Luke 8:7Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The thorns symbolize the Eunomians, who are characterized by their harmful speech; they cultivate the plant of faith yet fail to reach the fruit of confession. Their acknowledgment of Christ allows them to nurture this faith, but their teachings on creation ultimately lead to a stunted growth of their faith. By overshadowing the truth with Hellenistic philosophies that prioritize the worship of creations over the Creator, they render the message of true faith barren and ineffective. This notion echoes the passage, “The sower went out to sow.” This perspective can be found in texts attributed to St. John Chrysostom, categorized as Spuria in the Minya edition.

Emerging was the ‘sower,’ identified as the Son of God. He 'emerged' from the depths of the Father and from His concealed nature to become manifest. Who emerged? The one who perpetually sows. The Son of God never ceases to plant seeds in our hearts: He disperses good seeds not only through His teachings, but also via the experiences and occurrences in our lives. His purpose was not to devastate the laborers of the field or to ravage the land, but solely to plant. For the laborer often ventures out not just to sow, but also for various other reasons. He came out to distribute ‘His own’ seed. In terms of His teachings, He possessed His own authority and not someone else’s.

The sower, as He describes, went out ‘to sow his seed and other things’. Who is the subject of His words? It is clear that He refers to Himself. He is the true Sower of all that is good, and we serve as His field: all spiritual harvest originates from Him and is for Him. This He taught us by stating, ‘Without Me you can do nothing.’

As a large crowd gathered, with individuals coming from various cities, He began to speak in a parable: A sower went out to plant his seed. While he scattered the seed, some fell along the path and was trampled, and birds came and ate it. Other seed fell on rocky ground; it sprang up quickly but withered because it lacked moisture. Some fell among thorns, which grew and choked it out, while others fell on good soil and produced a harvest of a hundredfold. This illustration of the seed is more extensively detailed by Matthew in the thirteenth chapter, where these elements can be found. After sharing this, He exclaimed, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!" The same chapter also notes this.

The passage from the Holy Gospel that you, dear brothers and sisters, have just listened to is not in need of interpretation, but rather of encouragement. The message that the Truth itself elucidated (Lk. 8:11-15) is beyond the capacity of human frailty to clarify. However, there is an aspect of the Lord’s explanation that warrants your close attention. If we were to tell you that the seed represents the Word, the field signifies the world, the birds symbolize evil spirits, and the thorns denote material wealth, you might find it difficult to accept our words. For this reason, the Lord graciously chose to clarify His teaching personally, allowing you to discover the deeper meanings even in those things He did not expound upon directly. By providing an allegorical interpretation, He illuminated His message, offering reassurance that even in our weakness, the significance of His teachings can be unveiled to you.

"But the other fell among thorns"—that is, hearts that are thoroughly engaged in physical, temporary, and worldly matters, saturated with both the anxieties tied to them and the pleasures they bring. "Those who fall among thorns," He states, "are those who hear the word, but as they go on their way, they are suffocated by cares, riches, and the delights of this world, and they do not produce fruit." (Luke 8:14). A person who indulges excessively in gluttony, overindulgence in drink, and worldly pleasures should cease these behaviors; if he does not turn away from them, he receives the heavenly seed—the doctrine—without benefit, as he cannot become a fruitful field for God.

Another portion of the seed landed among thorns, and the thorns that emerged alongside the growing seed choked it. Understand, therefore, that this era of thorns signifies that, similar to how both the sown plant and the thorns grow together in thorny soil, the thorns hinder the growth of the plant if not addressed in due time. In a like manner, within human nature, following the sin of our forebears, the seeds of redemptive virtue take root alongside the predatory forces of destructive sin. Yet, as virtue flourishes, vice can overshadow and stifle the growth of the righteous.

In the initial parable shared in response to this intention while addressing the crowds by the shores of the Sea of Gennesaret, the Lord illustrated the mystery of His kingdom, revealing that not everyone who hears the message of the kingdom will partake in it. If not all will be included, then who will, and what determines their inclusion, and whether among those included all will share the same level of participation? Previously, the Lord had indicated to the Apostles that even the sons of the kingdom could face exclusion. This understanding carried significant weight, as many might comfort themselves with false hope due to complacence. It was particularly challenging for the Jews to accept this truth bluntly.

The seed found itself amidst thorns, which grew and overwhelmed it. This seed did not land directly in thorn bushes, but rather in the soil from which they had been removed, soil that had been adequately tilled yet still contained some remaining roots of thorns. If Christ were referring solely to the established bushes, He would not have stated that the thorns grew. After sowing in what appeared to be well-prepared ground, the persistent roots of the thorns became active; the seed took root and started to grow, yet the swiftly growing thorns overtook it, depriving it of light, soaking up moisture from the ground, and hindering its proper growth, resulting in a feeble stalk that bore no grain.

One of the wonderful teachings presented by Christ was the parable of the Sower, illustrating the initial act of sowing God’s Word in the human heart. In a region like Galilee, the imagery and concepts in this parable would have been readily relatable to the audience. The figure of the sower could easily be envisioned, casting seeds into a freshly tilled field on a hill that gently descended towards the lake. His audience was aware that ‘some fell by the road; and the birds came and devoured them. Others fell on rocky ground,’ where there was little soil; they sprang up quickly but, lacking proper roots, they withered under the intense heat of the sun. ‘Some fell among thorns’ (which were plentiful in that area both then and now), and the thorns choked them.

The story of the sower and the seeds is presented in the Gospel of Luke. This account aligns closely with those found in Matthew (Matt. 13:3-9) and Mark (Mark 4:3-9). Here, the rationale for teaching through parables is described more succinctly than in Matthew (Matthew 13:10-17), reflecting a manner more akin to the Gospel of Mark (Mark 4:10-12). The Savior's own explanation of the sower and the seeds is consistent across all three accounts. While there are slight variations in phrasing, the overall meaning of the parable and its interpretation remain uniform, with key elements being identical. Refer to the notes on Matthew 13:3-23 and Mark 4:3-20 for further clarification.

The Lord uses this parable to illustrate that many may hear the message of God, yet few truly comprehend and follow the teachings of Christ. Who is the sower? It is the Son of God, Jesus Christ. What does the seed represent? It symbolizes the word of God. What do the various terrains where the seed lands signify? They represent the hearts of individuals. What does the path symbolize? It represents those who are distracted, hearing the word of God superficially, without engaging their hearts. What do the birds represent? They signify Satan and the myriad temptations he employs to mute God's word within us. What does the rocky soil indicate?