that sower & the seed parable; it don't need no explanation .... !!

[Bliss from Robert Capon.]

... a farmer whose scattered seed falls into 4 situations....
He is obviously talking about agriculture,
but He gives no clue of other subjects.

Pressed by the disciples He says Kingdom is involved.
He then says:

"... it has been given to you to know the secrets,
(ta mysteria - hidden things; the unobservable workings)

.... if you get this you will get more out of me,
if you don't, what you thought you understand
will be even less understood ....

.... if you grasp the fact that the kingdom, works in a mystery,
then that will unlock more secrets to you ....

"How hard is it for the rich to enter into the kingdom"-
is not a judgement on the rich but a lamentable observation
on humans complicating their lives by going after possessions.

.... those that get a grip of the mystery
will see that Jesus is the mystery,
and the cross/resurrection will be understandable.

.... He is not tricking people into mis-understanding
by speaking in parables but a sad observation
on the motivations of mankind.

.... so why did Jesus even give an "explanation" ....
He does not simplify it, He gives it even more complexities ....

The sower sows the word of God.
(what is that saying to you, who is the sower?)

After ruling out ourselves,
we might say Jesus is the sower.
But we understand Jesus to be The Word made flesh.
So Jesus is the Seed
The sower is Father God.

So Father God has sown the Seed through out the world.
The field is the world.

Do christians, even today, believe this?
No, they think it doesn't get there until they bring the Seed
But Jesus says Father God has sown the seed everywhere.
So all we have to bring to nations is the liberating news
to trust in that Mystery of the already sown seed.
Our "witnessing" and "missions" have made it hard work.

We do this, now, let alone for the past 2000 years!

Won't see, won't hear, from the parables; still is a problem!

+++

The idea of the catholicity of the kingdom -
the insistence that it is at work everywhere,
always, and for all, rather than in some places,
at some times, and for some people is an integral part
of Jesus' teaching from start to finish.

.... in His parables we start to see He is covering
the whole world ... no one is left out of His teaching.