When Jesus spoke to the crowds He mostly preached in Parables, and when He told His Disciples why He taught this way He said, "Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.”   It’s a case where, if you seek you will find, type thing.  Any message or teaching that is heard will not usually sink in without the will and determination to try and remember, or study it further to get more details or meaning out of it. 

 

So when Jesus taught the crowds the Parable of the soils, Matthew 13:16-23, He did explain to His disciples later what it meant.  In all four examples of soil, the reference is to the human heart, the target that the sower has for the seed, our hearts.  The heart that has been awakened by God’s Spirit is ready and fertile for this seed.  But it isn’t all the Spirit’s work to get it in there; we have to put in the effort of studying.  We have to, Luke 11:9,   “And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.”   God promises; and ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.  BUT, Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Isaiah 55:6

 

The first soil, on the wayside, is those that hear but take no heed to it.  They don’t understand it all so they don’t pursue it any further; it’s in one ear and out the other.  The devil doesn’t have to try and steal this word from them its already forgotten. 

 

The second soil, on the stony ground, very thin soil, no room for the roots to grow.  These people hear the Word and receive it enthusiastically, but don’t let the roots settle in with study.  When trials come they can’t endure, these are easy pickings for the devil.

 

The third soil, the thorny ground, is good enough soil for growth.  These people will hear, respond and grow for some time.  But, this soil is shared with the thorns, the worldly things that distract us and keep us from truly growing in God’s word.  Balancing worldly things and spiritual growth short-changes one, choose wisely.

 

The fourth soil, the place we want to be, bears the most fruit.  These people hear and understand the word.  Their good understanding is evidenced by the fruit that they bear, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.  The fruits of righteousness flow from our growth in Christ.

So, it appears that the one thing that distinguishes the good soil from the other three soils is fruitfulness.  "Being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God" Col. 1:10.  And “the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth", Eph. 5:9.