Throughout the scriptures we find Jesus teaching in parables. Fortunately for us, when He was alone with His disciples, He spent time explaining them. The things He taught were Kingdom principles. By looking at these parables and their explanation we gain insight into the workings of the Kingdom. Perhaps the most important parable to understand is the parable of the sower. Jesus Himself confirmed this when the disciples asked its meaning, "Jesus said to them, "Don't you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable?" (Mark 4:13). In other words, this parable is a key that unlocks the others. In the parable of the Sower of the Seed, Jesus explains how the Kingdom of God works, using the illustration of a farmer sowing seed. He shows how the Kingdom operates on the principle of seeds, with the Word of God being the seed that needs to be planted. Then, tells how different reactions to the seed determines the outcome of the harvest in our lives. This parable is an essential truth in unlocking and understanding the scriptures.