18 Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower. 19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. 20 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; 21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. 22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. 23 But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. (Matthew 13:18-23 KJV)
William Burkitt’s Commentary
As if our Lord has said, “You my disciples, who are not satisfied with a sound of words, I will explain to you the sense and signification of this parable: the scope of which is, to shew the different effects which the word of God has upon men’s hearts, and the reason of that difference.
The seed is the word, the sower is the preacher, the soil is the heart and soul of man.”
Now our Saviour assures us, that both the hearts of some hearers are like highway ground; in which the seed is not covered with the harrow of meditation; others are like stony ground, in which the word has no root; no root in their understandings, memories, conscience, will, or affections: but they are offended, either at the depth and profoundness of the word, or at the sanctity and strictness of it, or at the plainness and simplicity of it.
Again, some hearers our Lord compares to the thorny ground. Thorns are covetous desires, which choke the good seed, shadow the blade when sprung up, keep off the influences of the sun and draw away the fatness of the soil from the seed. All these effects have thorns in and among the seed; and the like effects have worldly affections and covetous desires in the heart of man, rendering the word unfruitful and unprofitable.
But the good Christian hears the word attentively, keeps it retentively, believes it stedfastly, applies it particularly, practises it universally, and brings forth fruit with patience and perseverance; fruit that will redound to his account, in the great day of account.
Learn, 1. That no hearers are in Christ’s account good hearers of the word, but such as bring forth the fruits of an holy, humble, and peaceable conversation.
2. That a person may be a good hearer of the word, if he brings forth the best fruit he can, though it be not in so great a proportion as others do: as some ground brings forth thirty, some sixty, and some an hundred-fold: in like manner do all the sincere hearers of the word, they all bring forth fruit, though not all alike; all in sincerity and reality, though not all to the same degree, and none to perfection.
Observe lastly, Satan is here compared to the fowls of the air, which pick up the seed before it takes any root in the earth. The devil is very jealous of the success of the word, and therefore labours all he can to destroy the word before it comes to operate upon the heart; which he doth sometimes by the cares of the world, sometimes by vain companions, who prove mere quench-coals unto early convictions; if he can steal away the word or choke it, he has his desire and design.