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In this lesson:
The parable of the four soils, also known as the parable of the sower. Jesus delivered this parable on the same day that the Pharisees asked Him to perform a miracle (Matthew 12:38) and His mother came to visit (12:46). It is often called "the busy day." Study Tip: Pay attention to repetition in the Bible. When you see themes repeated, it's a sign that God considers them essential. Take the time to hover over these passages to fully grasp their meaning. |
Stained glass depicting
the parable of the four soils. |
The Gospel According to St. Matthew
The King James Bible
The King James Bible
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Matthew 13:1-23
Parable of the four soils 1 The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side. 2 And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore. 3 And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow; 4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: 5 Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: 6 And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. 7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: 8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold. 9 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. 10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? 11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. 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. 13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. 14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: 15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. 16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. 17 For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them. 18 Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower. 19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. 20 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; 21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. 22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. 23 But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. |
Margin notes:
"He went into a ship." (13:2) - Probably the same fishing boat Jesus borrowed in Matthew 8:23 (lesson 15). "The whole multitude stood on the shore." (13:2) - The crowd listened from the shore as Jesus spoke to them from the boat. "Parables." (13:3) - See question one below. "Seeds." (13:4) - In this parable, seeds symbolize the word of God (Mark 4:14; Luke 8:11). "The fowls came and devoured them." (13:4) - The birds represent Satan (13:19; Mark 4:15; Luke 8:12). "Forthwith they sprung up." (13:5) - "Soon they sprang up." "Because they had no root, they withered away." (13:6) - These are weak believers with shallow roots (13:21-21; Mark 4:16-17; Luke 8:13). "The thorns sprung up, and choked them." (13:7) - The thorns symbolize the cares of this world. All the temptations and pressures of life that distract us from the Word (13:22; Mark 4:18-19; Luke 8:14). "Who hath ears to hear, let him hear." (13:9) - Jesus repeats this message from verse 11:15 (lesson 21). He will reinforce it again in verse 13:43. See the study tip above. "Why speakest thou unto them in parables?" (13:10) - "Why do you speak to them (the people) in parables?" "The mysteries of the kingdom of heaven." (13:11) - The mystery was that salvation is granted thanks to our faith and God's grace (1 Timothy 3:9). That mystery was hidden (1 Corinthians 2:7) until revealed by Jesus. The secret of salvation is now made clear via The New Testament (Ephesians 3:4-5; 6:19). "Whosoever hath, to him shall be given." (13:12) - This means that those who have faith will be given spiritual wisdom. A version of this message appears first in Proverbs 9:9. Jesus repeats it here, in Matthew 25:29, Mark 4:25, and again in Luke 8:18. "They seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand." (13:13) - As prophesized in Isaiah 6:9, people will hear but not understand. "Fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias." (13:14) - The prophecy Jesus refers to is found in Isaiah 6:9-10. See also Ezekiel 12:2. "This people's heart is waxed gross." (13:15) - "The people's (sinners) hearts have become hard." "Blessed are your eyes, for they see." (13:16) - The mystery; that salvation comes through faith was not revealed in the Old Testament. The disciples were blessed to have it revealed to them (13:17). Jesus reinforces this message in Luke 10:23. "Verily." (13:17) - "Truly." "Many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see." (13:17) - The Old Testament prophets spoke of the coming Messiah. But they did not know His message would be one of salvation through faith (1 Peter 1:10-12). "Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower." (13:18) - "Therefore, learn the meaning of the parable of the sower." "Then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart." (13:19) - The "wicked one" is Satan. He keeps unbelievers from understanding the word of God. "Stony places." (13:20) - Seeds that fall on stoney places will grow. But because of the harsh ground, they soon wilt and die. They represent believers who start to grow but fade when times get tough. "And anon with joy receiveth it." (13:20) - "And immediately, joyfully received it." "Dureth for a while." (13:21) - "Endures for a while." "By and by he is offended." (13:21) - "Soon he falls away." "Thorns." (13:22) - Symbolize the cares, worries, and distractions of this world. |
You can read Mark's report on the parable of the sower in Mark 4:1-20. Find Luke's account in Luke 8:4-18.
New Living Translation
Matthew 13:1-23
Parable of the Farmer Scattering Seed
1 Later that same day Jesus left the house and sat beside the lake.
2 A large crowd soon gathered around him, so he got into a boat. Then he sat there and taught as the people stood on the shore.
3 He told many stories in the form of parables, such as this one:
"Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seeds.
4 As he scattered them across his field, some seeds fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate them.
5 Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seeds sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow.
6 But the plants soon wilted under the hot sun, and since they didn't have deep roots, they died.
7 Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants.
8 Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted!
9 Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand."
10 His disciples came and asked him, "Why do you use parables when you talk to the people?"
11 He replied, "You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others are not.
12 To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them.
13 That is why I use these parables,
For they look, but they don't really see.
They hear, but they don't really listen or understand.
14 This fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah that says,
'When you hear what I say,
you will not understand.
When you see what I do,
you will not comprehend.
15 For the hearts of these people are hardened,
and their ears cannot hear,
and they have closed their eyes-
so their eyes cannot see,
and their ears cannot hear,
and their hearts cannot understand,
and they cannot turn to me
and let me heal them.'
16 "But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear.
17 I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, but they didn't see it. And they longed to hear what you hear, but they didn't hear it.
18 "Now listen to the explanation of the parable about the farmer planting seeds:
19 The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message about the Kingdom and don't understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches away the seed that was planted in their hearts.
20 The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy.
21 But since they don't have deep roots, they don't last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God's word.
22 The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God's word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth, so no fruit is produced.
23 The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God's word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!"
The "New Living Translation" (Tyndale House, Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois) is a paraphrase and not an accurate word-for-word translation of the Bible. However, it is a helpful tool when read with the "King James Version."
Parable of the Farmer Scattering Seed
1 Later that same day Jesus left the house and sat beside the lake.
2 A large crowd soon gathered around him, so he got into a boat. Then he sat there and taught as the people stood on the shore.
3 He told many stories in the form of parables, such as this one:
"Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seeds.
4 As he scattered them across his field, some seeds fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate them.
5 Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seeds sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow.
6 But the plants soon wilted under the hot sun, and since they didn't have deep roots, they died.
7 Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants.
8 Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted!
9 Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand."
10 His disciples came and asked him, "Why do you use parables when you talk to the people?"
11 He replied, "You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others are not.
12 To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them.
13 That is why I use these parables,
For they look, but they don't really see.
They hear, but they don't really listen or understand.
14 This fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah that says,
'When you hear what I say,
you will not understand.
When you see what I do,
you will not comprehend.
15 For the hearts of these people are hardened,
and their ears cannot hear,
and they have closed their eyes-
so their eyes cannot see,
and their ears cannot hear,
and their hearts cannot understand,
and they cannot turn to me
and let me heal them.'
16 "But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear.
17 I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, but they didn't see it. And they longed to hear what you hear, but they didn't hear it.
18 "Now listen to the explanation of the parable about the farmer planting seeds:
19 The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message about the Kingdom and don't understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches away the seed that was planted in their hearts.
20 The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy.
21 But since they don't have deep roots, they don't last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God's word.
22 The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God's word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth, so no fruit is produced.
23 The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God's word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!"
The "New Living Translation" (Tyndale House, Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois) is a paraphrase and not an accurate word-for-word translation of the Bible. However, it is a helpful tool when read with the "King James Version."
Key verses from this passage
"And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given." (13:10-11)
"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." (13:12)
"For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them." (13:17)
"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." (13:12)
"For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them." (13:17)
Today's Questions:
1. What is a parable?
2. What can we learn from the parable of the four soils? (13:3-23)
Questions? Let us know.
1. What is a parable?
2. What can we learn from the parable of the four soils? (13:3-23)
Questions? Let us know.
Answers: (Do you agree?)
1. A parable is a short allegorical story or metaphor that uses well-known life experiences to convey profound religious or moral truths. Jews were already familiar with parables, as they had long been used in Judaism as a teaching tool (Numbers 23:18; 24:3; Judges 9:7-15; 2 Samuel 12:1-4; Job 27:1; Ezekiel 24:3-5). Jesus used these down-to-earth, relatable stories to encourage reflection and deeper understanding and to make spiritual truths easier to understand. However, to scoffers and non-believers, parables seem like silly, confusing riddles (Matthew 13:13-14; Mark 4:11-12).
"Jesus used parables, in part, as dark sayings, with apparent double meanings, to conceal for a time what he had to reveal. The kingdom that Jesus intended to establish was so utterly different from what was commonly expected of the Messiah that it was necessary for him to very tactful. So he used these stories, to illustrate the origin, development, mixed character and consummation of the Kingdom, which to us seem very plain, but were enigmas to his immediate hearers. In interpreting the parables, the problem is to know which details are significant, and which are incidents necessary to the story. Ordinarily a parable was meant to show one point, and should not be pressed for lessons in every detail." ("Halley's Bible Handbook" by Henry H. Halley, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan; page 439).
2. The parable of the four soils teaches us that Jesus, represented as the Sower, spreads seeds, which is God's word (Luke 8:11), but gets different results. There are three factors that keeps God's seeds from growing: a sinful life that prevents people from listening to or understanding the word of God (these are seeds that fall "by the wayside"), persecution, peer pressure, or a weak commitment to God that causes some to initially believe but fade away because they lack deep roots (seeds that land in "stony places"), and worldly desires that prevent spiritual growth (seeds in "thorns").
However, for the seeds that take root (fall "into good ground"), God's message will yield fruit. In good soil, God's word flourishes. People hear, understand, and live out God's word. These seeds produce a great harvest for God. You can read Jesus' interpretation of the parable of the four soils in verses 13:18-23.
What type of soil best describes you? Are you sowing new seeds for Christ?
Application thought for the day:
"It is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven" (13:11).
How are you using the truth that has been given to you?
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Thanks to the writings and commentary of John Wesley and Adam Clarke. Also, "The Layman's Bible Study Notebook" by Irving Jensen, published by Harvest House Publishing, Irvine, California; the "Life Change Series" published by NavPress books, Colorado Springs, Colorado; "Robertson's New Testament Word Studies;" "The MacArthur Bible Commentary" by John MacArthur, published by Thomas Nelson, Nashville, Tennessee; "Wisdom of the Bible" CD by Topics Entertainment, Inc., Renton, Washington for their inspiring pictures; "My utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers, published by Barbour Publishing, Inc., Uhrichsville, Ohio; The "Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge" by Reuben Archer Torrey; "Hope For Each Day" by Billy Graham, published by J. Countryman, a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc., Nashville, Tennessee; "Easton's Bible Dictionary" by Matthew George Easton; "Unger's Bible Dictionary" by Merrill F. Unger, published by Moody Press, Chicago, Illinois; "Atlas of the Bible" edited by Joseph L. Gardner, published by Readers Digest, Pleasantville, New York; "Halley's Bible Handbook" by Henry H. Halley, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "The Everyday Bible" published by World Wide Publications, Minneapolis, Minnesota; "The New Testament" Recovery Version published by Living Stream Ministry, Anaheim, California; "The Living New Testament" published by Tyndale house, Wheaten, Illinois; "The New Living Translation" published by Tyndale House, Wheaten, Illinois; "The New Testament" translated from the Latin Vulgate, published by Guild Press, New York, New York; the "Life Application Study Bible" published by Tyndale House Publishing, Carol Stream, Illinois; the "Quest Study Bible" published by The Zondervan Corporation, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "The New Scofield Reference Bible" published by Oxford University Press, New York, New York; BibleGateway.com for all their wonderful links; and of course, the "King James Bible." All were critical in putting these lessons together.
© 2025 evolke
© 2025 evolke