Good Soil

Luke 8: 1-15 is about "The Parable of the Sower." It is a very familiar parable. I have preached it myself for several times and I have heard also numerous messages based on this passage. But none struck me when my mind was opened to the immediate historical context when Jesus gave this parable.

As usual, it has been said repeatedly that four types of listeners of the word are represented in this parable:

1. The seed that fell along the path represents listeners who do not understand the message of the gospel (Matthew 13:19). So it is really possible to listen without understanding. The evil one took away the seed that was sown in the heart of this type of listeners.

2. The seed that fell on rocky places represents listeners who accepts the word with joy. But the trouble with this type of listeners is one of rootlessness. This type of listeners, having without root, could not endure the time of testing such as trouble or persecution because of the word. As a result, they fall away. 

3. The seed that fell among thorns represents listeners who were immature and unproductive. There were three reasons for immaturity and unproductivity - life's worries, riches, and pleasures.

4. The seed that fell on good soil represents listeners "with a noble and good heart" and became productive. 

What shocked me is the realization that the "good soil" or the listeners "with a noble and good heart" are not the usual type of people that we consider "good soil" today. They are not the kind of people that we will consider "noble" and "good" in our days. 

If we will observe Luke 8 verses 1 to 3, we will see what type of people is represented by the good soil. We have there the Twelve apostles. But the surprising thing is what follows. Verse 3 states, "and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases." And then Luke enumerated the names of these women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases. Mary Magdalene is the number one in the list! Then Joanna the wife of Cuza, the manager of Herod's household, Susanna, and many others. 

For sure, Mary Magdalene is not "some women." She is only one woman. Aside from Mary Magdalene, it is not presumptuous I think to include the other women such as Joanna and Susanna as among those "some women" who had been cured of "evil spirits" and "diseases."

And we all know what type of woman Mary Magdalene was. She was a prostitute. How about Joanna and Susanna? They were also afflicted by evil spirits. And what kind of spirit? Was it similar to that of Mary Magdalene's? If it was, then these women would likely be also guilty of some act of sexual immorality. And come to think of it, Joanna was a wife of a prominent man!

Now, would you consider these women as good soil? Do they have a noble and good heart? Yes, they are good soil. Yes, they have a noble and good heart. Yes, the word that they received bore fruit in their lives and they devoted themselves in doing good works. I think the words of Jesus uttered to an anonymous sinful woman also applied to these sinful women. Jesus said, "her many sins have been forgiven - for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little" (Luke 7:47). This sinful woman, Mary Magdalene and others who have been cured of evil spirits belong to that type of listeners characterized as the good soil.