Matthew 13:8 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

NIV: Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop--a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.

NASB: But others fell on the good soil and yielded a crop, some a hundred, some sixty, and some thirty times as much.

CSB: Still other seed fell on good ground and produced fruit: some a hundred, some sixty, and some thirty times what was sown.

NLT: Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted!

KJV: But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.

NKJV: But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

Jesus has been describing types of soil in a field being planted by a farmer. As the farmer sows his seed, Jesus has described it as falling on various kinds of bad soil, including the hard-packed path, rocky spots, and place with thorns growing. In each case, the seed fails to produce plants that survive or thrive (Matthew 13:1–7). Each of these represents a person whose spiritual "soil" is not receptive in one way or another (Matthew 13:19–22).

Thankfully, this parable also includes what happens when the seed falls on good soil in the field. Each seed germinates, takes root, and grows. There is deep soil, and no weeds to compete with. So, the plant thrives into full maturity. Each plant replicates itself multiple times over: one planted seed produces a plant with thirty, sixty, or one hundred additional seeds. According to most scholars, these would have been considered good yields for a field in the Galilee region, where Jesus was teaching.

Christ will eventually explain the point of the parable to His disciples (Matthew 13:18–23). The sowing of the seed represents preaching about the kingdom of heaven. The types of soil represent the types of people who hear His message. Seeds that don't grow into fully mature plants represent those who don't understand the message, don't have the depth to keep going after receiving the message, or don't commit to the kingdom because of the cares of the world or deceitfulness of wealth.

Seeds that result in productive plants represent those who receive the message and commit to Jesus and the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 13:1–9 turns the focus back to Jesus' spiritual teachings, with the parable of the sower. As Jesus sits in a boat just offshore, He tells the crowd about a seed-thrower whose seed fell on a path, on rocky soil, among thorns, and on good soil. Only the seed on the good soil is productive. Jesus later explains the meaning of the parable to His disciples (Matthew 13:18–23), but He does not fully explain it for the crowds.

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.