MATTHEW 13:3-9—explained in verses 18-23.
See also MARK 4:2-20; LUKE 8:4-15.
Verse 3. And He spake many things unto them in parables, saying, " Behold, a sower went forth to sow;
Verse 4. And when he sowed some seeds fell by the wayside, and the fowls came and devoured them up.
Verse 5. Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:
Verse 6. And when Me sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.
Verse 7. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:
Verse 8. But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some a hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.
Verse 9. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.”
WHEN the Son of Man was on the earth, He was the Sower of the seed, afterward the work was taken up by the Apostles, and is continued by His servants. The seed sown is the word of God (Luke 8:11). According to Matthew it is the word of the Kingdom (ver. 19), for it is the testimony of God concerning Christ, and also the proclamation of the kingdom. It is a life-giving, regenerating, sanctifying word, through the power of the Holy Ghost, as Jesus said, "It is the Spirit that quickeneth... the words that I speak unto you are Spirit, and they are life" (John 6:63).
The wayside hearer is one that heareth the word, but understandeth it not. The seed lies on the surface; it does not penetrate the understanding; hence Satan or his emissaries soon catch it away. When once the word is understood and received in faith as the testimony of God, it is beyond Satan's reach.
In the stony-ground hearer, although the emotions are affected and the feelings are excited, there is no real and deep heart experience, hence "the root of the matter" is not in him. The impression is superficial and transitory; temptation or persecution arising, he is stumbled. In this case, the hard heart unbroken has prevented the truth from taking root.
When the seed is sown among thorns, the cares of this world, in the case of the poor, the deceitfulness of riches in the wealthy, and the desire of other things entering in, choke the word and it becomes unfruitful.
In the wayside hearer, the danger is from Satan.
In the stony-ground hearer, the danger arises from the hardness of the heart, and the obduracy of the flesh.
When sown among thorns, the danger is from the world, its allurements, entanglements, and engrossing cares.
The good ground is that which is neither hard, nor trodden down; neither rocky, or stony, or cumbered with thorns and briers; it represents the heart that is prepared to receive the word with all readiness of mind, without prejudice or opposition, which allows the word to penetrate, and is open to deep conviction, and having received the truth, keeps and treasures it; and brings forth fruit with patience, not allowing the world with its cares or pleasures to interfere. The word is received as the word of God, under the constraining love of Christ, and in the purifying power of the Holy Ghost. Three methods of reading the Scriptures may be mentioned:
First—The ATTENTIVE hearing and ACCURATE reading of the word of God in the Divine presence, and in dependence on the teaching of the Spirit of God, "the ear of the soul being opened to hear what the Spirit saith" (verse 9). In contrast with the WAYSIDE hearer.
Second—So hearing or reading as that the truth may lead to an EXPERIMENTAL acquaintance with the mind of God, and affect the heart and character. In contrast with the STONY GROUND hearer.
Third—The word of God so heard or read that it might lead to PRACTICAL results wrought out amidst the actual circumstances of every-day life; neither the cares of business, nor the possession of riches hindering fruitfulness, but rather used as a means of serving and glorifying God. In contrast with the THORNY GROUND hearer.
Where these three are combined, and the word of God heard or read ATTENTIVELY, EXPERIMENTALLY, AND PRACTICALLY, there is the good ground; and, just in proportion to the careful study, the experimental realization and carrying out of the instructions of the Word, will be the measure of fruitfulness, whether THIRTY, SIXTY, or a HUNDREDFOLD.
Or we may thus state it. The diligent perusal of the Scriptures will lead to a thirtyfold fruit-bearing. When with this is combined an experimental reception, there will be a sixtyfold. And when, again, the truth clearly perceived and experimentally held is put into practice in the ordinary affairs of life, there will be the hundredfold fruit-bearing. In solar light there is a combination of three distinct rays; the yellow or luminous ray, diffusing light: the red, the calorific or heating ray, diffusing warmth: and the blue, or actinic ray, producing fruitfulness.
When the Scriptures are read in the light of the Divine presence, their truth and beauty are distinctly seen. This corresponds with the yellow ray.
When read in the apprehension of the person and work of Christ, the center theme of inspired Scripture, the heart is warmed and comforted, as by the red ray.
When interpreted and brought home by the power of the Holy Ghost, un-grieved, invited, and depended upon, the fruits of the Spirit will be brought forth in their fullness and perfection, as by the blue ray.