The parable of the sower is fairly transparent in meaning, especially since the Savior Himself explains it. What is most interesting here is the sequence in which the obstacles are listed...
The parable of the sower is fairly transparent in meaning, especially since the Savior Himself explains it. What is most interesting here is the sequence in which the obstacles are listed, the obstacles that stand before a person on the way into the Kingdom. It all begins with the need to hear the word about the Kingdom. This is, of course, not simply a matter of some words about the Kingdom reaching a person's ears; one must truly hear, pay attention, and then turn one's heart to what the witness says.
In fact, this is conversion, without which the path into the Kingdom will not begin. Conversion, however, varies, because in different cases it touches different layers of the human person, the soul and the heart. There is a superficial conversion, at the level of idle interest - and then a person remains an adherent of Christ and the Kingdom only until the first problems, difficulties, and persecutions. This does not necessarily mean some persecution organized by the authorities; the problems and difficulties that inevitably arise before anyone who wants to rebuild life according to a new ideal are enough.
If the ideal is received superficially enough, the person simply will not want the problems connected with it and will step aside. It happens, however, that conversion is deep enough for the new convert to endure even real persecutions. He has enough resolve; he is ready to follow Christ into the Kingdom, but he does not yet have experience of the spiritual path. Yet resolve alone is not enough; one also needs the skill of the path, experience connected with the process of spiritual formation. It is not acquired quickly; it requires consistency and persistence. The spiritual work itself connected with the Christian path often turns out to be rather dull, unflashy, outwardly unnoticed. It certainly includes bright spiritual experiences too, but they make up, conventionally speaking, about ten percent of this work, while the rest is painstaking effort to build one's own life, inward and outward. It is like artists and athletes: one or several bright days of glory presuppose several years of intense labor hidden from those around them.
If a person is not ready for such work, if he is constantly distracted by something else that matters more to him, he may set out on the spiritual path, but fairly soon he will inevitably turn away from it, remaining at best only an amateur of vivid spiritual experiences. But if a person is ready for the corresponding effort, then, showing resolve and consistency, he will surely bear his fruit - for God does not leave without help those who take spiritual life seriously. Here everything depends on the person himself.
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11:6 If I am unskilful in speech - If I speak in a plain, unadorned way, like an unlearned person. So the Greek word properly signifies.
11:7 Have I committed an offence - Will any turn this into an objection? In humbling myself - To work at my trade. That ye might be exalted - To be children of God.
11:8 I spoiled other churches - I, as it were, took the spoils of them: it is a military term. Taking wages (or pay, another military word) of them - When I came to you at first.And when I was present with you, and wanted - My work not quite supplying my necessities. I was chargeable to no man - Of Corinth.
11:9 For - I choose to receive help from the poor Macedonians, rather than the rich Corinthians! Were the poor in all ages more generous than the rich?
11:10 This my boasting shall not be stopped - For I will receive nothing from you.
11:11 Do I refuse to receive anything of you, because I love you not? God knoweth that is not the case.
11:12 Who desire any occasion - To censure me. That wherein they boast, they may be found even as we - They boasted of being "burdensome to no man." But it was a vain boast in them, thoughnot in the apostle.
11:14 Satan himself is transformed - Uses to transform himself; to put on the fairest appearances.
11:15 Therefore it is no great, no strange, thing; whose end, notwithstanding all their disguises, shall be according to their works.
11:16 I say again - He premises a new apology to this new commendation of himself. Let no man think me a fool - Let none think I do this without the utmost necessity. But if any do think me foolish herein, yet bear with my folly.
11:17 I speak not after the Lord - Not by an express command from him; though still under the direction of his Spirit. But as it were foolishly - In such a manner as many may think foolish.
11:18 After the flesh - That is, in external things.
11:19 Being wise - A beautiful irony.
11:20 For ye suffer - Not only the folly, but the gross abuses, of those false apostles. If a man enslave you - Lord it over you in the most arbitrary manner. If he devour you - By his exorbitant demands; not - withstanding his boast ofnot being burdensome. If he take from you - By open violence.If he exalt himself - By the most unbounded self - commendation.If he smite you on the face - (A very possible case,) under pretence of divine zeal.
11:21 I speak with regard to reproach, as though we had been weak - I say, "Bear with me," even on supposition that the weakness be real which they reproach me with.