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The Order of Sowing and Ploughing in the Parable of the Sower

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 February 2009

P. B. Payne
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Type
Short Studies
Information
New Testament Studies , Volume 25 , Issue 1 , October 1978 , pp. 123 - 129
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1978

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References

1 Jeremias, , Die Gleichnisreden Jesu (Gttingen, 8 1970)Google Scholar translated by Hooke, S. H., The Parables o, Jesus (London, 3 1972), p. 12.Google Scholar White's article in rebuttal, The Parable of the Sower appeared in J.T.S. xv (1964), 3007Google Scholar. And Jeremias replied with Palstinakundliches zum Gleichnis vom Se-mann (Mark. iv. 38 par.) in N.T.S. xiii (1966 1967), 48Google Scholar53.

2 Dalman, G., Arbeit und Sitte in Palstina, ii (Gtersloh, 1932), 206Google Scholar; hereafter abbreviated AS.

3 AS, II, 207; cf. II, 20515. Dalman, however, seems to contradict himself on ii, 202, where he says that no ploughing is mentioned for the spring sowing in the ancient world because the soil is too moist. Linnemann, E., Gleichnisse Jesu (Gttingen, 3 1964Google Scholar) translated by Sturdy, J., Parables of Jesus (London, 1966), p. 180Google Scholar, also finds Dalman's reports sometimes contradictory.

1 AS, ii, 179. But on p. 180 he notes that if there has been no summer crop, extensive ploughing may be needed to stop the weeds.

2 Dalman, G., Viererlei Acker, Palstina-Jahrbuch xxii (1926), 122.Google Scholar

3 AS, ii, 212.

4 AS, ii, 175.

5 AS, ii, 194, vorweigenden Methode and Viererlei Acker, p. 122. This is confirmed by Jeremias, Palstinakundliches, p. 49 and accepted by Schweizer, Eduard, The Good News according to Mark (London, 1971), p. 90.Google Scholar

6 AS, i, 262 and ii, 179 f.; cf. Hosea x. 1113, which suggests ploughing fallow ground even before the rains. According to Pliny, op. cit. xviii. 175, It is a rule to stir a deep and heavy soil even in the winter, but a very thin and dry one a little before sowing.

7 Jeremias, Palstinakundliches, p. 49.

8 Columella, De Re Rustica ii. iv. 9; cf. White, The Sower, p. 304; AS, ii, 180, 1835, 194; Jeremias, Palstinakundliches, p. 48.

9 Dalman, Viererlei Acker, p. 121; Linnemann, Parables, p. 115; AS, 11, photo 25.

10 Cf. AS, ii, photo 24.

11 Jubilees xi. 23 f.; cf. the Babylonian Talmud, Baba Meẓi'a 105b; AS, ii, photo 26; Krauss, S., Talmudische Archologie, ii (Leipzig, 1911), 553 n. 151Google Scholar, who cites many other references to this tool.

1 Dalman's claim that Palestinians did not harrow, AS, ii, 127 and Viererlei Acker, p. 122Google Scholar, seems to contradict the use of in Job xxxix. 10; Isa. xxviii. 24; and Hosea x. ii; cf. Brown, Driver and Briggs, HebrewEnglish Lexicon, p. 961, harrow.

2 The command implies that this was not always done.

3 The contrast between ploughing (as beginning a work) and harvesting (as completing a work) is common in the Old Testament, cf. Prov. xx. 4.

4 Cf. Essame, W. G., Sowing and Ploughing, Exp. T. lxxii (1960 1961), 54b.Google Scholar

1 This may, however, be a theologically motivated gloss in light of the role played by working and labouring in gnostic soteriology; cf. Cerfaux, L., Les paraboles du royaume dans l'vangile de Thomas, Le Muson lxx. (1957), 318 f.Google Scholar; Grtner, B., The Theology of the Gospel of Thomas (London, 1961), p. 232Google Scholar; Sheppard, J. B., A Study of the Parables Common to the Synoptic Gospels and the Coptic Gospel of Thomas (Ph.D. dissertation, Emory University, 1965), p. 178.Google Scholar

2 AS, ii, 195.

3 The MSS. of Shabbath vii. 2 which mention ploughing before sowing are listed in AS, ii, 195, to be the editio princeps of the Palestinian Talmud (Venedig 152324) and three handwritten MSS.: the Mishna MS. published by Loewe; the Mishna Codex of Kaufmann; and the text of the Mishna with commentary by Maimonides, p. 29 of the edition by J. Simon. White, The Sower, p. 305 n. 4, misunderstood Dalman and included incorrectly the Babylonian Mishna (Shabbath vii. 2) and Midrash Tannaim (on Deut. xi. 14). Neither of these mentions ploughing before sowing as a Palestinian practice.

4 Jeremias, Palstinakundliches, p. 51.

5 Holtzmann, Oscar, Der Tosephtatraktat Berakot (Giessen, 1912), pp. 84 fGoogle Scholar. But for a different text tradition, see that of Lohse, below.

6 Freimark, Peter and Krmer, Wolfgang-Friedrich, Die Tosefta Seder I: Zeraim, 2: Demai Schebiit (Stuttgart, 1971), pp. 207 fGoogle Scholar. But for the contrasting text of MS. Wien, see below, p. 127 n. 3.

7 Contra White, who argues that sowing of unploughed soil was not common in Palestine in The Sower, pp. 3046, only in very loose and friable soil would it be possible to sow on unploughed stubble.

8 Hoffmann, D., Midrasch Tannam zum Deuteronomium aus der in der Kniglichen Bibliothek zu Berlin befindlichen Handschrift des Midrasch haggadol gesammelt und mit Anmerkungen (Berlin, 1909), p. 35 11. 4 ff.Google Scholar; cf. Jeremias, Palstinakundliches, p. 51.

1 Epstein, I., The Babylonian Talmud, Mo'ed i, 348 fGoogle Scholar. Dalman (AS, ii, 197) and Jeremias (Palstinakundliches, pp. 49 f.) note that such a list indicates the customary procedure, sowing before ploughing. But Dalman cautions that this need not exclude the possibility that some preparation of the soil took place before sowing, AS, ii, 194.

2 Jeremias, Palstinakundliches, p. 51, notes that sowing, ploughing is the reading in the editio princeps of the Mishna (Neapel, 1942) and the Cod. Monac. Hebr. 95 of the Babylonian Talmud. For a listing of MSS. with the reversed reading, ploughing, sowing, see above, p. 126 n. 3. Jeremias (Palstinakundliches, p. 51) claimed further that sowing, ploughing is the reading of the Tosefta Shabbath VII. 2. But this reading is not listed by Freimark and Kramer, op. cit. p. 246.

3 Jeremias, Palstinakundliches, p. 51. For Tosefta Berakhoth vii. 2, cf. Lohse, E. and Schlichting, G., Berakot, Rabbinische Texte, Erste Reihe: Die Tosefta I, 3. Heft (Stuttgart, 1958), Hebrew text, p. 45Google Scholar. But contrast Holtzmann's edition above, p. 126 n. 5. For the Syrian Tosefta Shabbath iv. 12 (contrary to its usual reading, see above, p. 126 n. 6), cf. MS. Wien: which could refer simply to the normal ploughing in of seed without consideration of prior ploughing, cf. Freimark and Kramer, op. cit. p. 208. Tosefta Nega'im vi. 2 is cited by Walter Windfuhr, Die Tosefta: Seder vi Toharot, 1: Kelim, Baba Kamma Nega'im (Stuttgart, 1960), pp. 169 and 406: .

4 White, The Sower, p. 305, goes as far as to say that sowing in unploughed stubble would be condemned by any competent authority as a wasteful and slovenly process.

1 Cf. Jeremias, Palstinakundliches, p. 52.

2 Jeremias, Parables of Jesus, pp. ii f.

3 Cf. Mk. ii. 23 par ὰ ; White, The Sower, p. 301; Linnemann, Parables, pp. 115, 180 f.

4 An unploughed field is affirmed by: Jeremias, Palstinakundliches, pp. 50, 52, and Parables of Jesus, pp. 11 f.; Dalman, Viererlei Acker, p. 122, auf ungepflgtem Boden schreitet, and Sacred Sites and Ways: Studies in the Topography of the Gospels (London, 1935), p. 248Google Scholar, and AS, ii, 194 f., das Gleichnis vom Semannerwecht den Eindruck, als habe unmittelbar vor der Saat kein Pflgen stattgehabt, da die Dornen vom Felde nicht beseitigt sind; Nineham, D., The Gospel of St Mark (London, 1968), p. 134Google Scholar; Linnemann, Parables, pp. 115, 180; Lane, W., The Gospel According to Mark (London, 1974), p. 153Google Scholar; Schweizer, The Good News according to Mark, p. 90. On the other hand, a ploughed field is affirmed by White, The Sower, pp. 304 f.; Drury, J., The Sower, The Vineyard; and the Place of Allegory in the Interpretation of Mark's Parables, J.T.S. xxiv (1973), 36870Google Scholar, Armstrong, E., The Gospel Parables (London, 1967), p. 34.Google Scholar