Good Seed, Rocky Places, Thorns, and Fruit

Today we read Matthew 13.

Jesus' explanation of the parable of the sower in 13:18-23 says, "¹⁸ “Hear then the parable of the sower. ¹⁹ When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is the one on whom seed was sown beside the road. ²⁰ The one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; ²¹ yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away. ²² And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. ²³ And the one on whom seed was sown on the good soil, this is the man who hears the word and understands it; who indeed bears fruit and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.”

"...hears the word of the Kingdom...." In verses 18 and 19 the term "word" refers to the message (or Good News) of God's Kingdom in the here and now, as well as it's future arrival in fullness.

Jesus' advice to us is to "hear" the message, which first of all requires an open and teachable heart to receive the message which the ear hears. At the same time a person must understand it, which is both the understand the meaning of the words themselves themselves and even more importantly to grasp their significance. 

It may be that a person doesn't have the intellectual capacity or the educational background to actually know all the details in an academic sense, but rather is only able to accept the Gospel in a simple-hearted manner. To accept the Good News of Jesus Christ in a simple-hearted openness is, of course, is the highest and most important of all spiritual paths. The understanding of the heart, the Holy Spirit speaking to the heart -heart speaking to heart- is the most profound relationship any person can have with God.

So, Jesus warns us that to hear and yet not understand the significance of the word of the Kingdom is to have it bounce off our hearts, so to speak, and be lost.

In verses 20 and 21 the word of the Kingdom is received joyfully, but because the hearer is inconstant or shallow in his commitment when hard times come he forgets the word which was planted in his heart and falls away from his faith. This is like a patch which has been insecurely sewn on a piece of cloth which drops off easily when it's rubbed or caught on a thorn.

Likewise, in verse 22 Jesus admonishes His disciples not to get caught up in worldly affairs which make it hard for the growing shoot of faith to grow, choking the young plant and making it hard for faith to flower and produce fruit. In the beginning of the Christian faith people took this admonition seriously, and deliberately avoided opportunities for worldly "success", since in order to be successful in money or business or career worldly achievement can only be arrived at by spending your spiritual capital, your spiritual resources. So, in order to get really rich or powerful, or famous you have to diminish and ultimately deplete your spiritual resources in ultimately unfruitful endeavors.

But, the reassurance in all of this is found in verse 23. The good soil on which the word of the Kingdom falls and grows is your open and receptive heart, which makes a serious commitment to permanently take on Jesus' Yoke no matter what may come. Then, making sure the ground of your heart is kept clear of worldly preoccupations of success and wealth together with tending the garden of your heart, watering it with Holy Scripture, prayer, and good works in His Name, you will indeed bring forth much fruit, both in the hermitage of your heart, in your relationships in this world, and your reward will be great in the World to Come. 


So, to simplify things:

1. Open your heart to receive the word in the words of the Bible, which through the Holy Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh) experientially warms the heart to the true underlying reality of things, which is God's Kingdom.

2. Set your doubts aside and make a commitment to yourself and God to stay with it, and don't shake your own promise. Questions, confusion, searches, clarifications, inquiries are all good. 

3. Just keep on in your present committed state minute by minute, day by day, week by week. Seek out ways to do whatever builds up the Kingdom in your heart and the world around you.