And these are they who are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.
All Commentaries on Mark 4:20 Go To Mark 4
Theophylact of Ochrid
AD 1107
Although the Lord appears in the transactions mentioned above to neglect His mother, nevertheless He honours her; since on her account He goes forth about the borders of the sea. Wherefore it is said, “And Jesus began to teach again by the sea-side
And in order to rouse the attention of those who heard, the first parable that He proposes is concerning the seed, which is the word of God. Wherefore it goes on, “And He said to themin His doctrine. "Not in that of Moses, nor of the Prophets, because He preaches His own Gospel. "Hearken: behold, there went out a sower to sow.”Now the Sower is Christ.
Take notice, that He says not that He threw it in the way, but that it fell, for a sower, as far as he can, throws it into good ground, but if the ground be bad, it corrupts the seed. Now the way is Christ; but infidels are by the way-side, that is, out of Christ.
Or, the stony persons are those who adhering a little to the rock, that is, to Christ, up to a short time, receive the word, and afterwards, falling back, cast it away.
See also how the bad are the greatest number, and the few are those who are saved, for the fourth part of the ground is found to be saved.
For it was God Who made them to see, that is, to understand what is good. But they themselves see not, of their own will making themselves not to see, lest they should be converted and correct themselves, as if they were displeased at their own salvation. It goes on, “Lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins be forgiven them.”.
Or we may understand in adifferent way His speaking to the rest in parables, that seeing they might not perceive, and hearing, not understand. For God gives sight and understanding tomen who seek for them, but the rest He blinds, lest it become a greater accusation against them, that though they understood, they did not choose to do what they ought. Wherefore it goes on, “Lest at any times they should be”.
Further, of those who receive the seed as they ought there are three degrees. Wherefore it goes on, “And these are they who are sown on good ground. "Those who bear fruit an hundred-fold are those who lead a perfect and an obedient life, as virgins and hermits. Those who bear fruit sixty-fold are those who are in the mean as continent persons and those who are living in convents. Those who bear thirty-fold are those who though weak indeed, bear fruit according to their own virtue, as laymen and married persons.
