And He spoke many things to them in parables, saying, “Behold, the sower went out to sow; 4 and as he sowed, some seeds fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate them up. 5 Others fell on the rocky places, where they did not have much soil; and immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of soil. 6 But when the sun had risen, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. 7 Others fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them out. 8 And others fell on the good soil and yielded a crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty. 9 He who has ears, let him hear.” —Matthew 13:3-9, NASB

The parable of the sower, or the soils, is the first example in the synoptic gospels of Jesus’s teaching in parables (Mt 13:3-9, Mk 4:1-9, Lk 8:4-8), and begins what is known as the Parabolic Discourse in Matthew, a section that includes several of these profound, simple teachings related to faith and salvation.

At this point in His public ministry Jesus has been rejected by the Jewish religious leadership, and His focus has progressed from a calling for Israel’s general repentance to an individual call for salvation to all who will hear—both Jew and Gentile. His teaching style changes as well, with His messages being spoken in parables to obscure God’s truth from those who have rejected Him, while simultaneously clarifying the truth for those capable of understanding it. Many of the parables, which present foundational concepts reflected throughout the gospels, employ domestic or agricultural settings which made the message more relatable to the audience of the day.

The Lord’s first parable gives the illustration of a man sowing seed in a field, and the ultimate development of the seed depending on the characteristics of the soil in which it lands. The analogy shows how God’s word is received by those who hear it and that a person’s response to His truth depends on the condition of their heart. The four different soils, or responses to the gospel, also reflect the various manners in which Jesus Himself was received during His earthly ministry.

The hard, compacted soil at the side of the road represents the heart hardened by sin. Much like this impenetrable soil that has been packed down by foot traffic over time, the natural man’s disbelieving, jaded mind is closed to spiritual truths and cannot believe or receive the things of God. The seed of the gospel does not find purchase, being either ignored or dismissed by the individual, and subsequently plucked away by Satan. These include the people who Jesus is describing in Matthew 13:10-17, demonstrating the ongoing fulfilment of Isaiah’s prophecy to the leaders of Judah that God’s judgment was imminent and His truth would be hidden from them.

Seed that falls on the rocky soil initially develops, but the soil is shallow and spare. At first the plant shows potential for fruitfulness, but because it cannot put down an adequate root system it is unable to withstand the heat of the sun and eventually withers and dies. This soil represents a person who is at first responsive to the gospel but lacks the solid spiritual foundation necessary for saving faith. Because their faith is not firmly rooted and cannot develop and strengthen, it is easily wiped out in the face of trials, trouble and persecution. Because they have no capacity to endure, the person eventually falls away.

Seed that falls on the thorny soil is eventually choked out by competing weeds. Likewise a person who is overwhelmed or distracted by the world and its sinful influences will not develop saving faith. Despite hearing the gospel and initially pursuing a relationship with God, such people lack focus and an ability to break with worldly
desires and riches. Sometimes the weeds and thorns are not immediately recognized, starting as small distractions or diversions and progressing to become a significant obstacle to faith. Sadly this individual does not truly repent, falls away, and cannot be redeemed. Only God’s continued influence can eradicate spiritual weeds so the gospel can take root and flourish in one’s life.

Seed that falls on the good soil finds a fertile, receptive environment to grow and develop fully. The good soil represents a heart that is open to receiving the gospel, because it has been prepared to do so by God. In contrast to the others, this individual understands and follows the word of God, produces spiritual fruit, and represents the only one of the four to be saved. Saving faith endures despite distractions and trials, because it has the resources through the presence of the Holy Spirit to persevere.

The various increases that Jesus describes with regard to the good soil show the diversity of the harvest. Just as different types of grain will produce differently, believers will have varying degrees of fruitfulness. It is not however the quantity, but the presence of fruit that is important. In his commentary on the verse, Matthew Henry said:

What distinguished the good ground was fruitfulness. By this true Christians are distinguished from hypocrites. Christ does not say that this good ground has no stones in it, or no thorns; but none that could hinder its fruitfulness. All are not alike; we should aim at the highest, to bring forth most fruit.*

Verse 9 is a point of emphasis, calling the believer’s attention to a critical point. It also underscores God's sovereignty in enlightening people to His truth. There are several instances in the gospels where some variation of “he who has ears, let him hear” is used by the Lord. When the phrase appears, He is always emphasizing an important choice related to our eternal fate: whether or not to repent and follow Him. The one “who has ears” is one who is called to the kingdom and whose heart is prepared by God to understand and respond positively to the message.

Note that in each example the gospel is heard; the seed does not fail to land on the soil. Likewise the word falls everywhere alike, but the results will be as varied as the hearts of the people who receive it. Some will reject it outright, some will accept it until the going gets tough, some will accept it until their worldly priorities displace it, and some through the grace of God, will see it take root, bear fruit, and glorify the One who provides it. Let every man examine himself and find fallow ground for the kingdom to flourish.

Quotation reference:
* Henry, Matthew; The Comprehensive Commentary on the Holy Bible, Vol 4 (1834), p. 131

Image:
Luyken, Jan (1649-1712); Parable of the Sower; Medhurst, Phillip (attribution)