Are you sure about that?
Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away. And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience. Luke 8:11-15 ESV
There is only one soil, (the one that has experienced regeneration/new birth), that is capable of bearing fruit of the Spirit and only these believers (born of the Spirit) receive the promise of eternal life. "He who has ears to hear, let him hear." Luke 8:8 "To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that 'seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand." Luke 8:10
He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Simon Peter replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. Matthew 16:15-17 ESV
If all you see is the seed, and the soil, you have missed most of the lesson of this parable and the significance of this parable relative to the other 6 kingdom of heaven parables in this chapter. This is a major pivot point of scripture in the ministry of Jesus Christ and it is filled with typical tyipcal meaning. It is mysteries. A mystery is truth that is hidden and must be revealed and taught by the one who reveals it. I doubt that you have a clue what those mysteries are, or how to understand them. You are not alone. No Calvinist would ever understand them because of their presuppositions and a faulty foundation for their theology.
Now, I am not going to tell you about this parable yet. Maybe you will be able to figure it out better if I give you some historical data relative to it and says something about the spiritual applications from the types we are given here.
When dealing with mysteries, it is important to be able to think like God thinks. You can not understand scripture unless you learn to do that. I am trying to help you here. Here is what God says about his thinking:
Isa 55:8 For my thoughts [are] not your thoughts, neither [are] your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:
11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
1 cor 2 tells us how to think his thoughts and the first way you need to know about is to get a bible that has his words in it. Here is just one of many things he says about his words.
1Co 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. 0 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but (in the words) which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
It matters what words you have and you do not have the right ones.
Now, this is essentially what Jesus Says to his disciples in Matt 13. This is near the end of his earthly ministry and he had not made a habit of speaking to the Jews in parables. This is what they asked and his answer:
Mt 13:10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
This must have been something new or they would not have asked.
Here is his answer and this answer will also help you to understand some things as you study them out
11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you (disciples) to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them (the Jews) it is not given.
Why?
12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
Do you understand the word "because" They saw and they heard, but they did not see and they did not hear
They did not perceive:
14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
Isaiah prophecied about these very Jews that Jesus Christ was dealing with and he said they have closed their eyes and ears and if they had not, they woukld have saw and heard and understood and been converted. Read the words yourself and believe them!
15 For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
It was not God who closed their eyes and ears, but it was God who spoke to them in parables after it was apparent their heart had waxed gross.
Here is the specific reason he spoke to them in parables:
Mt 13:11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
Jn 10:24 Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly.
25 Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me.
He told them plainly in Jn 8 and they did not believe him.
To the disciples, who were Jews, he said:
16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.
17 For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.
18 Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.
The difference between the Jews and the disciples was in the interpreter. Jesus Christ revealed the mysteries, and yea, God is the only one who can teach the mysteries. They had come to the right sorce to get their understanding. They recognized Jesus as the Messiah and their ears was open to his words when he spoke and the Jews did not recognize him and would never come to him for instruction.
Therefore, the parables and the mysteries were the means by which Israel, the lost, were blinded.
Anyone of them who would come to him he would not cast out and they could be taught of him. But as long as they refused to come, they would remain blind.
I have gone long here on this post so I will take up the typical teaching and the parable of the sower later.
