24th Week in Ord. Time, Saturday – 19th September 2020 — Gospel: Lk 8,4-15
Parables as fulfillment of prophecy
After narrating the parable of the sower, Jesus immediately explains to his disciples why he changed his method of teaching to the crowds using parables. Jesus’ answer is brief, but loaded with implications: “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables.” The reason why Jesus began to use parables is to conceal his teachings from some, and to reveal it to others. He conceals the truth about the kingdom from the crowds, while revealing it to his disciples. However, Jesus never withholds his teaching from the people who were both eager and able to understand. But the secret knowledge is unfolded only to the disciples. Even though the disciples may not understand all of what Jesus says in parables similar to the crowds, yet they are called and explained privately.
Jesus viewed his teaching by parables, which is concealing and revealing, as a fulfillment of prophecy. In his first Galilean campaign Jesus identified himself as the fulfiller of this prophecy. In the parable of the sower, the sowing of the seed symbolizes the spreading of the gospel. Four different responses are received, along with four different causes and four distinct results. The fourth response, the good soil represents those hearts that are prepared for the gospel. It is the soil of prophetic fulfilment, in which the seed (the gospel) not only brings forth life, but the plant comes to full maturity and it bears fruit. This is the goal of discipleship in this parable.
