Matthew 13:18-23
13:19 a don’t understand it: Responding to the message of the Kingdom is directly related to discerning its significance.Summary for Matt 13:20-21: 13:20-21 b don’t have deep roots ... don’t last long: The problem is a lack of persevering faith and obedience (see 7:13-27 c; 10:22 d), particularly when persecution arises.
13:22 e Jesus spoke of competing demands in life, (see also 8:18-22 f). The worries of this life can become so great that they divert one from the path of faithful obedience (see 6:19-34 g). The lure of wealth, particularly in its ability to deceive, appears often in Matthew (e.g., 4:8-10 h; 6:24 i; 13:44-45 j). God does not desire that his people have wealth as much as that they have faith, obey him, and willingly help those in need (e.g., 19:21 k; 25:31-46 l).
13:23 m produce a harvest: Probably a general reference to faithful obedience to Jesus’ commands (e.g., 5:1–7:27 n; 28:20 o).
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