Long before Jesus began performing public miracles He taught small groups of followers. He taught using straight literal teaching—plain, simple and easy to understand language. This small group of followers loved Him, sought His teaching and served His ministry.
Interestingly, Jesus did not have to prove Himself to them—they understood His words and from them, recognized Who He was. He provided God’s Word—
- and they took Him deep into their hearts,
- accepted absolutely,
- treasured His Word and were saved.
Did they go out and preach His Word?
Nope.
Were any of these people His immediate family members?
Nope.
Were they from elite Jewish families? Were they wealthy? Or politically motivated?
Nope.
Jesus’ early followers came from most humble origins—sinners one and all. His truth convicted them and they changed—remaining with Him throughout the remainder of His life.
Why did these relatively unknown people behave like this?
Because before He found them, they KNEW they were in dire straits and they KNEW they needed a Savior. None required convincing. None second guessed. All believed. And Jesus rejoiced over them, enjoying the fact that He could use straight literal teaching, because they were open-hearted.
Additionally, we know these early followers were the first to experience personal miracles performed by Jesus (Mary Magdalene, Luke 8:1-2). We don’t know all of the early followers names, because they followed Him before Jesus called His disciples, and the disciples did not specifically record them in scripture. Yet, they represent the purity of the open-hearted.
When Jesus was gathering His early disciples, He still was not performing public miracles, but continued using personal miracles to show these men Who He was (Peter and Andrew). One by one Jesus asked them to follow Him and they did. Jesus taught these men using straight literal teaching., because He knew the time was fast approaching where He would begin performing public miracles. Jesus knew these miracles would draw huge crowds, shift His ministry into high gear, and teaching multitudes would require a different approach.
Not long after, in a little town called Cana, a special couple—close friends of Jesus’ mother—were getting married. When they ran out of wine, to save them from enormous embarrassment, Mary convinced Jesus to conduct His first public miracle. He changed the water to wine and immediately afterwards performed a remote healing.
The people at the wedding ceremony were incredulous. They saw, but they did not comprehend. That didn’t stop them—or those who witnessed the remote healing—from sharing the miracles far and wide. And Jesus exploded onto the world stage.
According to scripture, what were the multitude’s two most common responses to Jesus’ miracles?
Excitement and sharing the possibilities. Or skepticism, followed closely by detraction.
Early on, the detractors didn’t amount to much, and their negativity didn’t stop people from desiring to see more. The multitudes met Jesus wherever He went—the crowds growing bigger each time. The problem was, the majority showed up just to watch the entertainment. And it is true that Jesus came to earth to heal brokenness, and raise the dead—but much more importantly—He came to show Himself as God and save humanity from sin by offering salvation as the solution to death. Jesus’ straight literal teaching was lost on the multitudes. They did not comprehend and required assistance.
As Jesus continued to teach and perform miracles, He understood the precise ratios between the multitudes who came to see something incredible, and the few who would see, hear, listen, take His truth deep in their hearts, and believe. So Jesus stopped teaching the literal Word of God to the multitudes and began telling parables in hopes the stories would better help people understand why He was there.
Wait, what?
There are several points to consider here…
- Exactly what constitutes a multitude? In scripture, only men were counted. So if 5,000 men came to hear Jesus speak, and each one brought their wife and one child, that number quickly multiplied into 15,000. Of course, not all of these men were married. But we’re still looking at an average of 10,000+ people who oftentimes tagged along because they wanted a glimpse of the next wondrous event.
- So what else did the multitudes hope for? Well, they learned that if they touched Jesus’ garment, they would be healed. So they swarmed around Him jostling and fighting to touch Him.
- As the multitudes grew, and Jesus was forced to separate Himself in order to continue teaching God’s salvation, more and more people in the crowd became detractors. Elite Jews, the wealthy and politically powerful, along with pagan gentiles all desired something—they wanted a show or to be healed—but Jesus’ words of salvation held no value to them. With hardened hearts, they were not interested in Who He was, or that He came to save them from their sin. If they were not suitably entertained, they complained—disparaging and criticizing His teachings.
- Then the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Sanhedrin heard about the multitudes. They blazed into the crowds—demanding attention—shouting, fighting, and threatening in hopes of shutting down their prophesied Messiah.
So Jesus switched gears. When the multitudes stopped hearing His straight literal teaching, Jesus began telling stories that related to their everyday lives. Most of the multitudes enjoyed His stories, but they could not equate them to the Word of God. The Jewish religious leadership did not appreciate parables aimed at them, and as more and more of His stories hit too close to their pride-filled hearts, they began plotting against Him. Nothing He did or said would change them.
Over time, the ratio of people who would come to believe versus those who never would, reduced—despite the multitudes increasing in number.
In scripture, what is the ratio of believers to unbelievers?
According to Mark 4, it is one to every three.
Then Jesus began to teach again beside the sea. Such a large crowd gathered around Him that He got into a boat and sat in it, while the entire crowd remained beside the sea on the shore. He began teaching them many things in parables. While He was teaching them He said, “Listen! A farmer went out to sow. As he was sowing, some seeds fell along the path, and birds came and ate them up. Others fell on stony ground, where they didn’t have a lot of soil. They sprouted at once, because the soil wasn’t deep. But when the sun came up, they were scorched. Since they didn’t have any roots, they dried up. Others fell among thorn bushes, and the thorn bushes came up and choked them out, and they didn’t produce anything. But other seed fell on good soil and produced a crop. They grew up, increased in size, and produced 30, 60, or 100 times what was sown. Let the person who has ears to hear, listen!”
Hummmm…Jesus began the parable with LISTEN, and ends it with the same word.
Birds, stones, and thorns versus fertile soil = Three different types of rejection to a single acceptance.
And what about deciphering the stories? Jesus did not clarify the parables to the multitudes, but He did explain them privately to His followers using straight literal teaching. This way they could receive the benefits of God’s plain and simple truths.
Interestingly, in the above passage, Jesus told a story that made perfect sense to the farming community where He was visiting. Every man, woman, and child in the crowd understood and had experienced the troubles of sowing seed for harvest among birds, stones and weeds.
Jesus taught His followers that He used seed to represent the Word of God, and lightbulbs lit up. They understood that Jesus was sowing God’s Word into the crowds through their ears. Hence, His frequent warning to listen. The disciples understood the difference between those who were seeking with open hearts and willing minds, versus those with hardened hearts and minds.
Hence, the parable explains the three ways people reject the Lord Jesus Christ:
Birds: The farmers often experienced birds stealing and eating the seed they sowed. The birds represent Satan plucking the seeds from the soil, meaning the receivers heart and mind is already firmly set against God, and thus they refuse Him outright.
Stones: Every farmer knows the wind will scatter some seed onto stony ground. Stones represent those who gladly receive the Word to themselves—it sounds nice, and they start off with a bang. But they do not endure any type of distraction, discomfort, affliction, or persecution that might arise. And because the stones prevent the seed’s roots from going deep—basically, the equivalent of not continually seeking God and studying His Word—these people reject Him and His Word and return to the comforts of their former lives.
Thorns: Unfortunatley, big fields have weeds. Regardless, a farmer sows seed throughout the entire field. Thorns represent people who hear God’s Word, but the desires of the world, the lusts of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches choke God’s Word. These people abandon God’s truth in lieu of Satan’s deceptions.
Believers: And every farmer loves sowing the seed of bounty that good, rich, fertile soil produces. The seed is sown and fully received. The roots go deep, bringing forth a fruitful harvest, some 30, 60, or even 100 fold increase. A beautiful and bountiful blessing for the One who blesses and the one who is blessed.
Clearly, Jesus will do whatever it takes to reach people’s hearts and minds.
Oh the deep unfathomable love of an Almighty God who is willing to come to earth to rescue all who desire it.
Amen.