SOWING & REAPING 8 | A METAPHOR FOR DEATH & RESURRECTION

1. Sowing and reaping

a) Most of the Bible was originally written to those living in an agrarian society, people familiar with working the land, managing livestock, and raising crops. Many of Jesus’ parables involve the farming life. Not surprisingly, then, the Bible contains many references to sowing and reaping, and here are some of the principles we learn.

b) Found throughout Scripture, the idea of sowing and reaping is an important principle imparting wisdom for both this world and the next. 

2. A metaphor for death and resurrection

i) When Paul discusses the doctrine of the resurrection of the body, he uses the analogy of planting a seed to illustrate physical death. “The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body” (1 Corinthians 15:42-44). A seed may “die” when it falls to the ground, but that is not the end of its life (John 12:24).