away seed, chokes the growth, the joy, the love, the passion. The seed is sown in the heart, understanding is happening through hearing, thinking, meditating on the word, and by association, working it out in my life. Once this occurs the word will move on to more long term memory thus it takes root and will endure and become life; bear fruit. If you do not use it, you will loose it, it will get "garbage collected," faith without works is dead. When we get memory past the first "Eden" stage through associating it with already stored memory, and repetition, we intentionally increase long-term memory and our understanding.
Pay attention! Motivation, passion, attention help us to understand. God instills such passion in us. If your Spirit has ever moaned for orphans, widows, the least of these, or a certain people group then you understand this passion. The Pharisees would put many rules, ordinances in place, they killed passion. Jesus said in their rules they broke God's commandments. They put heavy burdens on the people.
"With power we grow by the Holy Spirit of Him in the inner man, settling Christ through faith in the hearts of you, in love being rooted and founded. That you may be able to comprehend... to know the surpassing knowledge of the love of Christ, that you may be filled unto the fullness of God."14 The seed is sown, by the Holy Spirit, it dies and is "watered", we are born from above in the inner man, through faith Christ is settled, planted in our hearts, we are rooted and founded in Grace, so that we may be able to associate with His love in that we are filled unto the fullness of God. Christ came in the fullness of the Father; of Grace and Truth. This verse is nothing less than the key to good soil.
O Praise Him
This seed can be snatched away. We usually associate this with the heart condition only. But what about the sower; how the seed is sown? it would seem careless to throw it on the path or rock or among thorns, some might fall there, but carelessness would not this be the fault of the sower? Have you ever heard a sermon with too many object lessons, or too many stories or points that do not link together? you walk away thinking what did I get out of that. The enemy has snatched away the seed. The seed must die before it produces fruit. Though good seed is sown the enemy puts his seed with the good, since the good seed grows deep roots and you can't tell the wheat from tare until harvest time, the good seed must grow together until the harvest. This is the testing of the seed whether it will bear fruit.
The parable of the sower can be related to human memory and that of computers. There is a computer programming language called Java, and it uses a sophisticated memory management paradigm. Memory starts in a space called Eden, it is a small space which makes memory access fast. The memory manager keeps track of things like how often the memory is used and when it was last used. When this Eden space is filled "garbage collection" is performed. Memory that is used often goes on to a more permanent, long-term storage area, the other is discarded. This management of memory operates much like our brain.
Processing information in our brain is like storing memory in a computer. Memory first goes into this Eden space, and we when we repeatedly think on something it will move on to long-term storage. We will build pathways in our memory, this is behavior that we have learned. The opposite is also true, we can re-program our thinking. We associate behavior with sensory inputs, passion, things pleasing to the senses, so we can associate feelings for something different, it is bad programming. Of course we have three enemies here; flesh, world system, and the devil, each set out to conform us to its thinking. For example, many have associated sexual feelings with love and identity. To re-learn they must break the habit and the addiction, the euphoria of these feelings. Computer programming has a life cycle of requirements analysis, design, coding, testing, maintaining. If I take the extra time to plan and design I will save time in the long term. It is so with our thinking.
"It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men." - Frederick Douglass
There are three phases to storing information in our brain's memory; sensory to short-term to long-term memory.11 This sensory memory happens fast, for example when we have revelation, insight, often we need to write it down to remember our thoughts. Sensory memory goes into short-term memory via the process of attention which needs motivation. We must seek to associate the idea, to understand it. Short term memory is the brain's post it notes, it is the ability to remember and process information at the same time, and we have to make a conscious effort to retain it. "The transfer of information to long-term memory can be facilitated or improved by mental repetition of the information or, even more effectively, by giving it a meaning and associating it with other previously acquired knowledge."
Memorization is good, as repetition helps move information from short-term memory to long-term. But there is a more effective way. Short-term memories can become long-term memory through the process of consolidation, involving rehearsal and meaningful association. Understanding the "why" is a more effective way to store information in long-term memory, it gives meaning and association with other previously acquired knowledge. To me this is faith with works, it is the purpose of ministry in the Church to apply the knowledge of scripture, and this is for the edification of the body. It is why God chooses the ministry through affirmation in the body, as it is for the edification of the body.
Legalism causes the growth to be choked out, it puts heavy burdens on people, killing the motivation, discouraging, and it causes "disputes rather than godly edification which is in faith."12 However, Grace creates an environment for seed to grow deep roots, we are rooted and founded in His love, this is needed for the next phase of endurance. Unlike short-term memory, long-term memory encodes information for storage semantically (i.e. based on meaning and association).12 The parables that Jesus told were for association, to help the people to labor into understanding the scriptures, which they had heard from the scribes and Pharisees but had no understanding of. If I hear the word and can not relate to it in any way, I will not understand it, thus, no faith can occur.
What is key is helping people labor into understanding, it is being a light, salt... the message of good news, hope, life... Personal opinions, attacks, fear mongering... by such the enemy snatches away seed, chokes the growth, the joy, the love, the passion. The seed is sown in the heart, understanding is happening through hearing, thinking, meditating on the word, and by association, working it out in my life. Once this occurs the word will move on to more long term memory thus it takes root and will endure and become life; bear fruit. If you do not use it, you will loose it, it will get "garbage collected," faith without works is dead. When we get memory past the first "Eden" stage through associating it with already stored memory, and repetition, we intentionally increase long-term memory and our understanding.
Pay attention! Motivation, passion, attention help us to understand. God instills such passion in us. If your Spirit has ever moaned for orphans, widows, the least of these, or a certain people group then you understand this passion. The Pharisees would put many rules, ordinances in place, they killed passion. Jesus said in their rules they broke God's commandments. They put heavy burdens on the people.
"With power we grow by the Holy Spirit of Him in the inner man, settling Christ through faith in the hearts of you, in love being rooted and founded. That you may be able to comprehend... to know the surpassing knowledge of the love of Christ, that you may be filled unto the fullness of God."14 The seed is sown, by the Holy Spirit, it dies and is "watered", we are born from above in the inner man, through faith Christ is settled, planted in our hearts, we are rooted and founded in Grace, so that we may be able to associate with His love in that we are filled unto the fullness of God. Christ came in the fullness of the Father; of Grace and Truth. This verse is nothing less than the key to good soil.
They do not understand, if they did Jesus would heal them, "for this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’14 The seed fell on tough and rocky soil, among thorns. John came neither eating nor drinking but they said, "he has a demon" Jesus came eating and drinking and they called him a drunkard and a glutton. Tough crowd to please, there is no passion, their hearts are dull. "We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn."15
Dance, sing, raise your hands, do something, hear and understand! Those who hear the word and understand it, the seed will grow in them. These are those Jesus came to save, to lift their heavy burdens, to give them rest. God chose to hide "these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children;" Yes, Father, for such was your gracious will...