*Bible verses from the KJV and AMP version.
*Verse by Verse Commentary from Adam Clark, Matthew Henry, Charles Spurgeon and John Gill.
*Matthew 13:3–23/Mark 4:3-20/Luke 8:5-15
L8:5 A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.
The sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell beside the road and it was trampled underfoot, and the birds of the sky ate it up.
A sower went out to sow his seed - By whom Jesus Christ is chiefly designed; though it is true of every preacher of the Gospel: who goes forth, being sent by Christ, with the precious seed of the word: for the phrase, "his seed", which only Luke has, best agrees with Christ, He being the proprietor and subject of it. And it was trodden down; by every one that passed by, as the Gospel preached to such hardened and ignorant hearers, is despised and trampled under foot by them.The sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell beside the road and it was trampled underfoot, and the birds of the sky ate it up.
M13:5 Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:
Other seed fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil; and at once they sprang up because they had no depth of soil.
The heart of man is as soil to the seed of God’s word; it is capable of receiving it, and bringing forth the fruits of it; but, unless that seed be sown in it, it will bring forth nothing valuable.Other seed fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil; and at once they sprang up because they had no depth of soil.
L8:7And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it.
Other seed fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it out.
And some fell among thorns - On ground which had within it the roots of thorns and briars; and design such hearers who have their hearts filled with worldly cares, and sensual lusts and pleasures:Other seed fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it out.
and the thorns sprang up with it; and grew faster than that:
and choked it; as the above things do the word, and make it useless and unprofitable; so that though it took place for a while, and was professed, yet process of time was neglected and dropped.
M13:6 And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.
But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.
They were scorched, and because they had not root, they withered away: they were offended with what they met with, for the sake of Christ, and the profession of His word; and therefore, not being rooted in Him, nor in the love of God, nor having the root of the matter, true grace, in themselves, fell away finally and totally.But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.
M13:8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.
Other seed fell on good soil and yielded grain, some a hundred times as much [as was sown], some sixty [times as much], and some thirty.
Good ground - Soft, not like that by the highway side; deep, not like the stony ground; purged, not full of thorns.Other seed fell on good soil and yielded grain, some a hundred times as much [as was sown], some sixty [times as much], and some thirty.
M13:9 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
He who has ears [to hear], let him hear and heed My words.
Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.He who has ears [to hear], let him hear and heed My words.
M13:10 And the disciples came, and said unto Him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
Then the disciples came to Him and asked, “Why do You speak to the crowds in parables?”
And He said, “To you [who have been chosen] it has been granted to know and recognize the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is in parables, so that though SEEING THEY MAY NOT SEE, AND HEARING THEY MAY NOT UNDERSTAND.
M13:12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
For whoever has [spiritual wisdom because he is receptive to God’s word], to him more will be given, and he will be richly and abundantly supplied; but whoever does not have [spiritual wisdom because he has devalued God’s word], even what he has will be taken away from him.
The disciples were well inclined to the knowledge of gospel mysteries, and would search into the parables, and by them would be led into a more intimate acquaintance with those mysteries; but the carnal hearers that rested in bare hearing, and would not be at the pains to look further, nor to ask the meaning of the parables, would be never the wiser, and so would justly suffer for their remissions. For whoever has [spiritual wisdom because he is receptive to God’s word], to him more will be given, and he will be richly and abundantly supplied; but whoever does not have [spiritual wisdom because he has devalued God’s word], even what he has will be taken away from him.
A parable is a shell that keeps
good fruit for the diligent,
but keeps it from the slothful.
M4:15 And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.
These [in the first group] are the ones along the road where the word is sown; but when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word which has been sown in them.
Where the word is sown - They who are sown by the way side, are they Who Receive The Word Negligently. There are thousands of this stamp in the Christian world. These [in the first group] are the ones along the road where the word is sown; but when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word which has been sown in them.
Q: Reader, art thou one of them?
L8:14 And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.
The seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, but as they go on their way they are suffocated with the anxieties and riches and pleasures of this life, and they bring no fruit to maturity.
The pleasures of this life are as dangerous and mischievous thorns to choke the good seed of the word as any other.The seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, but as they go on their way they are suffocated with the anxieties and riches and pleasures of this life, and they bring no fruit to maturity.
M4:16 And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;
In a similar way these [in the second group] are the ones on whom seed was sown on rocky ground, who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy [but accept it only superficially];
And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground - Such sort of hearers of the word are signified by the stony ground, on which the seed were sown, In a similar way these [in the second group] are the ones on whom seed was sown on rocky ground, who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy [but accept it only superficially];
--who are constant hearers of the word,
--and have some understanding of it,
--and some sort of affection for it,
--and yet their hearts are not truly broken by it;
they are not brought to a thorough sight and sense of sin, and of their need of Christ, and salvation by him; their stony hearts are not taken away, and hearts of flesh given them.
and they have no real root in themselves, so they endure only for a little while; then, when trouble or persecution comes because of the word, immediately they [are offended and displeased at being associated with Me and] stumble and fall away.
....trying times; like footsteps on the sand of the sea, which are gone the next high tide of persecution; many that keep their profession in fair days, lose it in a storm; and do as those that go to sea only for pleasure, come back again when the wind arises. It is the ruin of hypocrites.
L8:15 But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.
But as for that seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word with a good and noble heart, and hold on to it tightly, and bear fruit with patience.
And bring forth fruit - Not like the thorny ground: With perseverance - Not like the stony.But as for that seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word with a good and noble heart, and hold on to it tightly, and bear fruit with patience.
"The parable of the wheat and the tares shows the mystery of the divine and the satanic agencies working in direct opposition, in vital conflict.
The conflict continues till the close of this earth’s history.
The incorruptible seed is the living Word of God, which works in the personal sanctification of the receivers, elevating them by bringing them into the participation of the divine nature."
E.G.W.
