SUMMARY
JesusJesus is the Messiah whose life, death, and resurrection are God's saving act for humanity. More tells two parables that use the image of seeds to illustrate the kingdom of GodThe kingdom (reign) of God is a central theme of Jesus' teaching and parables. According to Jesus this reign of God is a present reality and at the same time is yet to come. When Christians pray the Lord's Prayer, they ask that God's kingdom... More.
ANALYSIS
As pointed out in the ParableA parable is a brief story with a setting, an action, and a result. A prominent aspect of Jesus' teaching was telling parables to illustrate something about the kingdom, or reign, of God. More of the Sower, the parables of Jesus can often obscure as much as they clarify. Because of the ambiguity in their interpretation, it is often helpful to read parables together instead of individually. In these two parables, Jesus maintains that the kingdom of heaven is like seed sown in the ground.
The parables share several thematic elements in common. Both highlight the surprising nature of growth. In the first parable, the emphasis is placed on the secret nature of the growth. The man who sows the seeds does not contribute to the growth and does not know how it happens. In the second parable, the emphasis is on the growth of a large plant from such a small seed. Both parables also share the theme of abundant growth with the first using the imagery of harvest and the second the imagery of shelter for the birds. Taken together, the parables emphasize the lack of human contribution to the growth of the kingdom of God. Like seeds, God’s kingdom achieves impressive growth by its own power.
