Luke 8:6 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And some fell on the rock, and as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture.

NIV: Some fell on rocky ground, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture.

NASB: Other seed fell on rocky soil, and when it came up, it withered away because it had no moisture.

CSB: Other seed fell on the rock; when it grew up, it withered away, since it lacked moisture.

NLT: Other seed fell among rocks. It began to grow, but the plant soon wilted and died for lack of moisture.

KJV: And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture.

NKJV: Some fell on rock; and as soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture.

This continues Jesus' parable of the sower. In His first example, seeds fall on the hard path where people crush them with their feet and birds take them away. In this second example, the seeds land on rocky soil. Modern readers tend to picture this soil as good dirt with a lot of rocks sticking out of the surface. That's not what is described, here. Jesus is implying a base of stone with a thin layer of dirt on top. Unless the dirt has been prepared in advance, the person casting seeds won't realize it's so shallow.

Both Matthew and Mark say the soil allows the seed to grow quickly. Yet the rock underneath causes shallow roots; when the sun gets hot, the plants wither and die (Matthew 13:5–6; Mark 4:5–6). Luke, perhaps because he is a doctor, gives the specific reason the plants die: they have no moisture. Because of the bedrock, the soil can't hold the moisture the plants need. Jesus compares this soil to people who hear God's word with a shallow kind of understanding and acceptance. They don't allow the message to reach into their hearts, so when they are tested, they abandon what little understanding they have (Luke 8:13).

How does this apply to listening well? We can choose whether to be shallow people or not. We can choose to have a depth of character that can take in God's Word, consider it, and act on it. We don't have to happily take in the initial good news Jesus offers but refuse to follow up with discipleship and sanctification. Acknowledging only the parts of God's Word that sound pleasant and easy will not lead to a firm faith that can withstand life's inevitable trials.

Luke 8:4–15 introduces the different ways in which people respond to the gospel. The sower—Jesus—spreads the "seed" of the gospel, and people accept or reject the message in varying degrees. Following are real-life examples of faith, particularly in conjunction with examples of miraculous salvation from the evils of the world. The parable of the sower is also found in Matthew 13:1–23 and Mark 4:1–20.

Luke 8 includes portions of three sections of Jesus' Galilean Ministry. The women who support Jesus' ministry bridge the faithful outcasts of chapter 7 to the sower who spreads the news of God's kingdom (Luke 8:1–3). Luke 8:4–18 includes the parables of the sower and the lamp under the jar. These illustrate the importance of hearing Jesus' message with a mind to believe and obey. Luke 8:19–56 presents different faith reactions when Jesus' life, power, and authority elicit questions about His identity.

This passage continues Luke's pattern in the account of Jesus' Galilean ministry: alternating calls to discipleship with stories that describe the discipleship He expects. In Luke 6:17, Jesus transitioned from calling and training the Twelve to a more general call; in Luke 7, Jesus interacted specifically with those with less privilege in society. Chapter 8 reveals how people react when Jesus reveals who He is, mostly through miracles. In Luke 9:18–50, Jesus returns to intense discipleship of the Twelve to give them courage and faith, preparing them for the journey to Jerusalem and what they will witness there.

Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.