Matthew 13:19

Matthew 13:19. The word of the kingdom. This is the seed (comp. Mark 4:14; Luke 8:11); the sower being Christ (Matthew 13:37), Himself and His ministers (1 Corinthians 3:6). The spoken word is made most prominent, as this was almost the only means used in the Apostolic age, to which this parable primarily refers.

Understandeth it not. Active, personal apprehension is involved.

Then someth the evil one (‘Satan,' Mark; ‘the devil,' Luke) and snatcheth away. Almost during the act of hearing. This is done through ‘birds,' passing thoughts and desires; the purpose being ‘lest they should believe and be saved' (Luke 8:12). The immediate cause is hardness of the soil.

This is he that was sown by the way-side, not, ‘he which received seed.' The form used throughout points, not to the ground, but to the result of the sowing in the different cases as representing the different classes of hearers. Here there may also be a hint that the loss of the seed is the loss of real life, avoiding however the thought that Satan could really keep the word of God itself. This apparent mixing of metaphors should caution us against pressing the analogies too far.