As we have recently discussed, like the humble criminal on the cross adjacent to Jesus, we can avoid the lower parts of destruction in Hades (a/k/a Sheol) by simply believing in Jesus Christ (Luke 23:43). By God’s help, we can avoid Abaddon and, instead, go directly to Paradise located in Heaven at the moment of our death. However, the Parable of the Sower teaches us that if we want to be the Sons and Daughters of the Kingdom and inherit the Kingdom of God, we must be judged by God to be someone who has a noble and good heart (Luke 8:15; Matt. 13:11-12).
At Luke 8:15, we read, “But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word with a good and virtuous heart and hold it firm and produce fruit with perseverance.” Dr. Mark Strauss of Bethel University wrote, “The Greek expression kalos kai agathos (the terms are near synonyms) is a common Greek expression for someone with an honorable character.”[1] Dr. Strauss thinks that the best translation of kalos kai agathos kardia is “a noble and good heart.”[2]
However, because only God is inherently and absolutely good, we can be good only by God’s help, direction, and guidance. We must be receptive to God’s “good Word” and God’s “good Spirit” (Neh. 9:20; Ps. 143:10). From the Parable of the Sower, we learn that the quality and receptivity of the soil is symbolic for the quality and receptivity of the human heart to God’s good Word. Unfortunately, most human hearts are not receptive to God’s good Word. However, some hearts are receptive to God’s Word in varying degrees. At Matthew 13:23, we read, “But the one sown with seed on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces, some a hundred, some sixty, and some thirty times as much.”
There are different levels of Christian maturity, but all are said to have “noble and good hearts.” At Luke 8:15, we also learn that these fruit producers hold fast to the Word of God. The Greek verb katecho is defined as “to hold (fast), keep (in memory) or retain.”[3] Luke also mentioned the importance of perseverance in our spiritual lives (Luke 8:15). Additionally, as we know from many other passages of Scripture, our production of spiritual fruit is dependent on our receptivity to the Holy Spirit. The “fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Gal. 5:22-23). We must be receptive and sensitive to the Spirit’s direction and guidance.
As to the bad soil, we read,
Behold, the sower went out to sow; and as he sowed, some seeds fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate them up. Others fell on rocky places, where they did not have much soil; and they sprang up immediately, because they had no depth of soil. But after the sun rose, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. Others fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them out.
(Matt. 13:3-8)
Dr. Michael Wilkens of Fuller Theological Seminary notes that we are not told of the type of seed, but it may be helpful to think of “wheat” because “wheat” was one of the most important crops in First Century Israel.[4] Dr. Wilkens also noted that the seed was spread in all directions by hand as the sower walked up and down the field.[5] Additionally, Dr. Wilkens opined that the fields were probably plowed both before and after sowing.[6] The desired depth of soil after sowing was one to three inches, but it was common for seed to land on the hard paths that were near or through the fields.[7] Birds would then fly down and eat the seed on the hard paths.[8]
It should be noted that many of the farming areas in Israel were less than optimum. Often, there was not enough soil or water.[9] The terrain was rocky and the soil was thin above the rock substrata. When the seed landed on shallow soil, it might germinate, but it could not put down roots deep enough to collect adequate water in the thin layer of soil.[10] The sprouting plant would then wither and die under the hot sun.[11]
Jesus later explained to his disciples the spiritual meaning of the parable. First, it should be noted that the Gospel of Mark plainly teaches us that the sower was sowing the Word of God (Mark 4:14). The seed sown on the hard path appears to describe someone who rejected the good news of the Gospel. Apparently, this type of individual considered the Gospel message, but the listener did not understand the significance of the message. Satan and/or his evil emissaries were then described as snatching away the Gospel message. Instead of being persuaded, the listener was dissuaded. Luke added, “so that they will not believe and be saved” (Luke 8:12).
As to the second category of listener, the individual hears the Word and immediately receives the Word with joy. This category of listener believes, but Matthew writes, “yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution occurs because of the word, immediately he falls away” (Matt. 13:21). The second category describes a human heart with “rocky places” or areas of hardness of heart. The Gospel of Luke notes that such believers “fall away” during testing or trial (Luke 8:13).
As to the third category of human heart, we read, “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” (Matt.13:22). The Gospel of Mark adds that the third category is distracted by “the desires for other things” (Mark 4:19). The Gospel of Luke adds that as the third category goes “on their way they are choked by the worries, riches, and pleasures of this life, and they bring no fruit to maturity” (Luke 8:14). So, whether or not we grow to Christian maturity and produce spiritual fruit is largely determined by our scale of values, our priorities, and whether or not we are distracted by our inordinate desire for one thing or another.
In summary, believers with noble and good hearts are receptive to God’s good Word and God’s good Spirit. Such believers hold fast to God’s Word, and with perseverance, they produce spiritual fruit 30-fold, 60-fold, or even 100-fold. These believers will inherit the Kingdom of God in this life (spiritually) and the next (politically). They will uniquely share in the life of God, the glory of God, and the rule of God (Rom. 2:7, 10; 8:18; 2 Cor. 4:17; Eph. 1:18; Col. 3:4; 2 Tim. 2:10; 1 Pet. 1:7, 5:10; 2 Tim. 2:12; Rev. 2:7; 2:26-27; Rev. 3:21).
[1] “Luke.” Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary: Volume 1. Gen. Editor, David E Garland, et al., Zondervan Academic, 2002, p. 393.
[2] Id.
[3] “G2722 – katechō – Strong’s Greek Lexicon (nasb20).” Blue Letter Bible. Web. 11 Feb, 2024. <https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g2722/nasb20/mgnt/0-1/>.
[4] “Luke,” p. 83.
[5] Id.
[6] “Luke,” p. 84.
[7] Id.
[8] Id.
[9] Id.
[10] Id.
[11] Id.
