And some fell upon good ground; and brought forth fruit that grew up, and increased and yielded, one thirty, another sixty, and another a hundred.
και αλλο επεσεν εις την γην την καλην και εδιδου καρπον αναβαινοντα και αυξανοντα και εφερεν εν τριακοντα και εν εξηκοντα και εν εκατον
8 Church Fathers comment on this verse
Why is it that one yields a hundred, another yields sixty, and yet another yields thirty? This illustrates the inherent variability of the soil, as even fertile ground can present significant differences. It becomes evident that the variance is not due to the farmer or the seed, but rather to the soil that accepts them—not a matter of nature but of purpose.
The fourth seed, however, landed on fertile soil. This highlights the scarcity of what is good and the limited number who find salvation. Only a quarter of the seeds thrived!
Observe that Christ identifies three detrimental paths alongside three paths of glory. The seeds that fell by the roadside were devoured by birds; those that landed on rocky ground quickly dried up; and the ones that fell among thorns were suffocated. Conversely, the seeds that found their place in fertile soil yielded fruit, as previously mentioned, in three different amounts: some produced a hundredfold, others sixty, and some thirty. As the wise Paul explains, each person has their own God-given gift, with one receiving in one manner and another in another (1 Cor. 7:7). This indicates that the magnificent works of the saints are not always equal in magnitude. Nevertheless, we must strive for excellence and rise above what is inferior.
Another seed lands on good soil, and it is this seed that produces a harvest. Similarly, when the Word of God reaches receptive hearts, it yields results, with some producing a hundredfold, some sixtyfold, and some thirtyfold. From this, you can discern, dear Christian: the individual who aspires to serve the Lord and offer the fruits of His Word will encounter diverse trials, as stated: “Child! If you come to serve the Lord God, prepare your soul for temptation” (Sir. 2:1). Thus, one must face all challenges with patience. The holy Evangelist emphasizes that “when they hear the word, they keep it in a good and noble heart and bear fruit with perseverance” (Luke 8:15). Hence, those who yearn to yield fruit from the Lord’s Word require endurance.
Human effort is feeble without divine assistance. An earthly field—the human heart—cannot merge with the heavenly seed to produce fruit independently. It requires the strength and support of the celestial Creator, Jesus Christ, who declared: “Without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). Therefore, anyone wishing to cultivate the fruit of God's Word must diligently pray that the Lord will generate and fulfill the fruit of His Word within our hearts. “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you; for everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened” (Matthew 7:7-8). Thus, with fervent passion, the psalmist implores throughout Psalm 118 that God Himself guide him in the path of His commandments and that His Word will yield a bountiful harvest. O Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Word of the Father, we beseech Your assistance.
Though the soil receives the seed, it cannot yield a crop without the warmth of the sun and the nourishment of rain. Likewise, even if the seed of God's Word lands in a receptive heart, it will not flourish unless it is invigorated by God's grace and refreshed by heavenly dew. Just as sown seeds require sunlight and rain to grow, so too does the received Word of God depend on divine grace to be fruitful. Hence, St. David proclaims: “I walked in the way of Thy commandments, when Thou hast enlarged my heart” (Psalm 118:32). It is essential that we continually call upon the Lord to warm and quench our hearts with His grace. We are in constant need of God's grace every moment. Without it, we would stumble and fall like infants unable to walk. “Thy mercy shall follow me all the days of my life” (Psalm 22:6). O Lord, empower us by Your mighty hand to remain on the path of Your commandments, fortify us, and guide us.
In the initial parable shared by the Lord near the shores of the Sea of Gennesaret, He revealed the mystery of His kingdom. He pointed out that not everyone who heard the message of the kingdom would actually participate in it. The question then arose: if not all would partake, who exactly would, and for what reasons, and would those who did participate be of equal standing? The Lord had already made it clear that some who were considered children of the kingdom would be excluded, though this appeared to be addressed only to His Apostles. This distinction was of great significance, as many might have entertained false hope while remaining indifferent. For the Jewish people, accepting this truth in its entirety proved to be particularly challenging.
Consequently, the Lord conveyed wisdom through the parable of the seed and the four types of soil.
A sower scattered seeds, all of which were identical; however, the soil varied, which led to three-fourths of the seeds failing to thrive, while only one-fourth yielded fruit, and even then, the results were not uniform. Through this parable, the Lord illustrated the impact of His teachings among both present and future Jews. Some completely rejected His message, such as the Pharisees, while others were influenced by them. Still, others received the word, albeit without deep roots or complete commitment. As persecution from their own people would soon arise, those followers of Christ may not stand firm in their faith for the sake of the gospel and might abandon the message of the kingdom. If they avoided persecution, the anxieties of daily life could stifle the truth of God within them, leading them to neglect the purification of their souls from worldly desires. This parable relates closely to many who are currently transitioning from the crowd to embrace Christ. Ultimately, only a few would keep the word of the kingdom alive and active, and these would do so to varying extents.
Certain seeds fell on fertile soil and yielded a bountiful harvest: some produced a hundredfold, others sixtyfold, and still others thirtyfold. Those who are likened to good soil are individuals who, after receiving the word, nurture it within a sincere and pure heart, resulting in a harvest through perseverance (Luke 8:15). The same interpretation of this aspect of the parable is found in the Gospel of Matthew, with the added detail that these individuals are those who hear the word of God and comprehend it. Their sincere and pure hearts diligently safeguard it, and through their steadfastness, they shoulder the burdens of Christ, ultimately reaching varying levels of spiritual maturity in their pursuit of the Kingdom of Heaven: they bear fruit a hundredfold, sixtyfold, and thirtyfold. Such individuals stand in contrast to those with hardened hearts, akin to a beaten and unyielding path.
As the Saviour departed from the residence of Simon the Pharisee, a throng of individuals followed Him, eager to absorb His heavenly wisdom. Christ made His way to the lakeshore, where the crowd was so vast that they pressed against Him, hindering His ability to speak freely. To address the multitude, He entered a boat, reminiscent of previous occasions, and from its elevated stern, akin to a pulpit, He imparted His teachings to those gathered on the shore, beginning with parables. The first of these profound lessons was the parable of the Sower, illustrating the initial planting of God's word within the human heart.
In a region like Galilee, the imagery and concepts presented in this parable would have been immediately recognizable and relatable to the listeners; they could have observed a sower in their midst, scattering seeds across a freshly ploughed field on a nearby hillside overlooking the lake. The audience understood well that of the seeds sown, “Some fell by the roadside, and the birds came and devoured them. Some fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil; and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. But other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.”
In this parable, the Lord reveals that while many individuals may hear the voice of God, few truly comprehend and follow the teachings of Christ. Who is the sower? - The Son of God, Jesus Christ. What does the seed represent? - The word of God. What do the various places where the seed lands symbolize? - They signify the hearts of humanity. What does the pathway signify? - It represents those who are distracted, hearing the word of God only with their ears, lacking genuine engagement of the heart. What do the birds represent? - They symbolize Satan and the temptations he employs to stifle the word of God in our hearts. What does the rocky ground depict?
- It illustrates those of weak faith who, in favorable situations, eagerly hear the word of God and act upon it; yet during times of adversity and misfortune, they stop heeding it, become disheartened, and voice complaints against God. And what about the thorns that choke the seed? - They signify those preoccupied with worldly concerns, where the worries of life and the allure of wealth overshadow the word of God within them. What does the good soil represent? - It symbolizes genuine believers who attentively listen to the word of God with reverence, prayer, and not only hear but also strive to live it out. What is the fruit produced? - It embodies the righteous deeds that flow from heeding God’s word. What is meant by a hundred, sixty, or thirtyfold in this parable? - It indicates that among those who sincerely believe and consistently listen to God's word, some produce more good works than others. This leads us to introspect deeply to ascertain which category our hearts belong to, and we should earnestly seek divine assistance to ensure that the good seed takes firm root within us.
1. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. Matthew 13:9 2. Watch how you hear. Luke 8:18 3. Marfo, Marfo, you are anxious, and you speak of many things, but one thing is necessary. Luke 10:41-42 4. But now being free from sin, and enslaved to God, you have your fruit for holiness, and the end is eternal life. Romans 6:22 5. Of this My Father is glorified, that you may bear much fruit, and be My disciples. John 15:8 6. But spiritual fruit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, mercy, faith, gentleness, self-control: against such there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23.
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 24 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS