Jesus explained The Parable of the sower. Let’s look at the verses of the sower first.
Matthew 13:3-9 KJV
3 And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow; 4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: 5 Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: 6 And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.
7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: 8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an undredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.
9 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
For this parable, Jesus actual tells us, as he told the Disciple’s what it means, so let’s read what Jesus said it means
Matthew 13:16-23 KJV
16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.
17 For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.
18 Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.
19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.
20 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; 21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.
22 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.
23 But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
Before we go further let’s read Matthew 13:16-23 using the DSS version, Hebrew Gospel of Matthew Translated by George Howard
16. Blessed are your eyes that see and your ears that hear.
17. Truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see but did not see it, and hear what you hear but did not hear it.
Note: [To be in the presence of “that prophet” to hear and do “whatsoever he sayeth to you.” Deut. 18:15 and Isaiah 42, 53.]
18. But hear you the parable of the sower.
19. The Sower is the Son of Man and the seed which fell on the road is everyone who hears the kingdom of heaven and does not understand it. Satan comes and snatches away from his heart everything which was sown in it. This is the seed which fell on the road.
20. That which fell upon the rocks is the one who hears the word of God and receives it immediately with joy. 21. But he is without root and is in confusion and when a little trouble and distress come to them, Satan causes them to forget from their heart.
22. That which fell among the thorns, this is the one who hears the word and in his desire to gather wealth, Satan causes him to forget the word of God, and he makes no fruit.
23. That which fell into the good earth is the one who hears the word and understands it and makes fruit, that is, from good works. [*]He brings forth from the first a hundred, from the second sixty, and from the third thirty. As for the hundred, this is the one purified of heart and sanctified of body. As for the sixty, this is the one separated from women. As for the thirty, this is the one sanctified in matrimony, in body and in heart.
My Note, the last sentence in verse 23 above is in the Hebrew text, but I have not seen it in any Greek translations.
Note [“Good works” relates to doing the works God has declared “good”. Based on the commandments of God to mankind from the beginning, wouldn’t it be questionable to be one “separated from women”? This doesn’t seem to fit completely following the first sentence that identifies “fruit” to “good works.”*** Possible alteration of original?] [There is a passage in the Prophets that proclaims in the resurrection that a better name will be given to the faithful who could have no children.]
What is Jesus telling us?
Using Jesus words and even the notes provided by George Howard, you should be able to understand. Let’s keep in mind that the people Jesus is talking to are Jewish and know the laws and scripture of the Old Testament. Jesus tells us that he is planting the Words in us. What Words? The Words he is giving us, which are the Words of God, which God commanded Jesus to tell us. Some Words doesn’t take root. Something many people today would say, it just went in one ear and out the other. They never took time to try to understand it.
There are some who hear/read the word, but it didn’t take good root in them and the daily day to day activity just pushed the word aside and it was forgotten in their heart. They didn’t continue to learn and/or really never used it.
Still there are others who actually have an open heart and takes it, but due to the day to day life, the people around them, they don’t keep in the Word. The devil, the day to day activity, there social behavior, etc… causes him to forget or just carry on as they did before hearing the word.
Only seeds (Word) planted in good soil or heart, that hear, understanding God’s word, and continue to feed the heart with God’s Word will bare fruit and multiply. You are the soil and you have to decide if you are going to be the good soil. i.e. what you are going to do with God’s Word which Jesus and the scriptures give to you.
As you can see many people have a brief period of excitement when they are first introduced to God or Christianity. But they find it to be an easy path, or they assume it is an easy path, as the Church says, they chose not to change their ways, (concerned with life’s pleasures and wealth), and fail to continue learning, then the devil has them believing they are doing all that is required or takes the Word completely from their heart.
Let’s take another quick look at the rest of the words in the Hebrew text above in verse Matthew 13:23, and the note that the translator added. Here they are again.
The rest of Verse 23: As for the hundred, this is the one purified of heart and sanctified of body. As for the sixty, this is the one separated from women. As for the thirty, this is the one sanctified in matrimony, in body and in heart.
Note [“Good works” relates to doing the works God has declared “good”. Based on the commandments of God to mankind from the beginning, wouldn’t it be questionable to be one “separated from women”? This doesn’t seem to fit completely following the first sentence that identifies “fruit” to “good works.”*** Possible alteration of original?] [There is a passage in the Prophets that proclaims in the resurrection that a better name will be given to the faithful who could have no children.]
I think the translator missed it here, I don’t think Jesus is speaking of children here when he talks about fruit. When Jesus is describing the fruit and good works, he is looking at a devotion of learning and spreading the Word. Verse 23 tells us that the people, in this verse, heard and understood the Word. But we all know that if we have a family, that our time devoted to God is less than someone who has dedicated his whole life to serving God. Sure, some leave their wife to learn and spread the word and if they do, it only makes sense that he should bring forth more than someone who chose to spread the word but stays at home with his wife and raising a family.
Read your Bible with your own eyes 