Matthew 13:7Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The fourth group survived and did not yield the same fruit, showcasing a significant difference even within this outcome. These words illustrate that Christ offered His teachings indiscriminately. Just as a sower does not differentiate when scattering seed over his land, Christ did not segregate between the wealthy and the poor, the learned and the uninformed, the indifferent and the eager, nor between the bold and the fearful; He preached to each, fulfilling His mission, despite knowing in advance the outcome of His labor, allowing Him to ask, “What more could I have done, that I did not do?” (Isaiah 5:4). The prophets refer to the people as grapes, cherished by the beloved, carried forth from Egypt (Is. 5:1, Ps. 79:9). Similarly, Christ likens the people to seed. What does this signify? It suggests that the people are expected to respond promptly and bear immediate fruit. However, when you hear that the sower goes out to plant, do not jump to conclusions. Sowers frequently engage in various tasks, including plowing, uprooting weeds, or clearing thorns, but Christ’s purpose was solely to sow. Therefore, one might wonder why so much of the seed was lost. The problem lay not with the sower but with the souls that did not pay attention. Why doesn't He indicate that certain seeds were wasted by the careless, or that others were suppressed by the rich, or neglected by the weak? He refrains from assigning blame harshly, to avoid causing despair; instead, He leaves the self-reflection to those who listen. This inadequacy also extends to the net, which captured much that was unproductive. Christ shares this parable to bolster and instruct His disciples so they do not become disheartened, even if many who receive their message ultimately fail. The same fate befell the Lord Himself; though He was aware of it in advance, He continued to sow. Yet is it wise to plant among thorns, in rocky areas, or along the path? Admittedly, this would be unwise concerning seeds and soil; however, concerning souls and teachings, it is commendable. If a gardener were to act thus, he would rightly face criticism, as stones cannot become soil, paths cannot cease to be paths, nor can thorns stop being thorns. However, this does not apply to rational beings. Stones can be transformed to become fruitful earth; paths may become less traveled and yield a fertile harvest instead; thorns can be removed, allowing seeds to thrive. If transformation were impossible, Christ would not have sown. If all do not change, the fault lies not with the sower but with those unwilling to embrace transformation. Christ fulfilled His mission, and if they disregarded His teachings, the One who showed such compassion is not at fault. It is important to recognize that there are numerous pathways to destruction, each distinct and separate. The paths likened to the road symbolize the indifferent, the negligent, and the lazy, while the rock epitomizes only the weakest among them.

The sower did not go forth to sow wheat, barley, or any earthly grains for our sustenance but to plant faith in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, along with the hope of resurrection, and love for God and neighbor without favoritism. Christ went forth to sow, harnessing ten oxen as the great Isaiah declared, for ten oxen guarantee a full harvest. These ten oxen symbolize the holy presence of the Apostles within the Godhead. The twelve refer to the Apostles prior to the Passion. Seven represent those chosen alongside Stephen after the Holy Resurrection. The twentieth is the voice from heaven belonging to Saul, who heard: ‘Saul, why do you persecute Me?’ disarming the one who first attacked the unified Israel, equipping him to fight for Christ. Here are the warriors of thought. The twelve oxen tilled the soul's field, the field of humanity, and in Christ sowed the flower of faith to Him. This merged our earthly nature (the body) into a single vessel prepared to receive the life-giving solution of blood and water shed to save us from the spear's thrust. Christ, the sower and benefactor of our being, who created us from nothingness before His incarnation, renews us after we had become defiled, transforming us into vessels of immortality, blessings, and lofty purpose, free from the corruption of evil. He is the clay that became flesh from our clay, containing the life-giving water of His divinity, which John the Baptist proclaimed when he saw Jesus, crying out: ‘Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world,’ through His Cross and the outpouring of blood and water. Additionally, when His disciples inquired where He should prepare the Passover, He instructed them: ‘Go into the city, and you will meet a man carrying a jar of water. Say to him, "The Teacher requests: "My disciples will make the Passover at your place." He will lead you to a spacious upper room furnished and ready.’ This became reality, illustrating that the man with the jar of water is John the Baptist announcing the baptism of repentance. The city refers to heavenly Jerusalem, whose citizens include the assembly of the righteous. The upper room, decorated like stars with colorful designs, parallels our royal altar adorned with various ornaments. The comparison of Apostles and Prophets to oxen is emphasized by the Apostle Paul, who strongly states: ‘You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain.’ He then adds: ‘Is it for oxen that God cares? It was written for our sake.’ Revisiting the exalted Isaiah, he prophecies: ‘Ten oxen will not cease to fill one barn.’ It follows: ‘He who sows six seeds will reap three measures.’ Must we conclude that such great transgression results in only half the harvest from the six seeds sown? It does not say, ‘shall yield three seeds,’ but only ‘three measures,’ a meager return. Yet, let us delve deeper into the meaning behind the words. The church's vineyard is sown with six seeds: four books of Scripture regarding God, the Acts of the Apostles, and the sixth being the writings of the great Apostle Paul. From these six, and by them, fruit is borne by those who follow the saints in the faith. There are three distinct faiths: faith toward the Father, faith toward the Son, and faith toward the Holy Spirit. The sower's intent was not for mere grains for bread, but for life-giving faith. However, not all seeds take root: some fell ‘by the way,’ a reference to those who lack a complete understanding of Christ; they do not have direct faith in Him. Christ stated, ‘I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.’ The Arians, Hellenes, or Jews may come close to understanding, but they remain outside the Way. Their acknowledgment of Christ brings them near, yet their blasphemy regarding His equality with the Father distances them from the living Way. Thus, birds of the air, symbols of evil, come and devour the seed of God from the hearts of the unrepentant. The Lord commanded that His holy things not be given to the dogs, nor His pearls cast before swine. He also indicated: ‘Take from him a mina and give it to the one who has ten,’ emphasizing that those with true faith shall receive more, while what they believe they possess will be taken away. No good can come from righteous works if one does not serve God with the right faith. The Lord Himself proclaimed: ‘Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned.’ Therefore, the wicked heretics are no better than the infidels. Those among the thorns are like the Eunomians; their blasphemies reveal their lawlessness as they err grievously about Christ, claiming He is a mere creature. This blasphemy serves as the thorn that chokes their faith. This applies also to those within our church who, ensnared by worldly worries, struggle to nurture the divine seed within them and produce fruit. Others have fallen not just on stone, but onto rocky ground. For the Stone is Christ, as the beloved Paul stated. I opine that the stony soil represents those whose hearts are hardened and resistant. Although the human heart is naturally softer than stone, their hearts have become hardened by rebellion. While the seed possesses a nature softer than stone, it is still more resilient than mere earth. The Lord compares the stone to the followers of Macedon and Marathon, who blaspheme the Spirit and utter falsehoods about His creation, inviting the unyielding punishment from the Lord. For the Lord affirmed: ‘Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, not in this age nor in the age to come.’ They are unyielding, rarely receiving the seed as Christians do but as hardness encasing the sanctuary. Recognizing the divinity of Jesus Christ the Son and equating Him properly with the Father softens their hearts. Yet denying the Holy Spirit's divine nature hardens their hearts, making them partially sound in faith but utterly blind—confusing the Creator with the created. The great Apostle declared: ‘If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.’ Conversely, another seed, as the Lord stated, fell onto good soil producing fruit: one harvested thirtyfold, another sixtyfold, and another one hundredfold. The good soil symbolizes a rightly disposed heart, cleansed from heretical thorns, which first yields the grass of faith, then the ear of hope, followed by the ripe fruit of flourishing love. This truth is echoed by the divine Paul, who proclaims that the greatest among these are faith, hope, and love. Therefore, the one who believes produces thirty, the one who hopes yields sixty, and the one perfected in love brings forth a hundredfold from one seed’s fruit. Honoring God, exalted within the Church, we seek understanding of the Divine with our spirit, perception of Him through our souls, and perseverance in our bodies. On earth, we offer glory; from the dead, we rise; in heaven, we find rest. The perfected believer regarding the Trinity is faithful, meek, loved by all, humble, merciful, compassionate, just, and dedicated to the Divine, thirsting for the Heavenly, living among humankind and appearing on earth as a reflection of the Divine. They bear thirtyfold as they walk among men, sixtyfold as they serve alongside angels, and one hundredfold as they commune with God. Through anointing with oil, they yield thirty; through baptism, sixty; and through perfect anointing with peace, they bring forth a hundredfold. The believer in the Father bears thirty, the one who confesses the equality of God the Son with the Father brings forth sixty, and the one perfected by the Spirit, recognizing Him as God, yields a hundred. Some godly individuals assert that faith towards the Spirit yields thirty, towards the Son sixty, and towards the Father a hundred. They err in believing it necessary to diminish the Holy Spirit in favor of exaltation of the Father and Son. Such reasoning is deeply flawed. For they first profess no belief in the Spirit but first in the Father, then in the Son, and lastly in the perfect unity of the Holy Trinity. The divine Song-bearer notes that a Trinity existed from creation: ‘By the Word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the Spirit of His mouth their host.’ The Father is referenced by “the mouth,” the Son by “the Word,” and the fullness of the Holy Trinity is embodied by the Holy Spirit. His Lordship was revealed when Christ rose from the dead, saying to His disciples: ‘Receive the Holy Spirit...Whosoever sins you forgive are forgiven.’ Through this, He demonstrates the Holy Spirit’s authority to bestow the power to forgive sins. Let us not perish alongside the heretics, but rather strive to avoid the condemnation that befell the Queen of the South, who journeyed from afar to meet Solomon for wisdom, as a rebuke for our sloth regarding righteousness.

Be cautious that the distractions of material wealth do not hinder your participation in worship, which allows you to absorb both the Scriptures and the wisdom of the learned. While you may attend physically, your heart may not be present; you listen superficially, yet your true concerns lie elsewhere. Your thoughts are consumed by worldly matters. The pursuit of riches can impede your ability to perform righteous acts. How, then, can it inspire generosity when it leads you to covet what belongs to others? Furthermore, when your faith is at risk, you may shy away from boldly proclaiming the truth—whether out of a desire for wealth, fear of losing possessions, or a longing to gain what you lack. Observe how this fixation on wealth and the yearning for more can suffocate the Word, preventing it from producing fruit.

A farmer sowed the seed, which was uniform, but the soil varied, leading to diverse outcomes—three parts failed to thrive while only one part yielded fruit, and that fruit was not uniform. In this parable, the Lord portrayed the reception of His message among the Jews, both at that time and in the future. In some, such as the Pharisees, it met with outright rejection. In others, it garnered some acceptance from the Pharisees. There were also those who welcomed it and still hold it, but their faith lacked depth or did not encompass their entire being. When persecution inevitably arose from their fellow countrymen, these followers of Christ would struggle to endure for the sake of the gospel, ultimately abandoning the word of the kingdom. If they were unscathed by persecution, the anxieties of life would overshadow God’s truth within them, hindering their efforts to purify their souls from worldly desires.

This situation applies to many who now turn away from the masses to follow Christ. Ultimately, only a few will truly embrace the word of the kingdom, and even among them, the degree of faithfulness will differ.

Finally, some seeds fell on fertile soil and produced a bountiful harvest: one yielded a hundredfold, another sixtyfold, and another thirtyfold. After sharing this parable, the Savior significantly remarked, "He that hath ears to hear, let him hear!” This statement was essential, as many in the crowd, despite having ears, lacked the understanding to grasp the meaning of the parable.

It stands for individuals of shallow faith who, when conditions are favorable, eagerly receive the word of God and act on it; however, in times of trial and adversity, they falter, lose heart, and complain against God. What do the thorns that overshadow the seed signify? They are emblematic of those whose lives are overly consumed by worldly concerns: the anxieties of this life and the allure of wealth choke out the word of God in them. What does the fertile soil mean? It symbolizes those who are genuine followers of Christ, who attentively listen to God’s word with respect and prayer, and not only hear it but also practice it. What is the fruit? It consists of the good deeds that arise from heeding God’s word. What does the mention of producing a hundred, sixty, or thirtyfold signify in this parable? It illustrates that among true believers who faithfully listen to the word of God, some yield a greater abundance of good works while others yield less. Therefore, it is crucial for us to introspect diligently to discern which category our hearts belong to, and we must seek divine grace to ensure that the good seed takes firm root within us.

Relevant scriptures relating to the parable of the sower include: “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear" (Matthew 13:9), “Take heed therefore how you hear” (Luke 8:18), “Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: but one thing is needful” (Luke 10:41-42), “But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, you have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life” (Romans 6:22), “Herein is My Father glorified, that you bear much fruit; so shall you be My disciples” (John 15:8), and “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23).