Mt 13:18-23
Four types of people: The focus of the parable of the sower is the sower. The focus of Matthew’s explanation of the parable is the seed, of which there are four kinds, each corresponding to four types of persons (soils) in Matthew’s community. The seed grows depending on the soil, the disposition of the person upon whom it falls.
First, some people hear the “word of the kingdom,” but they never truly understand; they never become authentic disciples.
Four types of people: The focus of the parable of the sower is the sower. The focus of Matthew’s explanation of the parable is the seed, of which there are four kinds, each corresponding to four types of persons (soils) in Matthew’s community. The seed grows depending on the soil, the disposition of the person upon whom it falls.
First, some people hear the “word of the kingdom,” but they never truly understand; they never become authentic disciples.
Second, some people hear the word and receive it but fall away because of tribulation or persecution. In Matthew’s community, there were people who were followers of Jesus as long as it was convenient. When their faith proved to be inconvenient in the face of persecution, they apostatized; they denied their faith.
Third, some people hear the word but allow worldly anxiety and the lure of riches to choke the word. In Matthew’s church, there were people who heard the word of the kingdom, but they chose the world and riches.
Fourth, the authentic disciples or followers of Jesus reflect Matthew’s threefold characteristic of authenticity. They hear the word and understand it and bear fruit. For Matthew, righteousness is hearing, understanding, and doing (practicing) the word. The author is encouraging the members of his community to continue to do God’s will (to bear fruit, to be righteous) no matter what comes their way. In each member, the word, heard, understood, and done, produces accordingly—a hundred or sixty or thirty fold.