The Seed Sown in Good Ground Explained - Matthew 13:23

Matthew the apostle wrote how Jesus told His disciples, “Hear you therefore the parable of the sower. When any one hears the word of the kingdom, and understands it not, then comes the wicked one, and catches away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.” Jesus continued, “But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that hears the word, and anon with joy receives it. Yet has he not root in himself, but endures for a while: for when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, by and by he is offended. He also that received seed among the thorns is he that hears the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful”, and in chapter thirteen and verse twenty-three of his book, Matthew wrote how Jesus tells His disciples, “he that received seed into the good ground is he that hears the word, and understands it” where we read:

But he that received seed into the good ground is he that hears the word, and understands it; which also bears fruit, and brings forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

The verse reads, “But he that received seed into the good ground is he that hears the word, and understands it;” Matthew began with the word, “but” which means “moreover and” “he that received” or “the person who accepted” “seed” which means “the scattered seed” “into the good ground” or “into the beautiful, excellent, eminent, choice, surpassing, precious and useful land, earth, territory or region” “is he” which means “is the person” “that hears” or “who is endowed with the faculty of hearing, not deaf, attends to, considers, understands and perceives” “the word” which means “the speech, utterance, decree, mandate or order”, “and understands it” or “considers, comprehends and puts the word together mentally”. Matthew shared how Jesus referred to the person who “receives” God's “word”, comprehends it, and takes it to mind.

The verse continues, “which also bears fruit, and brings forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.” Matthew continued with the words, “which also” or “who in addition, truly, verily and certainly” “bears fruit” which means “is fertile and produces fertile fruit”, “and brings forth” which means “and makes, produces, prepares and acquires”, “some an hundredfold” or “even and indeed one hundred times the seed numbers”, “some sixty” which means “even and indeed sixty times the seed numbers”, “some thirty” or “even and indeed thirty times the seed numbers”. Matthew shared how Jesus said the people who receive the word of God shall produce a hundred, sixty or thirty times the numbers of seeds that have been planted within them.

When we think through Matthew's words in this verse, we see how God desires for people to bear fruit in their lives. First, there must be a reception of God's seed, His “word” of the gospel, into their lives. Then they will begin to bear fruit for the Kingdom of God. The manifold riches and blessings of God are granted to those who receive His Son Jesus as their personal “Savior and Lord”, and when they accept Him into their hearts and minds, they shall soon reproduce and give others an opportunity to know Him as well. In other words, bear much fruit.

Next time Matthew shares how Jesus shares, “another parable”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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