Matthew 13:20 - Printer Friendly

ESV: As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy,

NIV: The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy.

NASB: The one sown with seed on the rocky places, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy;

CSB: And the one sown on rocky ground—this is one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy.

NLT: The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy.

KJV: But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;

NKJV: But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy;

The parable of the sower (Matthew 13:3–9) is being explained to the disciples by Jesus. The seeds scattered by the sower represent the "word of the kingdom" or teaching about the coming kingdom of heaven. Soil that is hard packed represents those people who are disinterested or hardened against the message, and so it makes no impact at all (Matthew 13:19).

Now Jesus describes what is represented by seed landing on rocky ground. Those seeds immediately sprang up into plants in the shallow dirt above the rocks. They were quickly scorched and withered away when the sun rose. They lacked the roots to provide needed moisture.

Rocky soil represents those who hear the word of the kingdom and hastily receive it, but with shallow or insincere faith. These are the people who like the idea of the kingdom, or want to be included, but only so long as it comes with few consequences. In the following verse, Jesus will show that hard circumstances and persecution cause these marginal followers to fall away. Their emotional decision and lack of commitment is exposed by external pressures.

As with the rest of this passage, scholars differ on whether these categories are directly related to salvation. Since Jesus' most immediate lesson is about the response of Israel to His teaching (Matthew 13:10–17), that seems unlikely. There are clear parallels about how some people respond to the gospel, but separating people into saved or unsaved does not seem to be Jesus' point here.

Matthew 13:18–23 explains the lesson behind the parable of the seed-thrower who dropped seeds on four different types of soil (Matthew 13:1–9). The hardpacked soil of the path represents those who don't understand teaching about the kingdom of heaven, so the evil one steals it away. The rocky soil is those who receive the Word gladly but fall away under pressure. The thorny soil is those who are unproductive because of the cares of life and lies about money. Only those who receive the Word and reproduce it represent the good soil. While this is an important explanation, Christians often differ about how those categories relate to specific issues such as salvation. The four groups represented are not necessarily meant to form a spectrum; each has its own lessons to teach.

Matthew 13 focuses mainly on a series of parables. Jesus first describes these to a large crowd along the shore of the Sea of Galilee. Later, in a house, He explains to the disciples the meanings of the parables of the sower, the weeds, and the fish caught in the net. Jesus then travels to Nazareth, teaches in the synagogue, and is rejected by the people of His original hometown.

Matthew 13 follows Jesus from the overcrowded house at the end of the previous chapter to a crowded beach on the Sea of Galilee. He teaches a large crowd in a series of parables, which He doesn't fully explain. However, He reveals their meaning to His disciples inside a nearby house. Jesus pictures the kingdom of heaven as a sower, a sabotaged field of wheat, a mustard seed, and a pearl dealer, among other things. He then travels to His original hometown of Nazareth where He is rejected by the people He grew up with. This leads Matthew back to depictions of Jesus' miracles, after sadly recording John the Baptist's death.

The Gospel of Matthew clearly shows the influence of its writer's background, and his effort to reach a specific audience. Matthew was one of Jesus' twelve disciples, a Jewish man, and a former tax collector. This profession would have required literacy, and Matthew may have transcribed some of Jesus' words as they were spoken. This book is filled with references to the Old Testament, demonstrating to Israel that Jesus is the Promised One. Matthew also includes many references to coins, likely due to his former profession. Matthew records extensive accounts of Jesus' teaching, more than the other three Gospels.