The Sower and the Four Soils

Jesus was by the sea when such a large crowd gathered that he got into a boat to teach, while the people stood on the shore. He spoke in a parable about a farmer scattering seed. Some seed fell on the path, and birds came and ate it.

Some seed fell on rocky ground. It sprang up quickly, but it had no deep root, and when the sun rose it dried up. Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns choked it. But some seed fell on good soil and produced a plentiful crop.

Jesus urged the crowd to listen carefully. Later, his disciples asked about the parable. Jesus said that the mysteries of God’s kingdom had been given to them, but others were hearing in parables without understanding. He pointed to Isaiah’s words about people who hear and see, yet do not truly grasp it.

Then Jesus explained it. The seed is the word of God, the word of the kingdom. The seed on the path is like a person who hears, but the word is taken away. The rocky ground is like someone who receives the word with joy at first, but falls away when trouble, persecution, or testing comes.

The thorny ground is like a person who hears, but worries, riches, and the pleasures or desires of life choke the word, so it bears no mature fruit. The good soil is like those who hear the word, receive it, hold on to it, understand it, and keep going. In them, the word bears fruit.