Hello everyone. Welcome back to Logical Bible Study. We're all about taking a look at the literal sense of scripture, and particularly the gospel reading for today's Mass. What was Jesus trying to

communicate in the original context? What does the text mean when we let it speak on its own terms?

And we try and do this in a rigorous, Catholic academic way. So today we're going to look at two passages,

Matthew 13, verses 1 to 9, and then verses 18 to 23. Now, this episode is going to be the

same on two days this week. So the reason for that is the parable is given in Wednesday's

lectionary reading, so Wednesday of week 16 in ordinary time. We get to hear the parable

versus 1 to 9. And hear the parable, verses 1 to 9.

And then the parable is actually explained by Jesus later in the chapter.

So in verses 18 to 23, which we hear on Friday of week 16, we get to hear Jesus' own explanation

of the parable.

So I've combined both of those together and we'll look at both

of those at the same time, which means this episode is going to be exactly the same on Wednesday

of week 16 in ordinary time and also Friday of week 16. So you might have already heard this

episode depending on what day you're listening. here's today's text matthew chapter

thirteen verses one to nine and verses eighteen to twenty three jesus left the house and sat by the

lakeside but such large crowds gathered round him that he got into a boat and sat there

the people all stood on the beach

and he told them many things in parables. He said, imagine a sower going out to sew. As he sowed,

some seeds fell on the edge of the path and the birds came and ate them up. Others fell on patches of

rock where they found little soil

and sprang up straight away because there was no depth of earth. But as soon as the sun came up,

they were scorched and not having any roots. They withered away. Others fell among thorns and the thorns

...