4:5Mark 4:5

The verse pictures seed falling on thin soil over rock, shooting up at once because it has no depth of earth, then scorched and withered when the sun rises because it has no root.ST Jun 30, 1881+4
It describes hearers who are stirred at first and receive the word quickly and with joy, yet whose impression soon fades when they return to worldly cares and unfavorable surroundings.2SP 232.1–233.3+4
Their response rests on feeling rather than firm principle, the word never taking root in a renewed heart, so when trial, temptation, sacrifice, or the call to sanctification tests them they are offended and give up the truth rather than submit to it.3T 111.2–112.1+2
The outcome turns on the soil of the heart, yet no hearer must remain shallow, for by cooperating with divine power in deep repentance and earnest effort the heart can be prepared and harmful tendencies uprooted.COL 56.1–2+1
It is part of Christ's picture of His own work and His servants' work as sowers casting the truth everywhere, who are not to stop when some seed falls on stony ground and yields nothing, but to sow beside all waters in hope of the thirty, sixty, and hundredfold harvest from good ground.STMW7 4.2+2

Some fell on stony ground where there was not much earth, and sprang up immediately because it had no depth of earth.ST Jun 30, 1881+4 On shallow rocky ground with thin soil the seed sprouts quickly because the soil is not deep.4RED 78.3–79.1+4 That quick growth belongs to Jesus' illustration of the spreading of the gospel and the different ways people receive its teaching.2SP 232.1–233.3+1 Its early response lacks the depth needed to endure, for the impression soon fades when hearers return to worldly surroundings, cares, and temptations.2SP 232.1–233.3+2

When the sun rises the plant that sprang up at once is scorched and withers away because it has no root and no depth of earth.ST Jun 30, 1881+4 This withering shows an initial response that cannot endure.ST May 3, 1877+1 The verse is part of the parable of the sower, which is also recounted in Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 and Luke 8:4-15.COL 33

The parable illustrates the kingdom of heaven and the work of Christ, the great Husbandman, in sowing heavenly truth.COL 33.1 The parable itself is seed planting the precious truths of grace, and the natural seed leads the mind to the gospel seed whose sowing brings people back to loyalty to God.COL 33.1 The same laws govern the sowing of earthly seed and the sowing of truth, with earthly sowing representing spiritual sowing.COL 33.1+1 It was spoken to an eager company gathered to hear Jesus by the Sea of Galilee, and the seed that fell on stony ground is the word of God.COL 30.1

Jesus gave it when people rejected Him because He did not establish the national kingdom they expected.4RED 80.2 Even His disciples were impatient for Him to take temporal authority, and His relatives were disappointed in Him.4RED 80.2 It addressed the disappointment and doubt of those who expected a kingdom of worldly power and were troubled that many learned and wealthy people rejected Him.ST May 3, 1877

Christ drew the illustration from the great book of nature by using familiar objects of the sower and the springing seed.Ms 25, 1890, par. 11 He presented divine truth through the agency of the most familiar associations, calling into activity hallowed recollections and sympathies to arouse minds while breaking up their accustomed train of thought as little as possible.Ms 25, 1890, par. 11 He identified Himself with human interests to reach the inner temple of the soul and to weave a new and transforming economy of truth into experience, so that looking upon the sower and the springing seed afterward would remind them of the lesson.Ms 25, 1890, par. 11 The things of nature convey spiritual and eternal truths and call people to heed God's voice.Ms 28, 1898, par. 12

The stony ground pictures one of the characters Christ came to teach and one of the tendencies of the human heart, one of the classes He had to meet.2SP 241.1–2+2 It helps explain why His personal ministry produced meager immediate results despite miracles of goodness and mercy in healing the afflicted and casting out demons.2SP 241.1–2+2 Men were left to themselves to do the work of correcting the evils of their natures, and were instructed how to unite human effort with divine power and triumph through His strength over besetting sins.2SP 241.1–2 This was necessary to give moral power to the Christian character and fit it for the courts of heaven.2SP 241.1–2 No miraculous agency was employed to compel belief, but men were left free to choose or reject Him of their own free will, with no direct power forcing obedience that would destroy the free moral agency given to man.2SP 241.1–2+2

The seed springing up at once where there is not much earth and no depth represents people initially moved by the gospel who welcome the teaching and are stirred at first with desire for a holier life.2SP 232.1–233.3+2 That impression soon fades when they return to worldly surroundings, cares, temptations, and unfavorable surroundings, and they relapse into indifference.2SP 232.1–233.3+2 Stony-ground hearers receive the truth quickly and with joy, with eager zeal.3T 111.2–112.1+1 They are led by feeling rather than firm principle, and the half-hearted effort to serve both self and Christ leaves them weak in purpose and changeable in desire.3T 111.2–112.1+2

The word has not taken root in a renewed heart nor reached the principles that guide their actions.3T 111.2–112.1+1 Their enthusiasm fades when trials, temptation, sacrifice, or persecution test them.3T 111.2–112.1+1 When the truth exposes their faults and calls for sanctification they may refuse correction and give up the truth rather than submit to it, being offended by the word rather than submitting to its sanctifying work.3T 111.2–112.1+1 Though they may speak fervently about faith and even reprove experienced believers for lacking enthusiasm, they abandon the truth when it requires them to act.TCBMP 140.1–142.1

The outcome of the sowing depends on the soil, for shallow stony ground lets the seed spring up quickly yet prevents it from taking root, and where the soil is too shallow the seed can perish; the heart is the soil and the truth is the seed.COL 56.1–2+2 The stony-ground hearer need not remain shallow, for people are accountable for resisting the Spirit and can cooperate with God in preparing the heart; this preparation comes through deep repentance and earnest effort in the name and strength of Jesus, uprooting the harmful tendencies that choke what is good.COL 56.1–2+1 The truths of the parable are understood by those who open their minds to instruction and are willing to believe, while those who refuse truth, neglect their opportunities, or close their hearts remain in darkness.4RED 82.1–2 Whether the seed takes root and bears good fruit or is overcome shows the result of what has been received in the heart, and the resulting actions reveal which has prevailed.4RED 82.1–2+1

A stony, hard heart can be softened by Christlike personal ministry shaped by sympathy and love, allowing the seed of truth to take root.COL 57.1–2+1 Believers should therefore be taught the foundations of the Christian life from the beginning so that their faith does not remain shallow.COL 57.1–2 The seed is the principles sown in the heart and its springing up is the development of character.CT 142.2 The stony ground pictures the garden of the heart where good seed or bad seed is sown, and as the garden must be prepared for natural seed so the heart must be prepared for the seed of truth.CT 142.2 That correspondence is to be taught practically, with children preparing the soil and sowing seed while learning about the garden of the heart, and the lesson continued as the plant grows.CT 142.2

Parents must take great pains to cultivate the minds of little children and form correct habits so that their hearts are ready to receive truth.CTBH 67.3 They are the best teachers until children are eight or ten years old, and should not send them away to school too early nor trust the molding of the infant mind to other hands.CTBH 67.3 The schoolroom is the open air amid the flowers and birds, and the textbook is the treasures of nature opened as fast as their minds can comprehend, for lessons given amid such surroundings will not soon be forgotten.CTBH 67.3 Time and labor now worse than wasted in following the fashions of the world, if given to this cultivation, would bring a marked change in families.CTBH 67.3 Early life is especially impressionable, and good seed sown then in good soil can bear fruit unto eternal life.CTBH 67.3+1

The verse belongs to Christ's illustration of His own work and that of His servants as a sower casting seed upon all kinds of soil.STMW7 4.2+2 The seed is truth to be proclaimed everywhere as a worldwide message, not localized, in all cities and villages and in the highways and byways, at home, in the workshop, in the market as well as in the meeting-house, by holding forth the Word wherever access can be gained and sowing beside all waters.STMW7 4.2+2 Some seed falls on poor soil like stony ground and yields no fruit unto eternal life, while seed on good ground brings forth some thirty, some sixty, and some a hundredfold.STMW7 4.2+1 That failure does not stop the sower, so servants are to work in His lines, follow His example, speak the words He gives, and sow without discouragement when results are not at once seen.STMW7 4.2+2

Every gospel laborer will have just this experience of varied reception, with some hearers rising quickly and then withering when the sun rises because the seed has no depth of earth.Ms 1a, 1874, par. 4–8+1 Christ Himself placed Himself in the great thoroughfares where travel streamed from all parts of the world in order to sow the gospel seed broadcast to all.Ms 1a, 1874, par. 4–8 To do this sowing work members must be Bible students studying the will of God earnestly, reading the Bible carefully and prayerfully to become familiar with it, learning to cast themselves and their burden on Christ, realizing the value of the cross of Christ and learning to bear it, and having the fear of God before them in order to live holy lives.4T 285.1

The seed represents truth planted in minds whose effect may not be seen at once but can later spring up, bear fruit, and help save souls.ST May 2, 1878+1 What is taught to attentive listeners can be revived and passed on to later generations.ST May 2, 1878 The seed may remain dormant for a time until God's grace convicts the heart, awakens it to life, and causes it to bear fruit for His glory.TBC1872 111.1 The lasting good of planting truth in children through clear, skillful instruction may not be known until the day of God, which is the call to sow spiritual instruction with hope of a harvest.6T 205.1+1

Seed of truth sown by personal, interested, wise distribution of publications can lie buried for years beneath the rubbish of the world and pleasing deceptive fables.GW92 409.1 After earthly sorrow or affliction softens the heart it springs up and bears fruit to God's glory.GW92 409.1 In this way people are reached who will not listen to a living preacher but will read a tract or paper.GW92 409.1 Placing books containing light and truth in the homes of all, including businessmen, even when all are not willing to purchase them, is sowing gospel seed that meets the needs of those seeking help and will spring up to bear fruit.Ms 157, 1902, par. 11

For the gospel seed to take root and bear fruit, hearers must be given heavenly food in small measure so they can retain it, carry it away, digest it, comprehend the truth, have souls impressed, and want to hear again.Lt 47, 1886, par. 8–10 This requires careful, pleasant, calm, earnest, impressive delivery as God's voice, governing the voice with pathos and melody and preaching short discourses.Lt 47, 1886, par. 8–10 Long protracted preaching, or raising the voice to a high key shouting truth as through a trumpet, brings exhaustion and loses effect.Lt 47, 1886, par. 8–10 The message is to be presented in a way hearers can understand, retain, and carry into their lives, with Christ and angels as listeners in the audience and Jesus the greatest teacher as the example in all things.Lt 47, 1886, par. 8–10+1

Preaching the theory of truth with its evidences sows seed in listening souls who are impressed.4T 393.3 When Christ as Saviour of the world with His redeeming love and cross is presented as part of the discourse, that seed springs up and bears fruit to God's glory and balances hearers on His side.4T 393.3 Discourses wholly argumentative that do not exalt Christ leave that work undone and let a golden opportunity that may never come again, even a last sermon heard, be lost forever.4T 393.3 Teaching given to children and youth is likewise seed sown in the heart that grows and bears fruit.CT 186.3–187.2 Books of science and philosophy where the thorns of skepticism are only partially concealed, vague fanciful fairy stories, and works on Scripture subjects that weave in fanciful human interpretations also sow such seed, and its growth produces a plentiful harvest of infidelity whose result is seen in the depravity of the human family.CT 186.3–187.2