The Parable of the Soils

 

That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears, let him hear.” (Matthew 13:1-9 ESV).

 

Today we look at one of the more familiar parables of Jesus. Though this parable is more commonly named after the sower of the seed, the “parable of the soils” is a more fitting title. The role of the sower in the story is important, but the parable’s point is to explain why different soils (different people) respond differently to the Gospel. The parable and its explanation are straightforward enough. All of the first three people portrayed are ultimately hard in heart, but the hardness is especially clear in the person described as in verse 4 since that individual never shows an interest in the Gospel. His heart is calcified to the point where it resists all penetration by the seed, which is devoured by the Evil One and his minions, who were often represented by birds in first-century Jewish literature. Those who fall away after professing faith are represented by the second and third soils. Without solid rooting in good soil, plants will wither and die under the sun’s heat (vv. 5–6).

 

The fourth soil is notably different. This one understands and bears fruit — he accepts and conforms his life to the Gospel (cf. Matthew 13:8–9, 23). The presence of fruit, not its quantity, is what matters. John Calvin says, “The fertility of that soil which yields a thirty-fold produce is small compared with that which yields a hundred-fold…[but Jesus] classes together all kinds of soil which do not entirely disappoint the labors and expectations of the husbandman.”

 

Matthew Henry writes: “That which distinguished this good ground from the rest, was, in one word, fruitfulness. He does not say that this good ground has no stones in it, or no thorns; but there were none that prevailed to hinder its fruitfulness.” Stones or thorns may be found in the good soil of a true believer’s heart, but such obstructions do not finally prevent him from bearing fruit. It is never too late to let the good seed of Jesus take root in your heart. The fact that you may be asking if it is too late is an indicator that the Holy Spirit is quickening your heart to accept the good seed! Trust in the work of Jesus, who only sows good seed!