Matt 13

Matthew 13 presents one parable after another. Some of these parables are hard to understand as Jesus disciples also experienced. In this chapter we have the Parable of the Sower which is one of Jesus most famous and popular.  I think maybe a better name for it would be the parable of the soil.  The sower and the seed are consistent; it is the soil that changes.   In today’s reading I want us to think a little harder about the first soil: the hard packed soil along the road.  It is from this soil that Satan snatches away the truth and the hope of the Gospel from the hearts of the hearers.  

In Matthew 13:19 it says that the devil “snatches away what has been sown in his heart”because they do not understand it.  In the parallel passage in Luke 8:12 it says “Those beside the road are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their heart, so that they will not believe and be saved.” I want to put these two together and ask a question for us to think about.  

Matthew says they don’t understand it.  The Greek word for understand is syniēmi.  One Greek dictionary defines this word as “to have an intelligent grasp of something that challenges one’s thinking or practice.” Then Luke says that the Evil One takes it away from their heart so thatthey will not believe. A lack of understanding allows Satan to rob their motivation to believe.  If they understood it better, then is it possible that Satan couldn’t snatch it away?  

So, here is my question:  Should we not learn to present the Gospel in a compelling way so that people want to appropriately think through the ramifications of what Christ has done for them which then minimizes the possibility that Satan cannot snatch it away?  

Is this a reasonable application for us today? Your thoughts?