And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the wayside, and the fowls came and devoured them up:
All Commentaries on Matthew 13:4 Go To Matthew 13
John Chrysostom
AD 407
He said not, that He cast them, but that they fell.
A fourth part is saved; and not this all alike, but even here great is the difference.
Now these things He said, manifesting that He discoursed to all without grudging. For as the sower makes no distinction in the land submitted to him, but simply and indifferently casts his seed; so He Himself too makes no distinction of rich and poor, of wise and unwise, of slothful or diligent, of brave or cowardly; but He discourses unto all, fulfilling His part, although foreknowing the results; that it may be in His power to say, What ought I to have done, that I have not done? Isaiah 5:4 And the prophets speak of the people as of a vine; For my beloved, it is said, had a vineyard; Isaiah 5:1 and, He brought a vine out of Egypt; but He, as of seed. What could this be to show? That obedience now will be quick and easier, and will presently yield its fruit.
But when you hear, The sower went forth to sow, think it not a needless repetition. For the sower frequently goes forth for some other act also, either to plough, or to cut out the evil herbs, or to pluck up thorns, or to attend to some such matter; but He went forth to sow.
Whence then, tell me, was the greater part of the seed lost? Not through the sower, but through the ground that received it; that is, the soul that did not hearken.
And wherefore does He not say, Some the careless received, and lost it; some the rich, and choked it, and some the superficial, and betrayed it? It is not His will to rebuke them severely, lest He should cast them into despair, but He leaves the reproof to the conscience of His hearers.
And this was not the case with the seed only, but also with the net; for that too produced many that were unprofitable.
