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Planting And Watering In Biblical Ministry

The imagery of planting and watering in biblical ministry draws from agricultural practices common in the ancient Near East, where successful cultivation depended on careful preparation, sowing, and irrigation [5, 6]. This metaphor is prominently used to describe the work of ministers in spreading the Gospel and nurturing believers.

The act of "planting" in a ministerial context refers to the initial proclamation of the Gospel, leading to conversion and the establishment of new faith communities. The Apostle Paul, writing to the Corinthians, states, "I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase" (1 Corinthians 3:6). John Gill interprets Paul's statement to mean that Paul was the first to preach the Gospel in Corinth, serving as an instrument for the conversion of souls and the formation of a church [9]. This "planting" involves laying the foundation of faith, much like a farmer prepares the ground and sows seeds [5, 7]. The "seed" itself is often understood as the word of God, which, when sown, can grow and mature into faith [12, 17]. The process of sowing requires diligence and can be attended with challenges, such as waste or danger, yet it is essential for productiveness [5].

"Watering" in this metaphor signifies the ongoing nurture, teaching, and spiritual care provided to those who have already received the Gospel. Apollos's role, as described by Paul, was to "water" what Paul had planted, meaning his ministry was blessed for the edification and growth of the believers [9]. This involves continuous instruction, encouragement, and support, helping the planted seeds of faith to flourish. Just as physical plants require water to grow and bear fruit, spiritual growth depends on consistent spiritual nourishment [6]. The Bible frequently associates water with life, fertility, and refreshment, particularly in arid regions [1, 3, 8]. Gardens, for instance, were often made by rivers or refreshed by fountains, highlighting the necessity of water for growth [2].

Both planting and watering are understood as ministerial tasks, but their efficacy ultimately depends on divine action. Paul emphasizes this by concluding, "but God gave the increase" (1 Corinthians 3:6). This highlights that while ministers are "laborers together with God," they are merely instruments in God's hands [13, 14]. John Gill further clarifies that neither the planter nor the waterer is "anything" in themselves, meaning their efforts are not inherently powerful, but rather derive their effectiveness from God [11]. Augustine, in On the Holy Trinity, similarly notes that the Apostle works in planting and watering, but the increase comes from God [14]. This perspective underscores the sovereignty of God in salvation and spiritual growth, reminding ministers that their role is one of humble service.

The imagery of water is also deeply connected with the Holy Spirit in biblical thought. The prophet Isaiah speaks of God pouring water on the thirsty and streams on dry ground, promising to pour His Spirit on offspring [3]. Torrey's Topical Textbook lists water as an emblem of the Holy Spirit, symbolizing cleansing, fertilizing, refreshing, and abundance [4]. The Spirit's work is seen as essential for the spiritual fertility and growth that ministers aim to foster through planting and watering [4].

The concept of planting extends beyond individual conversions to the establishment of churches. John Gill interprets the planting of vines on the mountains of Samaria in Jeremiah 31:5 not merely as literal agricultural activity but as a figurative representation of planting Gospel churches [10]. These churches, like vines, are expected to be fruitful. Similarly, individuals who are "planted by the waters" are likened to flourishing trees, filled with the fruits of righteousness [16].

The act of sowing, which precedes planting, is described as a fundamental agricultural practice. The sower would scatter seed broadcast, often by hand, a process depicted in ancient Egyptian paintings [7]. In some wet soils, the seed was even trodden in by animals [7]. The importance of seed time and the careful preparation of the ground are also noted [5]. This meticulous attention to the initial stages of cultivation parallels the careful and intentional work required in the early stages of ministry.

Rabbinic tradition, as seen in Maimonides' Mishneh Torah, also considers the act of sowing and watering. Even sowing the slightest amount of seed is deemed significant because a large plant can grow from it [15]. Watering plants and trees, while important, is considered a "derivative of sowing" because it does not involve the seed or plant itself in the same direct way as sowing or pruning [15]. This distinction highlights the foundational nature of sowing (or planting) as the initiation of growth.

Sources

  1. Psalms “You visit the earth, and water it. You greatly enrich it. The river of God is full of water. You provide them grain, for so you have ordained it. -- Psalms 65:9”
  2. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Gardens — Often made by the banks of rivers -- Nu 24:6. Kinds of, mentioned in scripture Herbs. -- De 11:10; 1Ki 21:2. Cucumbers. -- Isa 1:8. Fruit trees. -- Ec 2:5,6. Spices, &c. -- Song 4:16; 6:2. Often enclosed -- Song 4:12. Often refreshed by fountains -- Song 4:15. Taken care of by gardeners -- Joh 20:15. Lodges erected in -- Isa 1:8. Often used for Entertainments. -- Song 5:1. Retirement. -- Joh 18:1. Burial places. -- 2Ki 21:18,26; Joh 19:41. Idolatrous worship. -- Isa 1:29; 65:3. Blasting of, a punishment -- Am 4:9. Jews ordered to plant, in Babylon -- Jer 29”
  3. Isaiah “For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, and streams on the dry ground. I will pour my Spirit on your seed, and my blessing on your offspring: -- Isaiah 44:3”
  4. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Emblems of the Holy Spirit, The — Water -- Joh 3:5; 7:38,39. Cleansing. -- Eze 16:9; 36:25; Eph 5:26; Heb 10:22. Fertilising. -- Ps 1:3; Isa 27:3,6; 44:3,4; 58:11. Refreshing. -- Ps 46:4; Isa 41:17,18. Abundant. -- Joh 7:37,38. Freely given. -- Isa 55:1; Joh 4:14; Re 22:17. Fire Purifying. -- Isa 4:4; Mal 3:2,3. Illuminating. -- Ex 13:21; Ps 78:14. Searching. -- Zep 1:12; 1Co 2:10. Wind Independent. -- Joh 3:8; 1Co 12:11. Powerful. -- 1Ki 19:11; Ac 2:2. Sensible in its effects. -- Joh 3:8. Reviving. -- Eze 37:9,10,14. Oil -- Ps 45:7. Healing. -- Lu 10:34; Re 3:18. Co”
  5. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Seed — Every herb, tree and grass yields its own -- Ge 1:11,12,29. Each kind of, has its own body -- 1Co 15:38. Sowing of Time for, called seed time. -- Ge 8:22. Necessary to its productiveness. -- Joh 12:24; 1Co 15:36. Required constant diligence. -- Ec 11:4,6. Often attended with great waste. -- Mt 13:4,5,7. Often attended with danger. -- Ps 126:5,6. Yearly return of time of sowing, secured by covenant -- Ge 8:21,22. The ground carefully ploughed, and prepared for -- Isa 28:24,25. Often sown beside rivers -- Ec 11:1; Isa 32:20. Often trodden into the ground, by the”
  6. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Herbs, & C — Called the green herbs -- 2Ki 19:26. God Created. -- Ge 1:11,12; 2:5. Causes to grow. -- Job 38:27; Ps 104:14. Each kind of, contains its own seed -- Ge 1:11,12. Given as food to man -- Ge 1:28,29; 9:3. Found in The fields. -- Jer 12:4. The mountains. -- Pr 27:25. The marshes. -- Job 8:11. The deserts. -- Job 24:5; Jer 17:6. Cultivated in gardens -- De 11:10; 1Ki 21:2. Cultivated for food -- Pr 15:17; Heb 6:7. Require rain dew -- De 32:2; Job 38:26,27. Mode of watering, alluded to -- De 11:10. Mentioned in scripture Aloe. -- Song 4:14. Anise. -- Mt 23:23”
  7. Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Sower, Sowing — The operation of a sowing with the hand is one of so simple a character as to need little description. The Egyptian paintings furnish many illustrations of the mode in which it was conducted. The sower held the vessel or basket containing the seed in his left hand, while with his right he scattered the seed broadcast. The "drawing out" of the seed is noticed, as the most characteristic action of the sower, in (Psalms 126:6) (Authorized Version "precious") and (Amos 9:13) In wet soils the seed was trodden in by the feet of animals. (Isaiah 32:20) The so”
  8. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Rivers — Source of -- Job 28:10; Ps 104:8,10. Enclosed within banks -- Da 12:5. Flow through valleys -- Ps 104:8,10. Some of Great and mighty. -- Ge 15:18; Ps 74:15. Deep. -- Eze 47:5; Zec 10:11. Broad. -- Isa 33:21. Rapid. -- Jdj 5:21. Parted into many streams. -- Ge 2:10; Isa 11:5. Run into the sea -- Ec 1:7; Eze 47:8. God's power over, unlimited -- Isa 50:2; Na 1:4. Useful for Supplying drink to the people. -- Jer 2:18. Commerce. -- Isa 23:3. Promoting vegetation. -- Ge 2:10. Bathing. -- Ex 2:5. Baptism often performed in -- Mt 3:6. Of Canaan abounded with fish --”
  9. 1 Corinthians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 Corinthians 3:6: I have planted,.... That is, ministerially; otherwise the planting of souls in Christ, and the implanting of grace in them, are things purely divine, and peculiar to God, and the power of his grace; but his meaning is, that he was at Corinth, as in other places, the first that preached the Gospel to them; and was an instrument of the conversion of many souls, and of laying the foundation, and of raising and forming a Gospel church state, and of planting them in it; Apollos watered; he followed after, and his ministry was blessed for edification; he was a means”
  10. Jeremiah (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Jeremiah 31:5: Thou shalt yet plant vines upon the mountains of Samaria,.... Mountains are proper places for vines, and which generally produce the best wine; but vines are not to be understood merely literally, or as only expressive of the outward peace, plenty, and prosperity of Samaria, with other places given to the Jews, as Josephus (k) observes they were by the Demetrii; which they might improve by planting vines, &c. but figuratively of the planting of Gospel churches there, comparable to vines, Sol 2:13; which was done in the first times of the Gospel; see Joh 4:29; and wh”
  11. 1 Corinthians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 Corinthians 3:7: So then, neither is he that planteth anything,.... Not that he is the happy instrument of beginning the good work: neither he that watereth; who is the means of carrying of it on: not that they are simply and absolutely nothing, without any restriction and limitation; they are men, they are Christians, they are ministers, and useful ones, by whom others believe; they are labourers together with God, ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God, and so to be accounted of; but they are nothing in themselves, nor in their own account, or with respect”
  12. Proverbs (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Proverbs 31:16: She considereth a field, and buyeth it,.... The field are the Scriptures, in which are hid the rich treasures of Gospel doctrines and promises; and the church, and all truly enlightened persons, consider to what use this field may be put, to what account it will turn; how profitable the Scriptures are, for doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness; what a rich mine and valuable treasure is in them; things more desirable, and of greater worth, than thousands of gold and silver; and therefore will buy this field at any rate, and not sell it; wil”
  13. 1 Corinthians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 Corinthians 3:9: For we are labourers together with God,.... The ministers of the Gospel are labourers in the Lord's vineyard, and not loiterers; their work is a laborious work, both to body and mind; which lies in close study and meditation, in diligent reading and constant prayer, in frequent ministration of the word, and administration of ordinances; besides reproofs, admonitions, and exhortations, counsels, and instructions, which are often necessary: it is a work, which no man is sufficient for of himself; what requires diligence, industry, and faithfulness; is honourable, ”
  14. Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 3: Augustine — On the Holy Trinity — OF THE WORK OF MONKS. (part 3): in another place, "To each one according as the Lord hath given: I have planted, Apollos hath watered; but God gave the increase."[2] And a little after, "Each one shall receive his reward according to his own labor. We are God's fellow-workers; God's husbandry, God's building are ye: according to the grace which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder I have laid the foundation." As therefore the Apostle worketh in planting, watering, building, and foundation-laying, in that way whoso will not work, let him not e”
  15. Mishneh Torah (Maimonides) (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Mishneh Torah (Maimonides), Mishneh Torah%2C Sabbath 8:2: A person who sows even the slightest amount is liable. 4 One is liable for sowing even the tiniest seed, since from it, a l arge plant can grow. A person who prunes a tree so that it grows performs an activity resembling sowing. 5 See Chapter 7, Halachah 3, and notes. In contrast, watering plants and trees on the Sabbath is considered merely a derivative of sowing. 6 Since watering does not involve a seed, plant, or tree itself (as do all of the activities mentioned in Chapter 7, Halachah 2), it is considered merely a derivative of sowi”
  16. Jeremiah (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Jeremiah 17:8: For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters,.... Not as a "heath or shrub", but as a "tree", a green olive tree, a palm tree, a cedar in Lebanon, a fruitful flourishing tree; and he is one that really is a tree of righteousness, that is filled with the fruits of righteousness; and not like one of the trees of the wood, that grows wild, or as a wild olive tree, but as one "planted" in a garden, vineyard, or field; and is one that is planted in Christ, in the likeness of his death and resurrection, and in the house of the Lord; and that not only by means of the in”
  17. CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 96: fruitful. But if the case of the seed and of the word is the same, and from the seed corn can grow and increase, and attain to maturity, why may not faith also take its beginning, increase, and completion from the word? Both things are admirably explained by Paul in different passages. For when he would remind the Corinthians how God had given effect to his labours, he boasts that he possessed the ministry of the Spirit ( 1 Cor. 2:4 ); just as if his preaching were inseparably connected with the power of the Holy Spirit, in inwardl”
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