What does this verse mean??

Question

Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

Answer 1

It's a parallel picture of Jesus Christ in someone's life. Christians are called to live for God, not for their own desires. Christians must give up their "self", that is what they want in life. When that is done, Jesus can work through the Christian to accomplish His will. We are to "die" to self.

It's also a parallel picture to Jesus Christ himself. Jesus was a great man, and the son of God, but if he had never died on the cross, he would not have been much use to humanity to save them from their sins.

Hope this makes sense!

Answer 2

This is talking about the difference between separation and oneness, or, the difference between the physical and spirit. All physical forms are designed to make us think that separation is real. For instance, the body itself is a tool for separation, designed to "prove" that you are separate from all things everywhere. Believing that you are a body makes you feel detached from all life, most especially God, yet this is not the truth, however.

So to relate this now the verse you quoted: As long as the wheat believes in its physical form, it will abide in that form and feel all alone, because it will feel separate from all else. Likewise, as long as you believe in your physical form, you too will feel separate and alone. The statement, "but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit" means... if you withdraw your BELIEF in all physical froms-- your immortal Self will emerge and "bring forth much fruit." This "fruit" is your Real Self: a child of God, free, unlimited, unbound by anything physical, totally joyous and perfectly happy all the time, forever.

You can achieve this while still with your body. It is important to note that the part that talks about dieing-- "but if it die, it bringeth forth..."-- this is NOT referring to the death of your body! It is referring to the death of your BELIEF in your body and all physical forms.

Answer 3

this verse is talking about wheat on the stalk, it is fresh and ready to be used as food, but if it dries up and falls of the stalk and lands in the ground, then it will grow and bring forth more wheat

if we selfishly hang onto life, we have a short, fairly unproductive life, if we selflessly give up our life to help others, we will touch other people's lives and live on in their hearts and minds after we are gone.

Also, Jesus had to give up his life, in order to save ours

Answer 4

The seed ceases to be and grows into a plant that bears fruit (more seeds). In the same way a person, when saved, dies to who they are and grows into a Christian and bears fruit.

Answer 5

the seed stands for the finite limited material created actual self, ie, the ego self - when that is planted in the infinite unlimited spiritual/energetic uncreated potential self, the tree of fulfillment [satisfaction, perfect pleasure] grows - in other words, when we stop identifying our selves with our limited actual formed created particular self [personality, sex, colour, nation, job, etc], we can open out, open up to what we really are, infinite unlimited potential & creativity - formless timeless sublime universal energy or spirit or singularity
our senses keep us thinking in terms of physical things, bodies, & keeps us thinking we are bodies [limited in time & space] - when we train & practise to ignore the sense data coming in to the centre, & experience the centre, the lifeforce that we truly are, we know the truth, that we are infinite unlimited sublime beautiful creators -
that invisible non-thing you readily identify as being you - learn to stroke that, & it purrs pure perfect fulfillment & peace
the seed seems limited, finite, but inside it is the tree in potential - not just one tree but a tree and fruits & seeds of that tree which make more trees - a whole forest, an everlasting forest, with dying trees & sprouting trees, is 'inside' that seemingly limited tiny seed - its 'death' is its life - in dying to being a seed, it discovers that it is an everlasting forest, life itself, living & dying forever in endless bliss
the purpose of life is to make that transition from the life that life appears to be, limited, finite, to what it is, infinite unlimited

we think we are merely temorarily living things - we are life itself, living forever through lifes & deaths - that thing you have experienced every second of your life - namely, yr lifeforce, yr self - that quiet nothing, explore that, feel that, stroke that, & you will find out that it is infinite, unlimited, divine, sublime, inexhaustible creativity & joy - & love & perfection & an infinite number of other divine sublime things

Answer 6

Said by Jesus in the gospels.
He meant that his death and Resurrection would inspire many more people to be his disciples.