The Parable of the Soils
Matthew 13:1-9, 16-23; Luke 8:4-15
When you understand the benefit and value of something good, you wonder why anyone else wouldn’t like it. Cat lovers wonder why other people don’t like cats. Coffee snobs wonder why other people don’t like coffee. Runners wonder why other people don’t run. Rural landowners wonder why anyone would want to live in a city (and vis versa). What’s something you really like and wonder why other people don’t like it, too?
One of the most perplexing (if not the most perplexing) questions of all time is why is it that – knowing who Christ is, what he has done, and what he offers – why do so many people refuse to believe on him? And a related question is this: why do people respond so differently with such a wide range of acceptance and commitment to Christ?
At this stage of Christ’s public ministry, his closest disciples (the twelve) were wrestling with these very questions. Christ himself was nearing the final stretch of his ministry before the crucifixion. The large crowds who had followed him were beginning to break up and shrink in size. The religious leaders had begun to plot and scheme to remove him. Even the twelve, closest disciples were beginning to show signs of doubt.
It's at this point in his ministry that Christ increased his use of parables, which he used to explain some important insights and perspectives about the kingdom of God. You see, people expected him to become an earthly, political king who established a wonderful, worldwide empire. This he would do – but not yet, not for a while.
Until then, he would reign over an invisible kingdom, one that consisted of all who believed on him as God and Savior, one that prepared for the coming, future, visible, worldwide kingdom. This would be an inner, spiritual kingdom whose citizens lived in and among the various earthly kingdoms as we know them today. This kingdom, for now, would not be defined by geographic and political boundaries and laws. It would be defined by those who believed on Christ and lived according to his teaching by faith.
To help his followers understand what it should and would be like to live in this kingdom now, he spoke in parables, and here is one of the first (if not the first) he told them on this one particular day in which he told a bunch of kingdom parables all in one day. Each parable reveals some special and important perspective about what this invisible, present version of the kingdom of God would be like (and is like to this day) until he returns to Earth again to finally establish an actual, wonderful worldwide empire that will last forever.
In this parable, Christ compared the present, invisible kingdom of God to a farmer who planted grain seed in his fields. On the surface, these fields all looked alike, so it was natural for the farmer to expect that he would receive a productive and abundangt harvest on all his land. But that’s not what happened.
On some of the ground, the seed landed on footpaths (“the wayside”) which had been hardened and worn down over time from people walking. This seed remained on the surface of the soil and was eaten by the birds.
On some other ground, the seed landed on what looked like good soil. But a thick layer of granite stone (a common problem in that part of the world) lay inches under the surface. As a result, this soil heated up quickly, causing the seeds to germinate and sprout up quickly, only to wither away not long after since they could not grow deep roots.
The seeds on this ground gave the farmer a reason for optimism, but enthusiasm would quickly turn to disappointment as the fast-growing plants wilted as quickly as they appeared.
On some other ground, the seed landed on what also looked like good soil. But mixed into this soil were hidden, unseen roots and seeds of all sorts of weeds. As the grain seeds sprouted and grew, though they grew better and lasted longer than the seeds blocked by granite, these too died out before producing any fruit. They died out because the weeds choked out their root systems, sucked away the nutrients they needed, and prevented them from receiving sunlight.
These seeds would also give the farmer a reason for optimism, optimism which would increase over time as the plants continued to grow, but this optimism would also turn to disappointment as these plants also faded away before producing any fruit, shriveling away gradually and slowly as the weeds around them sucked away nutrients and cut them off from sunlight.
Finally, and thankfully, some of the grain seed landed on ground which was good for growing. It was not hard and packed down, it was not undercut by granite stone, and it was not infested with weeds. As a result, it produced a good harvest of grain. While the other seeds on the other ground had resulted only in disappointment rather than a harvest, these seeds produced enough harvest to make up for the losses on other soil.
By some estimates and measures, the average yield of grain seed was tenfold, which means ten grain seeds were produced per seed. In this parable, though only some of the soil (a quarter, approx.) produced a harvest, this harvest equaled 3 to 10 times the usual harvest, so 30 to 100 grain seeds were produced per seed.
Why do grain seeds produce such varied results?
But the question remains – if the farmer plants good grain seed, then why doesn’t all the grain seed produce a good harvest? Have you figured out the answer?
The key variable is not the farmer or seed.
This parable helps us discover the answer to this question by a process of elimination. The grain seed failure was not due to the farmer. He was not lazy. He did his job. He went out into the fields and scattered the seed liberally.
The grain seed failure was also not due to the grain seed that he planed. It was good seed with all the qualities required to produce a good harvest. After all, it produced a 30-100 times harvest in the right conditions.
This reminds me of the tomato plants we planted at the Overmiller house this past year. For the first time, we tried to plant tomato plants in raised beds on our backyard patio. We purchased good, healthy plants and put them in brand-new raised beds, and took good care of them. But they didn’t turn out very well, and why? The problem was the soil.
The key variable is the soil.
In the case of our tomato plants, the problem was that the soil had either too much or not enough moisture. In the case of this parable that Jesus told, the problem was also the soil. All the soil looked like good soil on the surface (except for the soil on the footpaths), but the soil wasn’t always as good as it appeared to be. Some of the soil (even much of the soil) had unseen qualities that prevented the grain seed from growing well.
So, what did Jesus teach us about the kingdom of God through this parable?
People respond differently to the teaching of Christ.
But of all the possible responses, this parable highlights two kinds of responses into which we can place any response to Christ we might encounter. The first kind of response we see represented by the first and fourth soils Christ describes, while the second kind of response we see represented by the second and third soils Christ describes.
Some people have clear responses.
The first and fourth soils, though opposites, represent a clear response. The first soil portrays a response of clear unbelief and rejection of Christ and and his teaching about the kingdom of God, while the final soil represents a response of clear belief and acceptance of Christ and his teaching about the kingdom of God.
Jesus describes the first soil as the hard, packed down soil of the footpath or road that runs through the field. On this soil, the seed doesn’t even penetrate. There is no question about what would happen to the grain seed that fell on that ground. And not only did that seed not penetrate the ground, it was quickly taken away by the birds.
Jesus explains that this soil represents people who hear the Word of God, but when they hear it, it means nothing to them and does nothing for them. What’s more, Satan arranges one way or another for whatever they heard to have no lasting impression on their heart. These are people whose hearts have become so hardened that they cannot respond positively to God’s Word in any way.
Some people hear the message about the kingdom; but like hardened paths, they do not let the truth penetrate, and before they really understand it the devil has snatched it away. (D. A. Carson)
Then, Jesus describes the fourth soil as good soil. This is the person who not only hears the Word of God but who actually understands it, responds favorably, and eventually produces a harvest. Among these people, Jesus explains that though not all produce the same amount or degree of harvest, they all produce a good harvest. These are people whose lives demonstrate a clear response of faith in Christ and his Word.
So, the first soil are people who are clearly not members of God’s kingdom, and the fourth soil are people who are clearly members of God’s kingdom.
Some people have unclear responses.
But what about the two kinds of soil in the middle? Unlike the first and last, these two describe people who present an unclear response.
The second soil – the one with a layer of granite under the surface – heat up and sprout quickly, exhibiting what seems to be an understanding of God’s Word and what seems to be enthusiasm for Christ and his kingdom. But the hearts of these people only have a surface understanding of God’s Word, and so their enthusiasm and participation flares up quickly but lasts only for a brief time. These people fade away as quickly as they came.
About these people, Jesus says the cause of their fading away is their lack of depth, they are unable to withstand “tribulation” and “persecution” “because of the Word.” Tribulation, here, refers to experiencing difficult, painful circumstances and events. Persecution describes difficult, painful treatment by other people. And the specific cause for these difficult and painful experiences, esp. the ones caused by people, is “the Word,” which means they fade away and give up when they realize that following Christ is unpopular and causes other people to treat them unfairly and harshly, making their life more difficult, not easier.
In other words, these are people who seem to begin well but fade away quickly due to strong pressure caused by negative factors. They sprout up quickly but then wither under the heat of the sun because they didn’t develop any roots. These are people who show early enthusiasm, interest, and promise but who don’t last long at all and who revert back to a nominal, natural lifestyle, not one that perverse in following Christ and his teaching about the kingdom of God. When it gets hard or Christ says hard things, they quit.
This person’s commitment is not deeply rooted. We might say that the truly committed “pay their dues up front,” but the marginally committed cancel their membership when payment comes due. The cost of commitment to the Messiah comes in the form of trouble (thlipsis, “tribulation”) or persecution (diogmos) that come because of the word. As quickly as this individual had committed, just as quickly he defected, distancing himself from the word or message. (Stuart K. Weber)
The third soil, then, describes people who also (like the second seed) have an initial positive response to God’s Word and who eventually fade away, as well, but not because of strong pressure caused by negative factors (persecution, trials, etc.) but by strong pressures caused by what seem to be positive factors – the pursuit of wealth and the benefits, things, and experiences that money can buy. Jesus describes these things as the anxieties and pressures of this world and the “deceitfulness of riches.”
These are people who eventually realize that life in God’s kingdom and following Christ will eventually come into conflict with the pursuit of worldly goals, even those worldly goals which are of themselves not sinful. When this conflict happens, this proverbial fork in the road, which path will they take? They will take the path that promises the achievement of temporal comfort, pleasures, and wealth, and as a result, they also fade away.
The idea is clear: worries about worldly things or devotion to wealth (cf. 1 Tim 6:9) snuff out spiritual life. If “deceit” is understood, there is an added warning that these “thorns” are so subtle that one may not be aware of the choking that is going on. (D. A. Carson)
About this “deceitfulness,” we have to realize that this kind of “weed” is difficult to detect. Things like earning money, raising a good family, having a good marriage, taking care of your property and possessions, etc. are actually good things. But in pursuing these things, following Christ easily takes a back seat – something which can happen slowly, quietly, subtly over time.
Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. (1 Tim 6:6-10)
So, do these soils “in the middle” describe believers or nonbelievers? Some say these are nonbelievers while others say that they are disobedient believers. The reality is, however, that we simply don’t know. Christ doesn’t give us enough information in this parable to answer that question, nor is that a question that he is trying to answer.
The question he is attempting to answer, though, is why people respond to the good news about Christ and God’s kingdom in such a variety of ways, and in ways that are disappointing and surprising. So, what is the answer to this question? The answer is the heart, because each of the four soils represents various conditions of the human heart.
The condition of a person’s heart becomes clearer over time.
With this parable, Christ reveals that the reason people either reject Christ and the teaching about God’s kingdom or else respond superficially or temporarily, then fade away, is not due to the message and is not due to the messenger, but is due to certain conditions and qualities of each individual person’s heart. And what is the heart?
When Scripture speaks of the heart, it speaks of the inner part of a person, not the inner physical part (our organs, etc.) but our inner feelings, thoughts, and affections – our beliefs, desires, and plans. The OT teaches:
“As he thinks in his heart, so is he. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, but his heart is not with you.” (Prov 23:7)
So, we see that it’s possible for a person to say and do things on the outside while having a very different feeling and mindset on the inside. Like soil, they have a hardened heart (underlaid with granite) or a preoccupied, distracted heart (infested with weeds). As Christ already explained between this parable and his explanation:
“The hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them.” (Matt 13:15)
What about you?
What is the condition of your heart today?
When you hear the teaching of God’s Word, do you respond with growing and persevering faith, interest, and obedience? Do you reject it and show no interest? Do you show interest but quit when the cost, discomfort, and difficulty are required? Do you give up when the busyness and pleasures of life get in the way?
The parable provides a sober reminder that even the most enthusiastic outward response to the gospel offers no guarantee that one is a true disciple. Only the tests of time, perseverance under difficult circumstances, the avoidance of the idolatries of wealth and anxiety over earthly concerns (recall 6:25–34), and above all the presence of appropriate fruit (consistent obedience to God’s will) can prove a profession genuine. (Craig Blomberg)
If you’re new to following Christ, let me tell you that faith in Christ is a lifelong journey. Only over time and life will you be able to exhibit the kind of persistent, persevering dependence upon Christ that people who are living in the invisible kingdom of God must have. If your heart is hardened (disinterested), shallow (unwilling to experience difficulties), and distracted (by anxiety and pleasure), then let me encourage you admit these weaknesses to God and depend upon him for spiritual change, that your faith may prove to be genuine, that it will grow and strengthen, and that you will produce godly, Christlike fruit in your life over time – the fruit of obedience to him and genuine gospel impact and influence on others.
This leads me to a second and final question in response to this parable.
Are you faithfully spreading the teaching of Christ?
As followers of Christ, we have a responsibility to spread the good news of his salvation to others, both by being like Christ in our treatment and service of other people first and then by speaking to people about Christ and the truth of God’s kingdom. This is our sacred responsibility, and it is not reserved for select missionaries and pastors only. It is the responsibility of every believer to make disciples from among all people.
Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you. (Matt 28:18-20)
In these words, we see his mention of the kingdom of God, over which he reigns. “All authority is given unto me in heaven and on earth, go, therefore …” which means that if we believe on him as God and Savior, then we should respond to him and obey him as our king. And how? We should invest our energy, resources, and time into making disciples, which Christ describes as “sowing the seed of the word” in our parable today.
As we do this, we do need to realize ahead of time – up front – that not all the people we love, serve, and teach will believe on Christ. We must also realize that some – perhaps even many – will at least seem to respond in an enthusiastic, favorable way. They may claim to believe and may even take the steps of baptism, church membership, and some degree of Christian service. But these will fade away quickly when difficulties come their way, and others will fall away later on along the journey as the anxieties and pleasures of this life outgrow their response to the teaching of Christ. This happens because of the condition of people’s hearts, not because we are incapable or the message and truth of
God’s Word is somehow a problem.
This is why we must scatter our seed liberally. We should love and serve many, not few. Seek multiple disciples not few. And we must not grow weary or become discouraged or disheartened when – just as Christ himself experienced – many reject Christ or eventually fall away. This is how the kingdom of God is today until Christ returns to establish the final, visible, universal kingdom on Earth forever.
This parable of the four soils reminds us that the spiritual state of our hearts affects our response to Christ's teachings, just as it does for others. Are we like the hardened path, the rocky ground, or the thorny soil, or are we the fertile soil where faith can grow and bear fruit from the seed of God’s Word?
Let's cultivate hearts that are open to God's Word, so that it takes root and bears fruit. And as we go out to share God’s kingdom with others, let's do so with hope, knowing that while not all seeds will grow, our task is to sow with faith, farming for the kingdom of God in this world until Christ returns.
Discussion Questions
When you understand the benefit and value of something good, you wonder why anyone else wouldn’t like it. Cat lovers wonder why other people don’t like cats. Coffee snobs wonder why other people don’t like coffee. Runners wonder why other people don’t run. Rural landowners wonder why anyone would want to live in a city (and vis versa). What’s something you really like and wonder why other people don’t like it, too?
One of the most perplexing (if not the most perplexing) questions of all time is why is it that – knowing who Christ is, what he has done, and what he offers – why do so many people refuse to believe on him? And a related question is this: why do people respond so differently with such a wide range of acceptance and commitment to Christ?
At this stage of Christ’s public ministry, his closest disciples (the twelve) were wrestling with these very questions. Christ himself was nearing the final stretch of his ministry before the crucifixion. The large crowds who had followed him were beginning to break up and shrink in size. The religious leaders had begun to plot and scheme to remove him. Even the twelve, closest disciples were beginning to show signs of doubt.
It's at this point in his ministry that Christ increased his use of parables, which he used to explain some important insights and perspectives about the kingdom of God. You see, people expected him to become an earthly, political king who established a wonderful, worldwide empire. This he would do – but not yet, not for a while.
Until then, he would reign over an invisible kingdom, one that consisted of all who believed on him as God and Savior, one that prepared for the coming, future, visible, worldwide kingdom. This would be an inner, spiritual kingdom whose citizens lived in and among the various earthly kingdoms as we know them today. This kingdom, for now, would not be defined by geographic and political boundaries and laws. It would be defined by those who believed on Christ and lived according to his teaching by faith.
To help his followers understand what it should and would be like to live in this kingdom now, he spoke in parables, and here is one of the first (if not the first) he told them on this one particular day in which he told a bunch of kingdom parables all in one day. Each parable reveals some special and important perspective about what this invisible, present version of the kingdom of God would be like (and is like to this day) until he returns to Earth again to finally establish an actual, wonderful worldwide empire that will last forever.
In this parable, Christ compared the present, invisible kingdom of God to a farmer who planted grain seed in his fields. On the surface, these fields all looked alike, so it was natural for the farmer to expect that he would receive a productive and abundangt harvest on all his land. But that’s not what happened.
On some of the ground, the seed landed on footpaths (“the wayside”) which had been hardened and worn down over time from people walking. This seed remained on the surface of the soil and was eaten by the birds.
On some other ground, the seed landed on what looked like good soil. But a thick layer of granite stone (a common problem in that part of the world) lay inches under the surface. As a result, this soil heated up quickly, causing the seeds to germinate and sprout up quickly, only to wither away not long after since they could not grow deep roots.
The seeds on this ground gave the farmer a reason for optimism, but enthusiasm would quickly turn to disappointment as the fast-growing plants wilted as quickly as they appeared.
On some other ground, the seed landed on what also looked like good soil. But mixed into this soil were hidden, unseen roots and seeds of all sorts of weeds. As the grain seeds sprouted and grew, though they grew better and lasted longer than the seeds blocked by granite, these too died out before producing any fruit. They died out because the weeds choked out their root systems, sucked away the nutrients they needed, and prevented them from receiving sunlight.
These seeds would also give the farmer a reason for optimism, optimism which would increase over time as the plants continued to grow, but this optimism would also turn to disappointment as these plants also faded away before producing any fruit, shriveling away gradually and slowly as the weeds around them sucked away nutrients and cut them off from sunlight.
Finally, and thankfully, some of the grain seed landed on ground which was good for growing. It was not hard and packed down, it was not undercut by granite stone, and it was not infested with weeds. As a result, it produced a good harvest of grain. While the other seeds on the other ground had resulted only in disappointment rather than a harvest, these seeds produced enough harvest to make up for the losses on other soil.
By some estimates and measures, the average yield of grain seed was tenfold, which means ten grain seeds were produced per seed. In this parable, though only some of the soil (a quarter, approx.) produced a harvest, this harvest equaled 3 to 10 times the usual harvest, so 30 to 100 grain seeds were produced per seed.
Why do grain seeds produce such varied results?
But the question remains – if the farmer plants good grain seed, then why doesn’t all the grain seed produce a good harvest? Have you figured out the answer?
The key variable is not the farmer or seed.
This parable helps us discover the answer to this question by a process of elimination. The grain seed failure was not due to the farmer. He was not lazy. He did his job. He went out into the fields and scattered the seed liberally.
The grain seed failure was also not due to the grain seed that he planed. It was good seed with all the qualities required to produce a good harvest. After all, it produced a 30-100 times harvest in the right conditions.
This reminds me of the tomato plants we planted at the Overmiller house this past year. For the first time, we tried to plant tomato plants in raised beds on our backyard patio. We purchased good, healthy plants and put them in brand-new raised beds, and took good care of them. But they didn’t turn out very well, and why? The problem was the soil.
The key variable is the soil.
In the case of our tomato plants, the problem was that the soil had either too much or not enough moisture. In the case of this parable that Jesus told, the problem was also the soil. All the soil looked like good soil on the surface (except for the soil on the footpaths), but the soil wasn’t always as good as it appeared to be. Some of the soil (even much of the soil) had unseen qualities that prevented the grain seed from growing well.
So, what did Jesus teach us about the kingdom of God through this parable?
People respond differently to the teaching of Christ.
But of all the possible responses, this parable highlights two kinds of responses into which we can place any response to Christ we might encounter. The first kind of response we see represented by the first and fourth soils Christ describes, while the second kind of response we see represented by the second and third soils Christ describes.
Some people have clear responses.
The first and fourth soils, though opposites, represent a clear response. The first soil portrays a response of clear unbelief and rejection of Christ and and his teaching about the kingdom of God, while the final soil represents a response of clear belief and acceptance of Christ and his teaching about the kingdom of God.
Jesus describes the first soil as the hard, packed down soil of the footpath or road that runs through the field. On this soil, the seed doesn’t even penetrate. There is no question about what would happen to the grain seed that fell on that ground. And not only did that seed not penetrate the ground, it was quickly taken away by the birds.
Jesus explains that this soil represents people who hear the Word of God, but when they hear it, it means nothing to them and does nothing for them. What’s more, Satan arranges one way or another for whatever they heard to have no lasting impression on their heart. These are people whose hearts have become so hardened that they cannot respond positively to God’s Word in any way.
Some people hear the message about the kingdom; but like hardened paths, they do not let the truth penetrate, and before they really understand it the devil has snatched it away. (D. A. Carson)
Then, Jesus describes the fourth soil as good soil. This is the person who not only hears the Word of God but who actually understands it, responds favorably, and eventually produces a harvest. Among these people, Jesus explains that though not all produce the same amount or degree of harvest, they all produce a good harvest. These are people whose lives demonstrate a clear response of faith in Christ and his Word.
So, the first soil are people who are clearly not members of God’s kingdom, and the fourth soil are people who are clearly members of God’s kingdom.
Some people have unclear responses.
But what about the two kinds of soil in the middle? Unlike the first and last, these two describe people who present an unclear response.
The second soil – the one with a layer of granite under the surface – heat up and sprout quickly, exhibiting what seems to be an understanding of God’s Word and what seems to be enthusiasm for Christ and his kingdom. But the hearts of these people only have a surface understanding of God’s Word, and so their enthusiasm and participation flares up quickly but lasts only for a brief time. These people fade away as quickly as they came.
About these people, Jesus says the cause of their fading away is their lack of depth, they are unable to withstand “tribulation” and “persecution” “because of the Word.” Tribulation, here, refers to experiencing difficult, painful circumstances and events. Persecution describes difficult, painful treatment by other people. And the specific cause for these difficult and painful experiences, esp. the ones caused by people, is “the Word,” which means they fade away and give up when they realize that following Christ is unpopular and causes other people to treat them unfairly and harshly, making their life more difficult, not easier.
In other words, these are people who seem to begin well but fade away quickly due to strong pressure caused by negative factors. They sprout up quickly but then wither under the heat of the sun because they didn’t develop any roots. These are people who show early enthusiasm, interest, and promise but who don’t last long at all and who revert back to a nominal, natural lifestyle, not one that perverse in following Christ and his teaching about the kingdom of God. When it gets hard or Christ says hard things, they quit.
This person’s commitment is not deeply rooted. We might say that the truly committed “pay their dues up front,” but the marginally committed cancel their membership when payment comes due. The cost of commitment to the Messiah comes in the form of trouble (thlipsis, “tribulation”) or persecution (diogmos) that come because of the word. As quickly as this individual had committed, just as quickly he defected, distancing himself from the word or message. (Stuart K. Weber)
The third soil, then, describes people who also (like the second seed) have an initial positive response to God’s Word and who eventually fade away, as well, but not because of strong pressure caused by negative factors (persecution, trials, etc.) but by strong pressures caused by what seem to be positive factors – the pursuit of wealth and the benefits, things, and experiences that money can buy. Jesus describes these things as the anxieties and pressures of this world and the “deceitfulness of riches.”
These are people who eventually realize that life in God’s kingdom and following Christ will eventually come into conflict with the pursuit of worldly goals, even those worldly goals which are of themselves not sinful. When this conflict happens, this proverbial fork in the road, which path will they take? They will take the path that promises the achievement of temporal comfort, pleasures, and wealth, and as a result, they also fade away.
The idea is clear: worries about worldly things or devotion to wealth (cf. 1 Tim 6:9) snuff out spiritual life. If “deceit” is understood, there is an added warning that these “thorns” are so subtle that one may not be aware of the choking that is going on. (D. A. Carson)
About this “deceitfulness,” we have to realize that this kind of “weed” is difficult to detect. Things like earning money, raising a good family, having a good marriage, taking care of your property and possessions, etc. are actually good things. But in pursuing these things, following Christ easily takes a back seat – something which can happen slowly, quietly, subtly over time.
Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. (1 Tim 6:6-10)
So, do these soils “in the middle” describe believers or nonbelievers? Some say these are nonbelievers while others say that they are disobedient believers. The reality is, however, that we simply don’t know. Christ doesn’t give us enough information in this parable to answer that question, nor is that a question that he is trying to answer.
The question he is attempting to answer, though, is why people respond to the good news about Christ and God’s kingdom in such a variety of ways, and in ways that are disappointing and surprising. So, what is the answer to this question? The answer is the heart, because each of the four soils represents various conditions of the human heart.
The condition of a person’s heart becomes clearer over time.
With this parable, Christ reveals that the reason people either reject Christ and the teaching about God’s kingdom or else respond superficially or temporarily, then fade away, is not due to the message and is not due to the messenger, but is due to certain conditions and qualities of each individual person’s heart. And what is the heart?
When Scripture speaks of the heart, it speaks of the inner part of a person, not the inner physical part (our organs, etc.) but our inner feelings, thoughts, and affections – our beliefs, desires, and plans. The OT teaches:
“As he thinks in his heart, so is he. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, but his heart is not with you.” (Prov 23:7)
So, we see that it’s possible for a person to say and do things on the outside while having a very different feeling and mindset on the inside. Like soil, they have a hardened heart (underlaid with granite) or a preoccupied, distracted heart (infested with weeds). As Christ already explained between this parable and his explanation:
“The hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them.” (Matt 13:15)
What about you?
What is the condition of your heart today?
When you hear the teaching of God’s Word, do you respond with growing and persevering faith, interest, and obedience? Do you reject it and show no interest? Do you show interest but quit when the cost, discomfort, and difficulty are required? Do you give up when the busyness and pleasures of life get in the way?
The parable provides a sober reminder that even the most enthusiastic outward response to the gospel offers no guarantee that one is a true disciple. Only the tests of time, perseverance under difficult circumstances, the avoidance of the idolatries of wealth and anxiety over earthly concerns (recall 6:25–34), and above all the presence of appropriate fruit (consistent obedience to God’s will) can prove a profession genuine. (Craig Blomberg)
If you’re new to following Christ, let me tell you that faith in Christ is a lifelong journey. Only over time and life will you be able to exhibit the kind of persistent, persevering dependence upon Christ that people who are living in the invisible kingdom of God must have. If your heart is hardened (disinterested), shallow (unwilling to experience difficulties), and distracted (by anxiety and pleasure), then let me encourage you admit these weaknesses to God and depend upon him for spiritual change, that your faith may prove to be genuine, that it will grow and strengthen, and that you will produce godly, Christlike fruit in your life over time – the fruit of obedience to him and genuine gospel impact and influence on others.
This leads me to a second and final question in response to this parable.
Are you faithfully spreading the teaching of Christ?
As followers of Christ, we have a responsibility to spread the good news of his salvation to others, both by being like Christ in our treatment and service of other people first and then by speaking to people about Christ and the truth of God’s kingdom. This is our sacred responsibility, and it is not reserved for select missionaries and pastors only. It is the responsibility of every believer to make disciples from among all people.
Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you. (Matt 28:18-20)
In these words, we see his mention of the kingdom of God, over which he reigns. “All authority is given unto me in heaven and on earth, go, therefore …” which means that if we believe on him as God and Savior, then we should respond to him and obey him as our king. And how? We should invest our energy, resources, and time into making disciples, which Christ describes as “sowing the seed of the word” in our parable today.
As we do this, we do need to realize ahead of time – up front – that not all the people we love, serve, and teach will believe on Christ. We must also realize that some – perhaps even many – will at least seem to respond in an enthusiastic, favorable way. They may claim to believe and may even take the steps of baptism, church membership, and some degree of Christian service. But these will fade away quickly when difficulties come their way, and others will fall away later on along the journey as the anxieties and pleasures of this life outgrow their response to the teaching of Christ. This happens because of the condition of people’s hearts, not because we are incapable or the message and truth of
God’s Word is somehow a problem.
This is why we must scatter our seed liberally. We should love and serve many, not few. Seek multiple disciples not few. And we must not grow weary or become discouraged or disheartened when – just as Christ himself experienced – many reject Christ or eventually fall away. This is how the kingdom of God is today until Christ returns to establish the final, visible, universal kingdom on Earth forever.
This parable of the four soils reminds us that the spiritual state of our hearts affects our response to Christ's teachings, just as it does for others. Are we like the hardened path, the rocky ground, or the thorny soil, or are we the fertile soil where faith can grow and bear fruit from the seed of God’s Word?
Let's cultivate hearts that are open to God's Word, so that it takes root and bears fruit. And as we go out to share God’s kingdom with others, let's do so with hope, knowing that while not all seeds will grow, our task is to sow with faith, farming for the kingdom of God in this world until Christ returns.
Discussion Questions
- What is something you value and appreciate greatly which others should but do not?
- Describe someone who feels this way about Christianity.
- What are the three kinds of soil that do not bear fruit? (See Matthew 13:1-9, 16-23; Luke 8:4-15)
- Discuss each one and Jesus’ explanation for the reason it does not bear fruit.
- What choices and habits make Christians like the unproductive soils?
- What makes the good soil different from the other three kinds so that it produces fruit?
- What are some choices or habits that will make Christians more like the good soil?
Posted in Sermon Manuscript
Posted in Kingdom of God, Parables, New Testament, Gospel of Matthew, Gospel of Luke, Word of God, Scripture, Christian Growth, Sanctification
Posted in Kingdom of God, Parables, New Testament, Gospel of Matthew, Gospel of Luke, Word of God, Scripture, Christian Growth, Sanctification
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