OpenTheo

Q&A#102 Is the Parable of the Sower About Israel?

Alastair Roberts

Q&A#102 Is the Parable of the Sower About Israel?

February 10, 2019
Alastair Roberts
Alastair Roberts

Today's question: "What credence is there to looking at the parable of the sower (Mt 13, Mk 4, Lk 8) as Jesus' comment on the nation of Israel, not as a parable about the condition of an individual's heart? Does the agricultural imagery for the nation of Israel like field, vineyard ('field of noble quality'), garden, and harvest found in passages like Jeremiah 26, Isaiah 5 and 37, Psalm 80, or Ezekiel 16 indicate that I've been misreading this passage or been mistaught? How should we think about this parable in light of this."

Within the video I reference N.T. Wright's book, Jesus and the Victory of God (https://amzn.to/2tetEXj). James Jordan's paper, in which he discusses the Parable of the Sower, can be read here: https://d3r27erqw8vyds.cloudfront.net/uploads/edd/2017/11/32A.-Thoughts-on-Sovereign-Grace-and-Regeneration.pdf.

My blog for my podcasts and videos is found here: https://adversariapodcast.com/.

If you have any questions, you can leave them on my Curious Cat account: https://curiouscat.me/zugzwanged.

If you have enjoyed these talks, please tell your friends and consider supporting me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/zugzwanged. You can also support me using my PayPal account: https://bit.ly/2RLaUcB.

The audio of all of my videos is available on my Soundcloud account: https://soundcloud.com/alastairadversaria. You can also listen to the audio of these episodes on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/alastairs-adversaria/id1416351035?mt=2.

Share

FacebookTwitterRedditCopy Link

Transcript

More on OpenTheo

A Life of Hope and Hurdles with Andre Levrone and Sydney McLaughlin Levrone
A Life of Hope and Hurdles with Andre Levrone and Sydney McLaughlin Levrone
Life and Books and Everything
January 10, 2025
How can you shine as a Christian in the world of professional sports—when sometimes your dreams come true and often they don’t? What does it take to b
The Idea That I Won’t Be Married to My Wife in Heaven Makes My Heart Hurt
The Idea That I Won’t Be Married to My Wife in Heaven Makes My Heart Hurt
#STRask
February 20, 2025
Questions about what the absence of marriage in Heaven will mean for you and your spouse, thoughts regarding two Christians signing a prenup, whether
If Christians Believe God Answers Prayer, Then Why Do They Buy Health Insurance?
If Christians Believe God Answers Prayer, Then Why Do They Buy Health Insurance?
#STRask
February 13, 2025
Questions about why Christians buy health insurance if they really believe God answers prayer and whether or not one should end all prayers about desi
Does “Repent from Your Sin and Believe” Describe a Works Salvation?
Does “Repent from Your Sin and Believe” Describe a Works Salvation?
#STRask
March 6, 2025
Questions about whether “repent from your sin and believe” describes a works salvation and Greg’s stance on the idea of “easy beliefism”—i.e., the ide
Jesus' Bodily Resurrection - A Legendary Development Based on Hallucinations - Licona vs. Carrier - Part 2
Jesus' Bodily Resurrection - A Legendary Development Based on Hallucinations - Licona vs. Carrier - Part 2
Risen Jesus
March 12, 2025
In this episode, a 2004 debate between Mike Licona and Richard Carrier, Licona presents a case for the resurrection of Jesus based on three facts that
If God Created Everything, Doesn’t That Mean He Created Evil?
If God Created Everything, Doesn’t That Mean He Created Evil?
#STRask
February 10, 2025
Questions about whether God creating everything means he created evil too, and how a grief counselor can answer a question about whether God causes or
A Very Special Episode with Justin Taylor and Collin Hansen
A Very Special Episode with Justin Taylor and Collin Hansen
Life and Books and Everything
January 16, 2025
There has been some concern that Justin and Collin have been kept out of the “very special guest” designation. In order to make up for past offenses,
On Tyndale House, the Old Testament, and the Promises and Pitfalls of Biblical Scholarship with Peter Williams and Will Ross
On Tyndale House, the Old Testament, and the Promises and Pitfalls of Biblical Scholarship with Peter Williams and Will Ross
Life and Books and Everything
March 6, 2025
Recently, Peter Williams, Principal at Tyndale House in Cambridge, preached at Christ Covenant Church for its missions week. At the end of the evening
If Immaterial Things Exist, What Are the Laws of the Immaterial?
If Immaterial Things Exist, What Are the Laws of the Immaterial?
#STRask
December 30, 2024
Questions about what the laws of the immaterial are if immaterial things exist and how to use the third Columbo question in the Tactics material.   *
Can a Christian Pretend to Denounce His Faith to Save His Life?
Can a Christian Pretend to Denounce His Faith to Save His Life?
#STRask
January 30, 2025
Questions about whether pretending to denounce your faith to save your life will cause you to lose your salvation, whether lying to save others’ lives
Would the Disciples Die for a Lie If They Believed It Was for the Greater Good?
Would the Disciples Die for a Lie If They Believed It Was for the Greater Good?
#STRask
January 13, 2025
Questions about whether the disciples would die for a lie if they believed it was for the greater good, how to start a conversation with an Uber custo
Symbolic History in the Gospels
Symbolic History in the Gospels
Alastair Roberts
January 23, 2025
The following was first published on my Substack: https://argosy.substack.com/p/19-symbolic-history-in-the-gospels. Lydia McGrew, 'Explaining away an
How Can I Initiate a Conversation with Someone Who Thinks He’s a Christian but Isn’t?
How Can I Initiate a Conversation with Someone Who Thinks He’s a Christian but Isn’t?
#STRask
March 10, 2025
Questions about initiating conversations with someone who thinks he’s going to Heaven but who isn’t showing any signs he’s following God, how to talk
Can Psychology Explain Away the Resurrection? A Licona Carrier Debate - Part 2
Can Psychology Explain Away the Resurrection? A Licona Carrier Debate - Part 2
Risen Jesus
February 19, 2025
According to Dr. Richard Carrier, Christianity arose among individuals who, due to their schizotypal personalities, believed that their hallucinations
The Cosmos in a Tent
The Cosmos in a Tent
Alastair Roberts
January 8, 2025
The following was first published on my Substack: https://argosy.substack.com/p/5-the-cosmos-in-a-tent. Follow my Substack, the Anchored Argosy at ht