10 Bible Verses about Parables Of Agriculture

He then spoke many things to them in figurative language. "The sower goes out," He said, "to sow. As he sows, some of the seed falls by the way-side, and the birds come and peck it up. Some falls on rocky ground, where it has but scanty soil. It quickly shows itself above ground, because it has no depth of earth;read more.
but when the sun is risen, it is scorched by the heat, and through having no root it withers up. Some falls among the thorns; but the thorns spring up and stifle it. But a portion falls upon good ground, and gives a return, some a hundred for one, some sixty, some thirty. Listen, every one who has ears!"

"To you then I will explain the parable of the Sower. When a man hears the Message concerning the Kingdom and does not understand it, the Evil one comes and catches away what has been sown in his heart. This is he who has received the seed by the road-side. He who has received the seed on the rocky ground is the man who hears the Message and immediately receives it with joy.read more.
It has struck no root, however, within him. He continues for a time, but when suffering comes, or persecution, because of the Message, he at once stumbles and falls. He who has received the seed among the thorns is the man who hears the Message, but the cares of the present age and the delusions of riches quite stifle the Message, and it becomes unfruitful. But he who has received the seed on good ground is he who hears and understands. Such hearers give a return, and yield one a hundred for one, another sixty, another thirty.")

"Listen: the sower goes out to sow. As he sows, some of the seed falls by the way-side, and the birds come and peck it up. Some falls on the rocky ground where it finds but little earth, and it shoots up quickly because it has no depth of soil;read more.
but when the sun is risen, it is scorched, and through having no root it withers away. Some, again, falls among the thorns; and the thorns spring up and stifle it, so that it yields no crop. But some of the seed falls into good ground, and gives a return: it comes up and increases, and yields thirty, sixty, or a hundred-fold." "Listen," He added, "every one who has ears to listen with!"

"What the sower sows is the Message. Those who receive the seed by the way-side are those in whom the Message is sown, but, when they have heard it, Satan comes at once and carries away the Message sown in them. In the same way those who receive the seed on the rocky places are those who, when they have heard the Message, at once accept it joyfully,read more.
but they have no root within them. They last for a time; then, when suffering or persecution comes because of the Message, they are immediately overthrown. Others there are who receive the seed among the thorns: these are they who have heard the Message, but worldly cares and the deceitfulness of wealth and the excessive pursuit of other objects come in and stifle the Message, and it becomes unfruitful. Those, on the other hand, who have received the seed on the good ground, are all who hear the Message and welcome it, and yield a return of thirty, sixty, or a hundred fold."

And when a great crowd was assembling, and was receiving additions from one town after another, He spoke a parable to them. "The sower," He said, "goes out to sow his seed; and as he sows, some of the seed falls by the way-side, and is trodden upon, or the birds of the air come and peck it up. Another part drops upon the rock, and after growing up it withers away for want of moisture.read more.
Another part falls among the thorns, and the thorns grow up with it and stifle it. But some of the seed falls into good ground, and grows up and yields a return of a hundred for one." While thus speaking, He cried aloud and said, "Listen, every one who has ears to listen with!"

The meaning of the parable is as follows. The seed is God's Message. Those by the way-side are those who have heard, and then the Devil comes and carries away the Message from their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. Those on the rock are the people who on hearing the Message receive it joyfully; but they have no root: for a time they believe, but when trial comes they fall away.read more.
That which fell among the thorns means those who have heard, but as they go on their way, the Message is stifled by the anxieties, wealth and gaieties of time, and they yield nothing in perfection. But as for that in the good ground, it means those who, having listened to the Message with open minds and in a right spirit, hold it fast, and patiently yield a return.

This prompted Him to say, "What is the Kingdom of God like? and to what shall I compare it? It is like a mustard seed which a man drops into the soil in his garden, and it grows and becomes a tree in whose branches the birds roost."

"Listen to another parable. There was a householder who planted a vineyard, made a fence round it, dug a wine-tank in it, and built a strong lodge; then let the place to vine-dressers, and went abroad. When vintage-time approached, he sent his servants to the vine-dressers to receive his share of the grapes; but the vine-dressers seized the servants, and one they cruelly beat, one they killed, one they pelted with stones.read more.
Again he sent another party of servants more numerous than the first; and these they treated in the same manner. Later still he sent to them his son, saying, "'They will respect my son.' "But the vine-dressers, when they saw the son, said to one another, "'Here is the heir: come, let us kill him and get his inheritance.' "So they seized him, dragged him out of the vineyard, and killed him. When then the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vine-dressers?" "He will put the wretches to a wretched death," was the reply, "and will entrust the vineyard to other vine-dressers who will render the produce to him at the vintage season."

Then He began to speak to them in figurative language. "There was once a man," He said, "who planted a vineyard, fenced it round, dug a pit for the wine-tank, and built a strong lodge. Then he let the place to vine-dressers and went abroad. At vintage-time he sent one of his servants to receive from the vine-dressers a share of the grapes. But they seized him, beat him cruelly and sent him away empty-handed.read more.
Again he sent to them another servant: and as for him, they wounded him in the head and treated him shamefully. Yet a third he sent, and him they killed. And he sent many besides, and them also they ill-treated, beating some and killing others. He had still one left whom he could send, a dearly-loved son: him last of all he sent, saying, "'They will treat my son with respect.' "But those men--the vine-dressers--said to one another, "'Here is the heir: come, let us kill him, and then the property will one day be ours.' "So they took him and killed him, and flung his body outside the vineyard. What, therefore, will the owner of the vineyard do?" "He will come and put the vine-dressers to death," they said; "and will give the vineyard to others." "Have you not read even this passage," He added, "'The stone which the builders rejected has become the Cornerstone: this Cornerstone came from the Lord, and is wonderful in our esteem?'"

Then He proceeded to speak a parable to the people. "There was a man," He said, "who planted a vineyard, let it out to vine-dressers, and went abroad for a considerable time. At vintage-time he sent a servant to the vine-dressers, for them to give him a share of the crop; but the vine-dressers beat him cruelly and sent him away empty-handed. Then he sent a second servant; and him too they beat and ill treated and sent away empty-handed.read more.
Then again he sent a third; and this one also they wounded and drove away. Then the owner of the vineyard said, "'What am I to do? I will send my son--my dearly-loved son: they will probably respect him.' "But when the vine-dressers saw him, they discussed the matter with one another, and said, "'This is the heir: let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.' "So they turned him out of the vineyard and murdered him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? He will come and put these vine-dressers to death, and give the vineyard to others." "God forbid!" exclaimed the hearers. He looked at them and said, "What then does that mean which is written, "'The Stone which the builders rejected has been made the cornerstone'? Every one who falls on that stone will be severely hurt, but on whomsoever it falls, he will be utterly crushed."