16 Explanation of the Parable | of the Sower. Matth. XIII. 4. 19. 17

The first kind of Hearers.

vs. 19. When any one hears that word of the Kingdom, and understands it not, then comes the wicked one, and snatches away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.

§. XXXI. The first kind of Hearers are described as those who hear and do not understand. vs. 19. which manner of
Verse 4. The first Hearers.

speaking is borrowed from (a) Isaiah 6:9. where by "hearing," as already said (§. XXII.), is understood a mere perception of the sound and also somewhat of the sense of the preaching of the Gospel, yet separated from all inclination of the will regarding that heard truth, and from all proper meditation on the heard word, and from all becoming activity of the soul concerning it, such as can take place in a rational creature regarding the word it has received into itself. Which hardness of the heart can come from nowhere else than from certain prejudices with which one is occupied against the heard truth. By the word (b) "understand," the Lord Christ intends such activity of the soul by which it meditates on the heard doctrine of grace, clearly perceives it, and by well-comparing and weighing the arguments, embraces and approves it as true. As is clear from the passage in Isaiah.

§. XXXII. Such Hearers of the word of grace, who only hear the Word of the Gospel and receive it upon themselves so that they immediately cast it away from themselves, without meditating on it or seeking to understand it more clearly, and without accepting it with consent and love, are compared to an earth that is hard and trodden; a common path, which, by the frequent passing over of people, has a hard crust; from which the birds of heaven steal and eat the seed, verse 4. How such a trodden path appears here
Are a crusty earth.

as a symbol of a mind beset and occupied with prejudices, through which it happens that it rejects the heard truth and does not meditate on or examine it; so that the person cannot come to the clear perception, much less to the love and practice of the truth.

§. XXXIII. And certainly, the comparison is very apt, and in
The Comparison.

all parts most fitting. For a trodden path is a track that is commonly used by people without distinction; a way that (a) is hard and crusty, and consequently unfit to receive seed, because it has no furrows in which the seed can be received and kept; and which, because of its hardness, cannot easily be cut through, and therefore is hardly in a position to receive furrows into itself. Which therefore, if seed is by chance thrown upon it, is unfit to make it fruitful, but rather leaves it open to be trodden down by men or carried away by the birds of heaven.

§. XXXIV. Thus we easily see that with this corresponds:
A. A mind that is hardened, 1. by prejudices; and specifically 2. by common prejudices, which generally and as if "by the way," as they say, take place in the people of that time. 3. To which prejudices the mind has been confirmed and hardened for a long time. 4. And that by many and various Teachers that one has had.

B. A mind that is therefore unfit to receive the truth of the Gospel, which is in conflict with those prejudices, through public proclamation, or to hear, understand, and approve it.

C. A mind that immediately neglects the truth and does not consider it worthy to be meditated upon and examined, much less embraced and practiced.

§. XXXV. By the birds now, which steal and eat the seed
The Birds. The Wicked One.

sown by the way, the Lord Jesus teaches that one must understand the Wicked One, who takes away the preached truth of the Gospel from the hearts of men who are beset with prejudices. verse 19. By which Wicked One we see, by
comparison

(a) Isaiah 6:9. where God says, regarding the Jewish People: Go, and tell this people: Hear indeed, but UNDERSTAND not.

(b) In that emphasis the word understand is also used elsewhere. Matthew 16:12. Mark 8:17. Luke 24:45. Ephesians 5:17. Against which is set not understanding, that is, not noticing, nor accepting or consenting to the word. Luke 2:50. Mark 9:32. Luke 18:34. See what shall be said more nearly. §. L.

(a) Hard and crusty. And in so far like a stone or rock; upon which to sow is a fruitless work: and therefore of old already become a proverb. Thus one reads in Suidas: Eis petran speirein To sow upon a rock. "To strike against the fire. It is a proverb used of those who do something in vain to their own harm and disadvantage. Which has equality with another proverb: kata petran speirein to sow against/on the rocks." v. Eis per.