Interpretation is necessary.

In the material realm, it is a matter of course when we buy an item, whether electrical or another precious object, that we also get the necessary interpretation for it, which we call the User’s Manual. Whoever wants the thing he has bought to serve him and to give him pleasure reads the instructions carefully. However, many do not see such an obvious procedure in the area of faith. That is why we see many churches treating, for example, the words of the Lord Jesus, particularly strangely. They interpret the text of the Holy Scriptures, each according to his own.

The words of the Lord Jesus are often difficult for the hearers to understand. The parable of the sower and the seeds, too, is difficult, which is why the Lord Jesus Himself gives an interpretation of the parable. The Evangelist Matthew, who recorded these words of the Lord Jesus, knew for himself the power and value of the words of Christ. …a single encounter and the tax collector becomes an apostle. Indeed within himself, Matthew must have struggled much. With this parable, he wanted to express a warning to the very first Christians to accept the words of the Lord Jesus willingly. In the fate of the grains that left the sower’s hand, we are to see in the parable-allegory the fate of the message of the Lord Jesus in four types of people. The scale begins from those who “hear the word of the kingdom and do not understand it” to those who “hear the word and understand it.” In between, there are two more groups.

The first group is the non-understanders.
It represents the person who does not think about what he hears and that he should put these words into practice. Therefore, the Lord Jesus says: “The Evil One is coming and will take hold of what has been sown in his heart” (Mt. 13:19).

The second group is fickle.
To this group belongs the person who is quick to draw near Jesus and gets excited at the first opportunity. However, when the first difficulties arise, he abandons Christ. The Lord Jesus explains this action by saying, “With whom it was sown in the rocky ground is he who hears the word and receives it gladly at once, but it has no root in him; he is momentary. He immediately falls away when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word” (Mt. 13:20).

The third group is calculating.
This group represents the person who wants only to do well on both sides: with God and with men. This means sitting on two stools. And the practice of life teaches that this group often succumbs to material concerns, which become closer to them than spiritual ones, and therefore interest in God is stifled in them. The Lord Jesus explained this group by saying, “With whom it is sown in thorns, he it is who hears the word; but worldly cares and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it remains unprofitable” (Matt. 13:22).

The fourth group is faithful.
It is the positive group that represents the good ground. These are the people genuinely committed to bringing something of value in life. They put into practice what their convictions impose upon them. They know how to remain faithful in joy and tribulation alike.
The Lord Jesus explains, “And with whom the good ground has been sown, it is he who hears the word and understands it, and it brings forth a harvest: one hundredfold, another sixty-fold, and another sixty fold, and another thirty-fold” (Mt. 13:23).

Inadvertently, the question arises: To which group do I belong? We have heard, read, and seen much about the Lord Jesus. Surely you remember the beautiful experiences of meeting Him when we were directly touched by His love. Perhaps we even made promises, resolutions, and plans to reform and change our lives… But for how long, how well did we accomplish it? What happened to our solutions? Does it also apply to us that we heard but did not understand? And yet, today, we realize again that the one who builds his thoughts and actions, his daily and ordinary life on the words of the Lord Jesus, shows that he has understood the interpretation from today’s Gospel given by the Lord Jesus himself.

It is not too late if we begin again now. We bear the consequences of original sin and can only overcome them in the closest union with Christ. No amount of halfheartedness, sitting on two stools, and superficiality will produce a harvest that will enrich, delight, and secure a worthy goal. Slowly the harvest is coming to an end. The granaries are filling. We are beginning to take stock. Today we know who did the right thing months ago, and it has paid off. And vice versa. So it is with our spiritual harvest. For we do not know the day or the hour. The important thing is to make good use of this one we live through. And it calls us to Christ-related activity.

Precious objects need an Instruction Manual and a Letter of Guarantee. Our faith requires an interpretation of the teachings of the Church that will convey to us the teachings of the Lord Jesus. Therefore, we accept her words.