Matthew 13:16-23: a reflection

16“But blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears, for they hear. 17For most certainly I tell you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see the things which you see, and didn’t see them; and to hear the things which you hear, and didn’t hear them. 18“Hear, then, the parable of the farmer. 19When anyone hears the word of the Kingdom and doesn’t understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away that which has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown by the roadside. 20What was sown on the rocky places, this is he who hears the word and immediately with joy receives it; 21yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while. When oppression or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. 22What was sown among the thorns, this is he who hears the word, but the cares of this age and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. 23What was sown on the good ground, this is he who hears the word and understands it, who most certainly bears fruit and produces, some one hundred times as much, some sixty, and some thirty.”

Explaining the parable of the sower, Jesus describes the different soils on which the word falls, and comes at last to the good soil: this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. The good soil is marked by three things: it hears the word, it understands it, and it bears fruit. The goal is not merely hearing, but understanding and fruitfulness.

Notice what distinguishes the good soil: it hears the word, understands it, and bears fruit. The other soils heard the word too, but in them it was snatched away, or withered without root, or choked by cares and riches. The good soil is the one in which the word is not only heard, but truly understood, received deeply, and so takes root and bears fruit. Hearing is where all the soils are alike; understanding and bearing fruit is what sets the good soil apart.

That gives us a picture of what we are to be: good soil that hears, understands, and bears fruit. It is not enough to hear God's word; we are to understand it, to let it take root deeply, so that it bears fruit in our lives, a changed heart, good works, love, obedience. Do not be content merely to hear the word, as all the soils did; seek to understand it, to receive it deeply, so that it bears fruit in you. Guard against what snatches, withers, and chokes the word; and cultivate the good soil of a heart that hears, understands, and bears fruit. The measure of the good soil is not how much it hears, but how much it bears; be the good soil that receives the word deeply and produces the fruit God looks for, some a hundredfold.

Lord Jesus, explaining the parable of the sower, you described the good soil as the one who hears the word and understands it, and bears fruit, some a hundredfold; the goal is not merely hearing, but understanding and fruitfulness. Give me a picture of what I am to be: good soil that hears, understands, and bears fruit. It is not enough for me to hear your word; I am to understand it, to let it take root deeply, so that it bears fruit in my life, a changed heart, good works, love, obedience. Keep me from being content merely to hear the word, as all the soils did; help me seek to understand it, to receive it deeply, so that it bears fruit in me. Guard me against what snatches, withers, and chokes the word; and cultivate in me the good soil of a heart that hears, understands, and bears fruit. The measure of the good soil is not how much it hears, but how much it bears; make me the good soil that receives your word deeply and produces the fruit you look for.