Matthew 13:18-23
Mark 4:3-8
3. Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow—What means this? See on Mr 4:14.
First Case: THE WAYSIDE. (Mr 4:4, 15).
4. And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the wayside—by the side of the hard path through the field, where the soil was not broken up.
and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up—Not only could the seed not get beneath the surface, but "it was trodden down" (Lu 8:5), and afterwards picked up and devoured by the fowls. What means this? See on Mr 4:15.Second Case: THE STONY or rather, ROCKY GROUND. (Mr 4:5, 16).
5. And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth—"the rocky ground"; in Matthew (Mt 13:5), "the rocky places"; in Luke (Lu 8:6), "the rock." The thing intended is, not ground with stones in it which would not prevent the roots striking downward, but ground where a quite thin surface of earth covers a rock. What means this? See on Mr 4:16.
Third Case: THE THORNY GROUND. (Mr 4:7, 18, 19).
7. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit—This case is that of ground not thoroughly cleaned of the thistles, &c.; which, rising above the good seed, "choke" or "smother" it, excluding light and air, and drawing away the moisture and richness of the soil. Hence it "becomes unfruitful" (Mt 13:22); it grows, but its growth is checked, and it never ripens. The evil here is neither a hard nor a shallow soil—there is softness enough, and depth enough; but it is the existence in it of what draws all the moisture and richness of the soil away to itself, and so starves the plant. What now are these "thorns?" See on Mr 4:19.
Fourth Case: THE GOOD GROUND. (Mr 4:8, 20).
8. And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit, &c.—The goodness of this last soil consists in its qualities being precisely the reverse of the other three soils: from its softness and tenderness, receiving and cherishing the seed; from its depth, allowing it to take firm root, and not quickly losing its moisture; and from its cleanness, giving its whole vigor and sap to the plant. In such a soil the seed "brings forth fruit," in all different degrees of profusion, according to the measure in which the soil possesses those qualities. See on Mr 4:20.