Mark 4:14

4:14-20 The interpretation of the parable of the four soils is allegorical. The farmer represents a preacher of God’s word (4:14). The four types of soil that receive the seed represent different responses to the preaching of the word. The point of this parable and its interpretation is that hearers should be good soil and heed God’s word (4:9). Only those who produce fruit and endure to the end will be saved (13:13; 8:35; Rev 2:10-11).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Mar 4:14. Ὁ σπείρων the sower) Christ is the sower. Peter, Paul, and others, sow the seed of Christ, and are servants of Christ.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Mar 4:14 , in effect, states that the seed is the word.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

14. The sower] This is applicable to (i) Christ, who “came forth from the Father and was come into the world” (Joh_16:28); (ii) His Apostles; (iii) all who go forth in His Name, and with His authority. For other comparisons of the relations of the teacher and the taught to those between the sower and the soil, comp. 1Pe_1:23; 1Jn_3:9.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And have no root in themselves,.... The word has no root in their hearts, only in their natural affections: nor is the root of grace in them; there is no heart work, only speculative notions, and flashy affections:

and so endure but for a time: they continue hearers and professors of the Gospel but for a small season; like the Jews, who rejoiced in the ministry of John the Baptist for a while, and then left him:

afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended. As soon as any small degree of trouble comes upon them, and especially when there is a hot persecution of the professors of religion, because of the Gospel they have embraced; such hearers are stumbled at these things, and cannot bear the loss of any thing, or endure any thing severe for the sake of the word they have professed a pleasure in; and therefore, rather than suffer, they relinquish at once their profession of it.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

See the notes at Mat 13:18-23.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

The sower soweth the word. St. Matthew (Mat_13:19) calls it "the word of the kingdom an expression equivalent to "the gospel of the kingdom," not merely moral truth, but spiritual and eternal.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The explanation of the parable:

v. 14. The sower soweth the Word.

v. 15. And these are they by the wayside, where the Word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately and taketh away the Word that was sown in their hearts.

v. 16. And these are they likewise which are sown in stony ground; who, when they have heard the Word, immediately receive it with gladness;

v. 17. and have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time; afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the Word’s sake, immediately they are offended.

v. 18. And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the Word,

v. 19. and the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in choke the Word, and it becometh unfruitful.

v. 20. And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the ’Word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirty-fold, some sixty, and some an hundred.

It is Christ that sows the seed of His Word, even today, by the preaching of the Gospel. But the hearers of the Gospel may well be divided into four classes, according to the soil of their heart and the treatment which the Word receives at their hands. These are the chance or occasional hearers, those that forget. They are the wayside men, those in whose case the seed falls along the way. Some of these may even become regular attendants at church. But the seed of the Word remains lying on top of their hearts, it does not penetrate even the crust of their sensibilities. Here, as Christ says, it is Satan himself that takes the Word away from their hearts. The second class are the over-enthusiastic hearers, that have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. The Lord here identifies them with the seed rather than with the soil, though both factors act together. They are the rocky-ground men. With a change of pastors, or due to some other cause, they suddenly, all unexpectedly, accept the Word with great joy. Their interest in matters pertaining to the Church is most gratifying. But the soil of their heart is not prepared for a lasting faith. They are influenced by the weather, both literally and figuratively. They mold their Christianity according to the times. As soon as danger signals appear along the horizon, the temperature of their zeal is reduced to a point where it no longer is of any use. Tribulation and persecution they cannot stand; it makes them lose all interest in the Church and her business. The third class of hearers of the Word are rather promising, at first glance. They hear the Word, even diligently and attentively; their intention is to be worthy Christians. But they permit other plants, dangerous weeds and thorns, to rise up in their hearts. The cares and worries of this present time engross their attention more and more. The fallacy of riches, the idea that the mere possession of money will render happy, takes hold of them. And finally, the desire for the other pleasures which the children of the world enjoy with such apparent satisfaction and happiness gradually blinds their hearts to the true values in life. Faith struggles for a while to maintain its position in the heart, but it fights a losing battle, it remains without fruit. But to the last class belong those Christians that have been sown into good soil, where the soil of the heart has been prepared in the proper manner by the thorough plowing of the Law and by the gentle, merciful rain of the Gospel, where the seed may sprout and grow unhindered, until the full ears speak of the’ rich harvest. There is a difference, of course, according to the gifts and opportunities of the individual Christian, some will yield fruit only in comparatively small measure, while others are rich in good works, but the fact of the yield is the same in all these cases. It is a searching sermon that is contained in this parable of the Lord’s, and all Christians should take heed to remember the lesson: The seed that did not sprout at all; the seed that sprouted, but did not grow; the seed that sprouted and grew up, but bore no fruit; and finally the seed that came up to the expectations of the Lord

Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Here our Saviour applies himself to interpret and explain the foregoing parable: the seed is the word, the sower is the preacher, the soil is the heart and soul of man.

Some hearers Christ compares to the highway ground, in which the seed lies uncovered for the want of the harrow of meditation.

Others to stony ground, in which the word has no root. No root in their understandings, in their memories, wills, and affections: but they are instantly offended, either at the depth and profoundness of the word, or at the sanctity and strictness of the word, or else at the plainness and simplicity of it.

Again, some hearers our Lord compares to thorny ground: worldly and covetous desires are as thorns choking the good seed: they shadow the blade when sprung up, keep off the influences of the sun, and draw away the fatness of the soil from the seed.

All these mischievous effects have thorns among the seed. And the like ill effects have worldly affections and covetous desires in the soul of man, rendering the seed of the word unfruitful and unprofitable. But the good Christian hears the word attentively, keeps it retentively, believes it steadfastly, applies it particularly, practises it universally, and brings forth fruit perseveringly.

Learn, 1. That no hearers are in Christ’s account good hearers of the word, but such as bring forth fruit answerable to their hearing.

2. That a person may be a good hearer of the word in Christ’s account, if he bring forth the best fruit he can, though it be not in so great a proportion as others do.

As some grounds bring forth thirty, some sixty and some an hundred-fold; in like manner do all sincere hearers of the word. They all bring forth fruit, though not all alike; all in sincerity, though not all equally, and none to perfection.

It is Theophylact’s note on the place: "How small is the number of good men, and how few are saved! For only the fourth part of the seed fell upon good ground and was preserved."

Others observe a gradation here: the seed sown in the highway comes not up at all; that on stony ground comes up, but increaseth not; that among thorns increaseth, but bears no fruit; only that seed which fell on good ground brings forth fruit unto perfection.

William Burkitt's Expository Notes on the New Testament (1700–1703) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

14. ὁ σπείρων. The sower in the parable. He is not explained, and the interpretation must vary; Christ, or one of His ministers, or the Church. The emphasis is on τὸν λόγον, giving the key to the parable; What the sower sows is the word. See on Mar 2:2. The comparison between sowing and teaching is common in literature, in Plato, Plutarch, Philo. See the remarkable parallel 2Es 8:41. The suggestion that this parable is borrowed from any external source is unnecessary. Bede notes that ἐξῆλθεν is not explained, and he interprets quia Dominus de sinu Patris egrediens venit in mundum, which is probably too definite.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

14. τὸν λόγον σπείρει. τὸν λόγον is emphatic, and contains the key to the parable. He is speaking of the sowing of the word, and pointing out the analogies between this and the sowing of seed.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The sower soweth the word. More precise than either Matthew or Luke. Compare Mt 13:19; Luk 8:11.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.