The Parable – SOIL

(Embedded with permission from Dr. Brian Russell, professor of biblical studies at Asbury Theological Seminary)

Thomas Aquinas’ provides the following summary of the parable:

“And it is to be noted, that as in the bad ground there were three degrees of difference, to wit, that by the way side, the stony and the thorny ground; so in the good soil there is a three-fold difference, the hundred-fold, the sixty-fold, and the thirty-fold. And in this as in that, not the substance but the will is changed, and the hearts as well of the unbelieving as the believing receive seed; as in the first case He said, ‘Then cometh the wicked one, and carrieth off that which is sown in the heart;’ and in the second and third case of the bad soil He said, ‘This is he that heareth the word.’ So also in the exposition of the good soil, ‘This is he that heareth the word.’ Therefore we ought first to hear, then to understand, and after understanding to bring forth the fruits of teaching, either an hundred-fold, or sixty, or thirty.”

For this project, we will primarily focus on Matthew’s account of the parable from Matthew 13:1-9 and explained in Matthew 13:18-23…

1 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. 2 And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach. 3 And he told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow…” — Matthew 13:1-3 ESV

Seed and BirdsSeed and StonesSeed and StonesGood Soil

And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. — Matthew 13:4 ESV

John Calvin’s Commentary:

Such persons he compares to a stiff and dry soil, like what we find on a public road, which is trodden down, and becomes hard, like a pavement … [but] … the wickedness and depravity of men do not make the word to lose its own nature, or to cease to have the character of seed. This must be carefully observed, that we may not suppose the favors of God to cease to be what they are, though the good effect of them does not reach us. With respect to God, the word is sown in the hearts, but it is far from being true, that the hearts of all receive with meekness what is planted in them, as James (James 1:21) exhorts us to receive the word. So then the Gospel is always a fruitful seed as to its power, but not as to its produce.

Luke adds, that the devil taketh away the seed out of their heart, that they may not believe and be saved Hence we infer that, as hungry birds are wont to do at the time of sowing, this enemy of our salvation, as soon as the doctrine is delivered, watches and rushes forth to seize it, before it acquires moisture and springs up. It is no ordinary praise of the word, when it is pronounced to be the cause of our salvation.

Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. — Matthew 13:5-6 ESV

John Calvin’s Commentary:

“We see too many of this class in our own day, who eagerly embrace the Gospel, and shortly afterwards fall off; for they have not the lively affection that is necessary to give them firmness and perseverance. Let every one then examine himself thoroughly, that the alacrity which gives out a bright flame may not quickly go out, as the saying is, like a fire of tow; for if the word does not fully penetrate the whole heart, and strike its roots deep, faith will want the supply of moisture that is necessary for perseverance.”

Henri Nouwen on Knowing God’s Heart:

“The Christian leader of the future is the one who truly knows the heart of God as it has become flesh, a ‘heart of flesh,’ in Jesus. Knowing God’s heart means consistently, radically, and very concretely to announce and reveal that God is love and only love, and that every time fear, isolation, or despair begins to invade the human soul, this is not something that comes from God. This sounds very simple and maybe even trite, but very few people know that they are loved without any conditions or limits.”

Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. — Matthew 13:7 ESV

John Calvin’s Commentary:

“He places in the third class, those who would have been disposed to receive the seed within, if they had not permitted other things to corrupt and render it degenerate. Christ compares to thorns the pleasures of this life, or wicked desires, and covetousness, and the other anxieties of the flesh. Matthew mentions only the care of this life, along with covetousness, but the meaning is the same; for under that term he includes the allurements of pleasures, which Luke mentions, and every kind of desire. As corn, which otherwise might have been productive, no sooner rises into the stalk than it is choked by thorns and other matters injurious to its growth; so the sinful affections of the flesh prevail over the hearts of men, and overcome faith, and thus destroy the force of the heavenly doctrine, before it has reached maturity.”

CS Lewis on Affections:

“It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”

Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears, let him hear. — Matthew 13:8-9 ESV

John Calvin’s Commentary:

“None are compared by Christ to a good and fertile soil, but those in whom the word of God not only strikes its roots deep and solid, but overcomes every obstacle that would prevent it from yielding fruit. Is it objected that it is impossible to find any one who is pure and free from thorns? It is easy to reply, that Christ does not now speak of the perfection of faith, but only points out those in whom the word of God yields fruit. Though the produce may not be great, yet every one who does not fall off from the sincere worship of God is reckoned a good and fertile soil…”

Proceed to the next section:

SOIL is a study of sin, self, and salvation. As a doctorate of ministry relic submitted at Candler School of Theology, this project is intended to scale in development as a distributable tool for faith congregations and recovery communities. For more information, please contact the author here. © 2022, Phillip Lee. All Rights Reserved.