Several times we have referred to the Parable of the Sower and its explanation, in the Gospels, as one of the more important ideas for folks to connect with. Jesus/Yeshua does some parable interpretation for us here to explain how one is to look beyond the simple, concrete level of reading Scripture, to look deeper, for more spiritual undertones. You can go to the beginning of the chapter to get the parable. I’ve only copied the explanation for this discussion.
Luke 8:9-15 – ESV – The Purpose of the Parables
9 And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant, 10 he said, “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.’ [Is6:9-10] 11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12 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. 13 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. 14 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. 15 As for that in the good (g2570. καλός kalos) soil (g1093. γῆ gē), they are those who, hearing the word, {hold it fast} (g2722. κατέχω katechō) in an honest (g2570. καλός kalos) and good (g0018. ἀγαθός agathos) heart (g2588. καρδία kardia), and {bear fruit} (g2592. καρποφορέω karpophoreō) with patience (g5281. ὑπομονή hypomonē).
As usual, when looking at the Greek, I am going to try to take you back to the Hebrew. These are connections vis the Septuagint, and then the EDBH listing:
g2570. καλός kalos ➔ h2896. טוֹב ṭôḇ
p.94 טוב be good; advance benefit to man
GV p.94 טוב be good [advance benefit to man]; p.103 יטב [be good]; benefit; please
CM טוב impact positively/negatively (D17); יטב impact positively/negatively (C12)
g1093. γῆ gē ➔ h0776. אֶרֶץ ’ereṣ
p.17 ארץ solidify basic needs
GV p.249 רצץ crush; p.248 רצה satisfy [favor]; p.242 רוץ run [move rapidly]
¿ DV ארץ – p.249 רצץ crush; p.248 רזה satisfy [favor] > p.17 ארץ solidify basic needs ?
CM רצץ crush (E90); רצה satisfy/harm (E84); רוץ control (E70); ארץ focus decisively (A52)
g2722. κατέχω katechō ➔ h0270. אָחַז ’âḥaz
p.7 אחז grasp; take hold of
GV p.77 חזז flash; p.77 חזה see [that which is not normally visible]; p.85 חוז strive [for a goal]
DV אחז – p.77 חזז flash; p.77 חזה see [that which is not normally visible]; p.85 חוז strive [for a goal] > p.7 אחז grasp; take hold of
CM חזז strengthen/weaken (A56); חזה limit/expand activity (A24); חוז expedite/limit support (A7); אחז establish (A29)
g2570. καλός kalos ➔ h2896. טוֹב ṭôḇ – see above
g0018. ἀγαθός agathos ➔ h2896. טוֹב ṭôḇ – see above
The point to make here is one referred to before, more than likely to make certain the reader gets both of the aspects of טוב, i.e. both “be good” and “advance benefit to man.” And we have discussed previously that what man defines as “good” and what God sees as “good,” i.e. “advancing benefit to man,” may not be the same. And again we get back to the thought of parental discipline of the Father for his children.
g2588. καρδία kardia ➔ h3820. לֵב lêḇ
GV p.127 לבב conjoin [in central core]; p.128 לבה enthuse; p.127 לבא arouse; p.129 לובcenter
DV לאב – p.127 לבב conjoin [in central core]; p.128 לבה enthuse; p.127 לבא arouse > p.127 לאב scorn; mock
DV להב – p.127 לבב conjoin [in central core]; p.128 לבה enthuse; p.127 לבא arouse > p.128 להב flame
CM לבב and לוב encompass (D47); לבה and לבא ignite emotions/interest (D46); לאב and להב impact negatively (D41)
g2592. καρποφορέω karpophoreō ➔ h6524. פָּרַח p̱âraḥ
p.206 פרח blossom; grow
CM פרח emerge from constraints (B37)
g5281. ὑπομονή hypomonē ➔ h4723. מִקְוֶה miqewh; Strong’s derivation from h6960. קָוָהqâwâ
p.299 –מ that which emanates from an object or person
+
p.225 קוה gather to act; strive to a particular goal
GV p.224 קהה stunt [weaken]; p.225 קוה gather [to act; strive to a particular goal]; p.225 קוא vomit; p.109 יקה weaken [from age]; p.161 נקה cleanse [protect through effort]
¿ DV אקה – p.224 קהה stunt [weaken]; p.225 קוה gather [to act; strive to a particular goal] > p.16 אקה be wild ?
CM קהה increase/reduce (C16); קוה and קוא concentrate (C3); יקה weaken (C47); נקהaffect physically (D69); אקה isolate (A32)
(((NOTE that in A32 is p.73 חגה break a flat surface; create unevenness – related to חג “Feast,” which breaks up the routine of life)))
AND/OR
If מק + וה, then:
GV p.143 מקק decay; p.139 מיק foul
CM מקק dissolve (B52); (מיק none listed – BUT should be listed as dissolve (B52))
+
p.101 יהה exert power
GV p.57 ההה express [pain]; p.57 הוה exist [bring into being]; p.58 היה be; p.101 יההexert power; ¿ p.57 הוא be [exist] ?
DV אהה – p.57 ההה cry in pain [express pain] > אהה express pain
CM ההה and אהה express deep emotion (A20); הוה and הוא hide/reveal (A3); היהisolate (A32); יהה increase/reduce (C15); נהה impact physically/emotionally (D76)
I just want to set the context in Isaiah 6:9-10 referred to above. And then we will point out the likely already obvious connections to our recent discussions on Wisdom, Knowledge, and Understanding.
This is the entire chapter of Isaiah 6, at least parts of which you already know well.
Isaiah 6
1 In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one called to another and said:
“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts;
the whole earth is full of his glory!”
4 And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. 5 And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!”
6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.”
Isaiah’s Commission from the Lord
8 And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.” 9 And he said, “Go, and say to this people:
“‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand;
keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’
10 Make the heart of this people dull,
and their ears heavy,
and blind their eyes;
lest they see with their eyes,
and hear with their ears,
and understand with their hearts,
and turn and be healed.”
11 Then I said, “How long, O Lord?”
And he said:
“Until cities lie waste
without inhabitant,
and houses without people,
and the land is a desolate waste,
12 and the LORD removes people far away,
and the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land.
13 And though a tenth remain in it,
it will be burned again,
like a terebinth or an oak,
whose stump remains
when it is felled.”
The holy seed is its stump.
Once one has truly seen the LORD, the glory of who he is, one realizes how lowly and unworthy one truly is. And it is in the face of that humbling, that the guilt is removed, and we cannot but be willing to be sent by him. And we must continue on that road no matter what. And we must carry his message. There may be no one who listens. There may be very little “good soil.” But what there is, the remaining tenth who persist, through the fire, is that stump from which new growth will return.
“To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God.” Most will not understand these “secrets” even when they are told. There is a level of communication, a spiritual level, to which most hearts are simply not open.
See, understand, heart, patience••• many word connections to our earlier discussions. Wisdom is the patience not to push forward one’s own agenda, but to give God time to work on hearts. Some hearts will be changed, others not. We are to persist nevertheless. Purchasing “fire insurance” is not the answer. The answer is knowing the “secrets of God.” And that requires our constant, focused attention.
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