Matthew 13:22 - Printer Friendly

ESV: As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.

NIV: The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful.

NASB: And the one sown with seed among the thorns, this is the one who hears the word, and the anxiety of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

CSB: Now the one sown among the thorns—this is one who hears the word, but the worries of this age and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

NLT: The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth, so no fruit is produced.

KJV: He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.

NKJV: Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.

The disciples are being taught the deeper meaning behind the parable of the sower (Matthew 13:1–9). Jesus spoke of a seed-thrower whose seed falls on various kinds of soil as he plants a field. The seed that falls on the hardpacked dirt of the path is like the word of the kingdom of heaven that is not understood by those who hear it (Matthew 13:5–6, 19). The rocky soil represents those who seem to receive the word at first, but have no depth. Hard circumstances and persecution cause them to fall away (Matthew 13:5–6, 20–21).

Now Jesus describes the soil among the thorns or weeds. This represents those who hear and understand teaching about the kingdom. However, they are distracted by worldly things. That includes wealth and ultimately superficial concerns. Their potential growth loses out in a battle against materialism and the stress of everyday life. Just as a weed steals nutrients from the soil and the light from the sun, those cares steal away the needed time and attention to commit to the Messiah. The plant never grows to maturity, so it never multiplies into more seeds of grain.

It's crucial to remember that Jesus' most immediate point is about how the nation of Israel will respond to His teaching (Matthew 13:10–17). This parable is not meant as a spectrum from "lost" to "saved," though there are useful parallels with how people respond to the gospel.

This soil represents the experience most familiar to people living in times of general prosperity. Wealth is deceitful in several ways. One is the nagging pressure to always have "more." Another is that money is so essential that it must be borrowed before it is earned.

The "cares of the world" do not describe disaster or persecution or grave illness. They are simply the everyday stresses of busy lives. In short, those represented by the thorny soil decide they simply don't have the time, energy, or attention span to commit to the Messiah and participate in the kingdom of heaven.

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 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.