And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture.
The seed is the word of God sown in the heart, and the rock is shallow ground with too little soil to give it deep root, so it springs up quickly but is scorched and withers for lack of moisture. It pictures hearers who receive the word at once with joy and zeal, yet rest on feeling rather than firm principle, with truth not rooted below the surface and the heart not renewed. That promise does not endure, for when trial, temptation, sacrifice, persecution and plain truth test them, their lack of root is exposed, zeal dies and they fall away rather than bearing fruit unto eternal life. Shallow soil need not remain so, but the heart is to be broken up by repentance, evil growths uprooted, and the stony heart softened by faithful personal labor so the seed can take root. Even so, failure of some seed does not stop the sowing, for truth is to be sown everywhere and followed by nurture, since seed that seems to wither may yet be awakened by grace to bear fruit.
Setting and Seed Imagery
The seed falling on rock belongs to the parable of the sower taught beside the Sea of Galilee, where the surrounding landscape was used to make the lessons memorable. It was spoken to an eager, expectant throng gathered to see and hear, including sick people lying on mats waiting to present their cases, whom He healed by rebuking disease and spreading life and health and peace. Because the crowd kept increasing and pressed close until there was no room, He stepped into a waiting fishing boat, had it pushed off a little from the land, and spoke to the multitude standing upon the shore.
In the parable the seed represents the word of God, the word of truth, and principles sown in the heart, and its growth represents the sowing of the gospel in hearts and the development of character. The heart must be prepared, as soil is prepared for natural seed, to receive the seed of truth. The rock is shallow ground with too little soil, where the seed sprouts quickly and springs up at first but has no deep, sustaining root, so when the sun rises it is scorched and withers because it lacks the moisture needed to endure.
The parable portrays different kinds of human hearts and classes of hearers and helps explain the limited immediate results of Christ's ministry. People were free to accept or reject Christ, and moral character required their effort joined with divine power. The same image of seed as teaching received in the heart is also applied to books whose teaching takes root and bears a harvest of infidelity.
Stony Heart and Sowing
The stony-ground hearer takes the word at once with joy and enthusiasm, talking with ardor and zeal about faith and hope and readily catching up anything new and exciting, even reproving those of long experience for want of enthusiasm. That response rests on feeling rather than firm principle, for principle does not reach deep enough to underlie action, and the seed of truth is not rooted below the surface nor cherished in the heart. The person is divided between self and Christ and so becomes weak in purpose and changeable in desire, with no depth and stability of character. The heart has not been renewed by the Spirit of God and its transforming influence, and without spiritual nourishment received with faith the influence of truth quickly withers and does not lead to eternal life.
The quick springing does not last or bear fruit unto eternal life, for like seed on a rocky ledge with only a surface of earth the first impressions fade. Unfavorable surroundings, worldly cares and temptations draw the hearer back to indifference, while the heat of trial and temptation, sacrifice, persecution and correction expose the want of root. When the pruning-knife of God is applied that fruit may be brought to perfection, zeal dies and the voice is silent and there is no more boasting in the strength and power of truth. When truth calls for working men and women and sacrifices must be made, such hearers are somewhere else and avoid duty and sacrifice, and when trials and persecution come they fall away because they have no deepness of earth. When plain, pointed, close truth is brought to bear upon the heart and reveals deformity of character, they will not bear the test but close their eyes to imperfections, and though conscience tells them the messengers speak truth they are offended because of the word and yield the truth rather than submit to be sanctified through it, flattering themselves they may reach heaven an easier way.
Shallow soil need not remain shallow, for the outcome depends on the condition of the heart and the heart can be prepared to receive the word as soil is prepared for natural seed. Its soil is broken up by repentance, evil growths are uprooted lest they choke what is good, and as with a garden continued cultivation is required for spiritual growth. Logic cannot move the stony heart and argument cannot convince it, so that presenting the Saviour can seem useless, but when a minister comes close to men individually in Christlike sympathy with real heart-to-heart labor, the love of Christ thus revealed can soften the stony heart so the seed takes root and awakens interest in eternal things. Parents share in this preparing work by keeping little children at home and being their best teachers till eight or ten years old, not sending them to school too early nor trusting the molding of the infant mind to other hands. The schoolroom is to be the open air amid flowers and birds, with the treasures of nature as textbook and God's great book of nature opened before children as fast as their minds can comprehend it so the lessons are not soon forgotten, and time and labor are to be devoted to cultivating their minds and forming correct habits instead of being wasted in following the fashions of the world.
The failure of some seed to bear fruit does not stop the sowing, for truth is to be spread everywhere even when results are not immediately seen. Christ sows the gospel seed broadcast in the great thoroughfares where the stream of travel comes from all parts of the world, and the seed on stony ground with not much earth springing up immediately but scorched and withered when the sun is up will be the experience of every gospel laborer as the solemn warning message is given to convict and convert hearers or to condemn them and leave them without excuse. Seed may lie dormant for a time until God's grace awakens it so that it springs up and bears fruit. Therefore seed sown among those who hear new doctrines must not be left to be taken away or to dry up for lack of moisture, but public preaching must be followed up so those convicted are not left without spiritual nurture, and the seed must be sustained by diligent attention to God's word. Sowing also means placing books containing light and truth to meet the needs of seekers in as many homes as possible, doing everything possible to put them in all homes and not holding back from presenting them to businessmen.
The seed is the word of God sown in the heart, and the rock is shallow ground with too little soil to give it deep root, so it springs up quickly but is scorched and withers for lack of moisture. It pictures hearers who receive the word at once with joy and zeal, yet rest on feeling rather than firm principle, with truth not rooted below the surface and the heart not renewed. That promise does not endure, for when trial, temptation, sacrifice, persecution and plain truth test them, their lack of root is exposed, zeal dies and they fall away rather than bearing fruit unto eternal life. Shallow soil need not remain so, but the heart is to be broken up by repentance, evil growths uprooted, and the stony heart softened by faithful personal labor so the seed can take root. Even so, failure of some seed does not stop the sowing, for truth is to be sown everywhere and followed by nurture, since seed that seems to wither may yet be awakened by grace to bear fruit.
Setting and Seed Imagery
The seed falling on rock belongs to the parable of the sower taught beside the Sea of Galilee, where the surrounding landscape was used to make the lessons memorable. It was spoken to an eager, expectant throng gathered to see and hear, including sick people lying on mats waiting to present their cases, whom He healed by rebuking disease and spreading life and health and peace. Because the crowd kept increasing and pressed close until there was no room, He stepped into a waiting fishing boat, had it pushed off a little from the land, and spoke to the multitude standing upon the shore.
In the parable the seed represents the word of God, the word of truth, and principles sown in the heart, and its growth represents the sowing of the gospel in hearts and the development of character. The heart must be prepared, as soil is prepared for natural seed, to receive the seed of truth. The rock is shallow ground with too little soil, where the seed sprouts quickly and springs up at first but has no deep, sustaining root, so when the sun rises it is scorched and withers because it lacks the moisture needed to endure.
The parable portrays different kinds of human hearts and classes of hearers and helps explain the limited immediate results of Christ's ministry. People were free to accept or reject Christ, and moral character required their effort joined with divine power. The same image of seed as teaching received in the heart is also applied to books whose teaching takes root and bears a harvest of infidelity.
Stony Heart and Sowing
The stony-ground hearer takes the word at once with joy and enthusiasm, talking with ardor and zeal about faith and hope and readily catching up anything new and exciting, even reproving those of long experience for want of enthusiasm. That response rests on feeling rather than firm principle, for principle does not reach deep enough to underlie action, and the seed of truth is not rooted below the surface nor cherished in the heart. The person is divided between self and Christ and so becomes weak in purpose and changeable in desire, with no depth and stability of character. The heart has not been renewed by the Spirit of God and its transforming influence, and without spiritual nourishment received with faith the influence of truth quickly withers and does not lead to eternal life.
The quick springing does not last or bear fruit unto eternal life, for like seed on a rocky ledge with only a surface of earth the first impressions fade. Unfavorable surroundings, worldly cares and temptations draw the hearer back to indifference, while the heat of trial and temptation, sacrifice, persecution and correction expose the want of root. When the pruning-knife of God is applied that fruit may be brought to perfection, zeal dies and the voice is silent and there is no more boasting in the strength and power of truth. When truth calls for working men and women and sacrifices must be made, such hearers are somewhere else and avoid duty and sacrifice, and when trials and persecution come they fall away because they have no deepness of earth. When plain, pointed, close truth is brought to bear upon the heart and reveals deformity of character, they will not bear the test but close their eyes to imperfections, and though conscience tells them the messengers speak truth they are offended because of the word and yield the truth rather than submit to be sanctified through it, flattering themselves they may reach heaven an easier way.
Shallow soil need not remain shallow, for the outcome depends on the condition of the heart and the heart can be prepared to receive the word as soil is prepared for natural seed. Its soil is broken up by repentance, evil growths are uprooted lest they choke what is good, and as with a garden continued cultivation is required for spiritual growth. Logic cannot move the stony heart and argument cannot convince it, so that presenting the Saviour can seem useless, but when a minister comes close to men individually in Christlike sympathy with real heart-to-heart labor, the love of Christ thus revealed can soften the stony heart so the seed takes root and awakens interest in eternal things. Parents share in this preparing work by keeping little children at home and being their best teachers till eight or ten years old, not sending them to school too early nor trusting the molding of the infant mind to other hands. The schoolroom is to be the open air amid flowers and birds, with the treasures of nature as textbook and God's great book of nature opened before children as fast as their minds can comprehend it so the lessons are not soon forgotten, and time and labor are to be devoted to cultivating their minds and forming correct habits instead of being wasted in following the fashions of the world.
The failure of some seed to bear fruit does not stop the sowing, for truth is to be spread everywhere even when results are not immediately seen. Christ sows the gospel seed broadcast in the great thoroughfares where the stream of travel comes from all parts of the world, and the seed on stony ground with not much earth springing up immediately but scorched and withered when the sun is up will be the experience of every gospel laborer as the solemn warning message is given to convict and convert hearers or to condemn them and leave them without excuse. Seed may lie dormant for a time until God's grace awakens it so that it springs up and bears fruit. Therefore seed sown among those who hear new doctrines must not be left to be taken away or to dry up for lack of moisture, but public preaching must be followed up so those convicted are not left without spiritual nurture, and the seed must be sustained by diligent attention to God's word. Sowing also means placing books containing light and truth to meet the needs of seekers in as many homes as possible, doing everything possible to put them in all homes and not holding back from presenting them to businessmen.