This morning, as I was going through this passage, something struck me. Now if you look at the New King James Version Bible, each chapter is subdivided into subtopics or subtitles. Verses 11-15 of this chapter is subtitled “The Parable of the Sower Explained”, while the next verses (16-18) are titled “The Parable of the Revealed Light”.
Please just follow me patiently and I will explain.
Jesus gave a parable of the sower, where he told of a farmer that went to his field to sow seeds. Some seeds fell by the roadside, and birds devoured them. Yet some seeds fell on rock, and as soon as the seed germinated, the seedlings died off. Yet some seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns choked the germinating seeds. Even yet some fell on good soil, and Jesus said, “these yielded a crop a hundredfold”.
Now if you check out the Mathew version of the parable, the explanation is more detailed than Luke’s version (Matt. 13:18-23).
The disciples of Jesus later approached him for an explanation, and he gives his explanation in verses 11-18, not just 11-15 as the translators of the King James Bible make us believe. This is an inconsistency on their part, after all, they are human. So they used those subtitles to further divide the chapter, to make it more readable.
The problem with these subtitles is that you tend to look at the above titles, and just conclude that all the information there have no bearing on the next body of text. This is what I mean, if you follow the subtitles, you would think that verses 11-15 have no relationship with verses 16-18, because of the subtitles the translators assigned to each body of text.
Well, while I was studying this passage, the Spirit of God alerted me that the explanation of the Parable of the sower above continues in the following body of text, that is verses 16-18! It is not strictly a parable as the translators designated it. Just a continuation of the explanation of the Parable of the Sower found in verses 4-8.
Now here’s the explanation:
Jesus gave this parable of the sower in verses 4-8, and he explained it in verses 11-18, not 11-15. The significance of the light here is bearing fruit! Jesus said in verse 16, “No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light”
The light is just your good deeds that you do before men, and that is exactly the fruit Jesus is talking about in the parable of the Sower above. you cannot bear fruit if you do not retain the word of God in your heart. You cannot do good works if you cannot retain God’s word in your heart. The book of Proverbs echoes the same principle…
“My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart; For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh”
(Pro 4:20-22 NKJV)
So we see that the light Jesus I talking about in verses 16-18 is simply bearing fruit, and is the good works you do before men. When they see your good works, they will glorify your Father in Heaven.
Jesus echoes the same principle when He taught the Sermon on the Mount found in Mathew 5-7. Here are the golden words:
“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. “Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven”
(Mat 5:14-16 NKJV)
So there it is brothers. I have been reading this passages over and over again for the past years, but have never received this insight. So dear saints, never take those subtitles in your bibles at face value. The bible you are carrying was translated from the original languages, and the translators added their little bits here and there (subtitles, chapter divisions, references, etc).
Always depend on the Holy Spirit for guidance and insight when studying your bible. After all, He is the inspirer of the Word.
Maranatha.
