Matthew 13:20

Mat_13:5; Mat_13:20-21

Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth.

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Stony places

I. The nature of the ground.

1. Stony ground wants breaking up. These persons enter into a profession of religion before their hearts are thoroughly broken in the sense of sin.

2. Stony ground is cold; what colder than a stone? These persons are without spiritual warmth.

3. Their hearts may be compared to stony ground from the heaviness or lumpishness of their spirits. These hearts are heavy and not soon removed out of their evil course.

4. Stony ground doth not drink in the rain that falls from heaven.

5. All the hearts of men are naturally hard.

6. Stony ground seems to be the fruit of the curse for mans sin. So these persons seem still to be under the curse.

7. Stony ground by reason of the little earth that is found there, never brings forth fruit to perfection. So these persons only bring forth the externals of religion.

8. Stony ground, when the sun rises high and begins to shine hot upon it, the scorching beams thereof soon causes the blade to wither away.

II. The success of the seed. Stony or hard hearted hearers may go a great way in the profession of religion.

1. They may hear the Word of God with diligence.

2. They may be zealous hearers.

3. They may receive the Word into their hearts.

4. They receive it with joy.

5. They believe for a while.

6. They may yield obedience to all external duties.

7. They may become members of a visible church.

8. They may leave all gross acts of sin.

9. They may have some inward joy as to the hopes they have of heaven.

Why they go so far?

1. From the common illuminations of Gods Word and Spirit.

2. Because a temporary faith is not wholly without product.

3. It may arise from regard for some ministers.

4. Self-respect and honour may cause them to go so far.

5. It may be self-profit.

6. It may arise from that seeming sweetness and satisfaction they meet with from within themselves whilst they continue in the profession of religion.

7. It may be from a natural desire of being saved.

8. It may be from the shame and reproach which are attached to open wickedness.

From whence it arises that these hearers go no further:

1. It may arise from the great ignorance that is in them.

2. It ariseth from the unsoundness of their hearts, the ground is not good.

3. It ariseth from the deceitfulness of their hearts.

4. They go no further because of their pride.

5. Because they had no vital but artificial principle ill them.

6. Because there is some secret sin hid in their hearts. (B. Keach.)

Withering is the fearful fate of all stony-ground hearers

I. As to the evil of the cause that produces such evil effects.

1. The principal cause is the stoniness of their hearts.

2. Privative cause.

(1) Want of moisture.

(2) Want of earth.

(3) Want of taking root.

II. The badness of those effects that proceed from such evil causes.

1. Barrenness.

2. Another effect that attends these professors is earthliness.

3. Lukewarmness in religious duties.

4. Pride.

5. Uncharitableness.

6. Contention.

7. Inconstancy.

8. Apostacy.

(1) In judgment.

(2) In affection.

(3) In practice.

(4) In respect of means.

III. The danger and fearful condition of such that wither

1. They disappoint God of His expectation.

2. These persons are hateful to God, as they seem to declare to all the world that there is not that good to be found in God which the Word and ministers do affirm.

3. They bring scandal upon the Church.

4. In respect of the world these mens sin and danger is also aggravated.

5. In respect to the sin itself, none is more odious and dangerous. Relapse more dangerous than the disease.

6. This sin of withering is generally punished with other sins,

(1) with blindness of mind;

(2) with judicial hardness of heart;

(3) with a seared conscience;

(4) with final impenitence.

7. How may it be known that a man is withering?

1. Self-confidence.

2. When he cannot bear a searching doctrine.

3. When his conscience is not so tender as it was.

4. When a mans prayers are short.

5. When he cannot stand in the hour of temptation.

6. Deadness of spirit. (B. Keach.)

The temporary Christian

This mans faith has five stages:

1. He knows the Word.

2. He assents to it.

3. He professes it.

4. He rejoices inwardly in it.

5. He brings forth some kind of fruit; and yet for all this, hath no more fruit in him than a faith that will fail in the end; because he wants the effectual application of the promise of the gospel, and is without all manner of sound conversation.

This faith is like corn on the housetop, which grows for a while; but, when the heat of summer comes, it withers. (W. Perkins)

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An easily-moved susceptibility

There is deep knowledge of human nature and exquisite fidelity to truth in the single touch by which the impression of religion on them is described. The seed sprang up quickly; and then withered away as quickly, because it had no depth of root. There is a quick, easily-moved susceptibility, that rapidly exhibits the slightest breath of those emotions which play upon the surface of the soul, and then as rapidly passes off. In such persons words are ever at command-voluble and impassioned words. Tears flow readily. The expressive features exhibit every passing shade of thought. Every thought and every feeling plays upon the surface-everything that is sown springs up at once with vehement vegetation. But slightness and inconstancy go together with violence. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. True; but also out of the emptiness of the heart the mouth can speak even more volubly. He who can always find the word which is appropriate and adequate to his emotion,, is not the man whose emotions are deepest; warmth of feeling is one thing-permanence is another. (F. W. Robertson.)

Shallow soil like superficial character

You meet with such persons in life. There is nothing deep about them-all they do and all they have is on the surface. The superficial servants work is done: but lazily, partially-not thoroughly. The superficial workmans labour will not bear looking into-but it bears a showy outside. The very dress of such persons betrays the slatternly, incomplete character of their minds. When religion comes in contact with persons of this stamp, it shares the fate of everything else. (F. W. Robertson.)

The superficial character connected with the hard heart

Beneath the light thin surface of easily stirred dust lies the bed of rock. The shallow ground was stony ground. And it is among the children of light enjoyment and unsettled life that we must look for stony heartlessness-not in the world of business-not among the poor, crushed to the earth by privation and suffering. These harden the character, but often leave the heart soft. If you wish to know what hollowness and heartlessness are, you must seek for them in the world of light, elegant, superficial Fashion-where frivolity has turned the heart into a rockbed of selfishness. Say what men will of the heartlessness of Trade, it is nothing compared with the heartlessness of Fashion. Say what they will of the atheism of Science, it is nothing to the atheism of that round of pleasure in which many a heart lives: dead while it lives. (F. W. Robertson)

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Warm affections easily moved

Among the affections, when they are warm and newly stirred, the seed speedily springs. (W. Arnot.)

Christ not to be on the surface

Do not keep Christ on the surface; let Him possess the centre, and thence direct all the circumference of your life. (W. Arnot.)

Hasty, but not lasting

The marked antithesis between the immediate reception and the immediate rejection is to be carefully observed. That which is hasty is not lasting. Grace, in almost every case, is slow and progressive; for, in the human heart, it has much to contend against; and God treats us as free agents, putting no force on any mans will, (J. Ford,)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Mat 13:20-21. He that received the seed into stony, rather, rocky, places — Where the bed of earth was very shallow, is he that heareth the word — Hears it with attention, and in a spirit of prayer, sincerely desiring that the eyes of his understanding may be opened; nay, and understands what he hears, and even seriously considers it afterward. For he is said, Luk 8:13, to believe for a while, and here to receive it with joy; being struck, doubtless, with the beauty of the truth, and drawn by the preventing grace of God. Yet hath he not root in himself — No deep work of grace in his soul; no real change in the ground of his heart. He is not truly regenerated and made a new creature in Christ. The consequence is, he only endureth for a while — Continues to profess an attachment to the truth, as long as the truth is held in esteem, and proceeds on, apparently, in the way of the kingdom, while the way is smooth, and no stumbling-block, or difficulty, occurs therein. But when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word — When the truth and its professors are exposed to reproach and infamy, and the disciples of Jesus are called to drink of his cup of suffering, by and by, Greek ευθυς, immediately, he is offended, σκανδαλιζεται, he is stumbled. He finds a thousand pretences for leaving so narrow and rugged a way. Luke has it, εν καιρω πειρασμου αφιστανται, In time of temptation, or trial, they fall off, namely, as blossoms from the trees, through a frost in the spring. It has been observed above, that the warmth of the sun’s beams will rather promote than hinder the growth of the corn, if it hath sufficient depth of earth, wherein to take root, and sufficient moisture; in like manner, if a deep work of grace be wrought in a man’s heart, and he be really born from above, tribulation, persecution, and other trials and temptations will be so far from destroying his piety, or even obstructing the growth of grace in his soul, that they will rather promote it, and though not joyous but grievous while they continue, yet will afterward yield the peaceable fruits of righteousness, to those that are exercised thereby; and will tend to perfect their faith and patience, and other graces, and prepare them for heaven, as hot weather before the harvest ripens the corn, when full in the ear, for the sickle.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

13:20-21 don’t have deep roots . . . don’t last long: The problem is a lack of persevering faith and obedience (see 7:13-27; 10:22), particularly when persecution arises.

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

Mat 13:20. Ὁ δὲ, κ.τ.λ., but he, etc.) In every individual soul one distinguishing characteristic is especially conspicuous.—εὐθὺς, immediately) Too great haste and joyfulness is not always the best sign, when the whole strength pours itself forth in outward demonstrations, and consumes itself in them.—μετὰ χαρᾶς λαμβάνων, with joy receiving) see Gal 4:14-15.

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

Mat 13:20 . μετὰ χαρᾶς λ .: this is the new feature in the second type added to the hearing of the first; hearing and receiving with joy characteristic of quick emotional shallow natures, but not of them only. Deep earnest natures also have joy in truth found, but with a difference.

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

Verse 20. But he that received the seed into stony places - is he] That is, is a fit emblem of that man who, hearing the Gospel, is affected with its beauty and excellency, and immediately receiveth it with joy - is glad to hear what God has done to make man happy.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(20) Anon with joy receiveth it.—The second type of character stands in marked contrast with the first. Rapid change, strong emotion, a quicker show of conversion than in the case where it is more real.—such results, it need hardly be said, come under the notice of every earnest preacher. In proportion to the tendency of any system—such as the revivalist meetings of one school, the mission services of another—to cause excitement, are those results likely to be frequent.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

20. anon] = immediately; the same Greek word is translated by and by in the next verse. Cp. “Then I will come to my mother by and by.” Shaksp. Hamlet, Act iii. sc. 2.

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.

He also that receiveth seed among the thorns,.... The hearer that is like to the thorny ground, on which the seed fell,

is he that heareth the word; not a profane sinner, nor a reviler of religion, or a persecutor of the saints; but one that not only shows a love to the word, but who seems to have his heart broken under it, and by it, his conscience tender, and his life outwardly reformed; one, who besides his being a settled, diligent, understanding, and affectionate hearer of the word, and a believing receiver and professor of it, seems to have a thorough work of grace upon him, to have the fallow ground of his heart ploughed up, and to be truly contrite; the thorns being under ground, and not yet to be seen, but afterwards appear:

and the care of this world; not the care of another world, nor a care about spiritual things in this world, nor even a proper, laudable care of the things of this present life, but an anxious and immoderate care of them; which, as thorns, is very perplexing and distressing to the persons themselves, and is what is vain and fruitless.

And the deceitfulness of riches: in opposition to some riches, the riches of grace and glory, which have no deceit in them; and not riches themselves, bare worldly riches but the deceitfulness of them, is here taken notice of; for riches often delude, and lead persons out of the right way, out of God's way; cause them to err from the faith; they do not give the satisfaction they promise, and often do not continue, as is expected: and are as thorns, pungent to the owners of them, who pierce themselves through with many sorrows in acquiring and keeping them; and are frequently injurious to others, their fellow creatures; and in the issue are useless and unprofitable, especially with respect to the concerns of another world. Mark adds, "and the lusts of other things"; besides riches; and Luke adds, and "pleasures of this life"; meaning divers other worldly lusts and pleasures, such as the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life: which also, like thorns, are distracting and afflicting, sooner or later; are vain, and unprofitable, and lead to destruction: and these are called "the pleasures of this life", in opposition to, and distinction from the pleasures of that which is to come, which are real and lasting: the phrase is Jewish (r);

"says R. Judah, the prince, whoever takes upon him, , "the pleasures of this world", to him are denied the pleasures of the world to come: and whoever does not take upon him "the pleasures of this world", to him are given the pleasures of the world to come.''

Now these, all, and each of them,

choke the word: by overspreading all the powers and faculties of the soul, as thorns do a field; by overtopping the seed of the word, and by hiding it from the influences of the sun of righteousness, and rain of grace; and by attracting everything in the heart to themselves; and by bearing and pressing down all thought, concern, and care for the use, fruitfulness, and increase of the word.

And he becometh unfruitful: as in such circumstances he must needs be; or if there be any show of fruit in outward respect to the word, in an historical faith of it, in an external profession, and outward reformation, "yet brings not fruit to perfection", as Luke says; these in process of time shrivel up, wither away, and come to nothing.

(r) Abot R. Nathan, c. 28. Vid. Kimchi & Ben Melech in Psal. xvi 5. & Eben Ezra in Psal. xix. 10.

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

20 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;

Ver. 20. And anon with joy receiveth it] Anon, or immediately. Temporaries are too sudden and, or e’er they be soundly humbled, will be catching at the comforts, as children do at deserts, stuffing themselves pillows with the promises, that they may sin more securely: Praesumendo sperant, et sperando pereunt, as one saith. These are your leap Christians, so hot at first that they can never hold out.

"Swift at hand gives in ere night,

When soft and fair goes far."

With joy receiveth it] Or with grief, if the nature of the doctrine require it. For by one affection we are to understand the rest also. There is no grace but hath a counterfeit: faciunt et vespae fuvos, et simiae imitantur homines. The sorcerers seemed to do as much as Moses. Many apostates have had many meltings, and much sudden strong joy, so, as they have professed, the joy they have found at the hearing of the word hath been so great, that if it had continued but awhile, they could not have lived, but their spirits would have expired. Many examples there are of such. Howbeit in these flashings the truths of God (saith Sir Burroughs) pass by them, as water through a conduit, and leave a dew; but soak not, as water into the earth.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Both Mark and Luke have this with no difference, save only in words, Mar 4:16,17; Lu 8:13. What Matthew calleth stony ground, Luke calls the rock. By the sun being up, and scorching the seed, in the parable, our Saviour meant tribulation or persecution, which Luke calleth a time of temptation, Luk 8:13.

Stony places are places where may be a little earth, but not much; he is here likened to such ground, who heareth the word, and anon (the Greek is ευθυς, which signifieth presently) with joy receiveth it, as Herod is said to have heard John the Baptist gladly. The word of God (as some other objects) doth often on the sudden affect some persons in whom it doth not take any deep root. A sudden passion surprises them, which is but like the overflowing of a brook, which is quickly down.

Yet hath he not root in himself, &c. Our Saviour here assigns two causes of such hearers falling away, the one internal, the other external; the former is the great cause of the latter. By root in himself some understand constancy, or a serious resolution and purpose of heart; but this is doubtless but the product of this root, which is the same thing which the apostle calls the seed of God, Job calls the root of the matter; a principle of grace in a heart truly touched with the love of God and of his truth.

But dureth for a while; no longer than he thinks that he can by his profession attain the end he aimed at and propounded to himself, be it riches, or honour and reputation.

But when tribulation or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake, or because of the word, when he seeth that he cannot own his profession without the danger of his estate, life, liberty, places, and preferments, &c.

by and by he is offended, made to stumble and fall, he falls off from all his former profession of the gospel.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

20. Stony places — Rocky surfaces covered with thin soil. There is many a soul with a surface soft and yielding, but a nature truly hard at bottom. In such the shallow emotions are quickly stirred, but their deeper nature remains untouched. The Jews were full of a joyous excitement at John’s first preaching the Messiah. But it was a superficial arousement; the heart was not truly converted. When the Messiah’s true nature was disclosed, they soon showed that the subsoil was unchanged rock. Such prove apparent apostates; but they are not really such. They never had the reality to apostatize from.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And anon; and straightway (Revised Version, kai euyuv).

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

The seed sown on stony places, therefore sprang up soon, because it did not sink deep, ver. 5. He receiveth it with joy - Perhaps with transport, with ecstasy: struck with the beauty of truth, and drawn by the preventing grace of God.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

Connecting Statement:

Jesus continues to explain to his disciples the parable about a person who sows seeds.

What was sown on rocky ground

The phrase "what was sown" refers to seed that fell. AT: "The seed that fell on rocky ground" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

What was sown on rocky ground is

"The rocky ground where seed was sown represents" or "The rocky ground where seed fell fell represents"

the person who hears the word

In the parable, the seed represents the word.

the word

This represents God's message. AT: "the message" or "God's teaching" (See: Metonymy)

receives it with joy

Believing the word is spoken of as receiving it. AT: "joyfully believes it" (See: Metaphor)

yet he has no root in himself and he endures for a while

"Yet he has shallow roots and only lasts for a little while." The root represents what makes a person continue to believe God's message. AT: "But like a plant that does not grow deep roots, he only endures for a little while" (See: Metaphor)

he quickly falls away

Here "falls away" means stops believing. AT: "immediately he falls away" or "he quickly stops believing the message" (See: Metaphor)

translationWords

plant

receive

joy

endure

tribulation

persecute

stumble

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

20, 21. εὐθὺς … εὐθύς. The unstable and volatile nature is as quick to be attracted by the gospel at first, as it is to abandon it afterwards when the trial comes.

ὁ δὲ σπαρείς. ‘He that was sown.’ The man is compared to the seed. Comp. the more definite expression in Luk 8:14, τὸ δὲ εἰς τὰς ἀκάνθας πεσὸν οὗτοί εἰσιν οἱ ἀκούσαντες. For a defence of the A.V. ‘He that receiveth the seed’ (σπαρεὶς being taken in the sense of τὴν σπειρομένην Αἴγυπτον), see McClellan, New Testament, &c., ad loc.

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.

(M) 20, 21. And he that was sown upon the stony places, this is he who hears the word, and straightway with joy receives it; but hath not root in himself, but is ephemeral; and when tribulation or persecution for the word cometh, straightway is made to stumble.] Mk. has: “And these are they likewise who are being sown on the stony places, who, when they hear the word, straightway with joy receive it; and have not root in themselves, but are ephemeral. Then when tribulation or persecution for the word cometh, straightway they are made to stumble.” There is here again the same confusion in Mk., followed by Mt., between the seed and the people amongst whom it is sown.—σπαρείς] and so in v. 22 for Mk.’s less suitable σπειρόμενοι. Mk. has σπαρέντες in v. 20. ὁ δέ for καὶ οὗτοι; and οὐκ ἔχει δέ for καὶ οὐκ ἔχουσιν, as often; τὸν λόγον throughout this chapter means the good news of the kingdom; cf. v. 19.

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