Bearing fruit 1/2

Matthew 13:23 AV

But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth ‭[it]‭; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.‭

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Other translations

New International Version But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.

New Living Translation The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!

English Standard Version As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.

Berean Study Bible But the seed sown on good soil is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and produces a crop—a hundredfold, sixtyfold, or thirtyfold.

Berean Literal Bible But the one having been sown on the good soil, this is the one hearing the word and understanding, who indeed brings forth fruit and produces–indeed, some a hundredfold, and some sixty, and some thirty.

King James Bible But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

New King James Version But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

New American Standard Bible But the one sown with seed on the good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces, some a hundred, some sixty, and some thirty times as much.

NASB 1995 and NASB 1977 And the one on whom seed was sown on the good soil, this is the man who hears the word and understands it; who indeed bears fruit and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.

Amplified Bible And the one on whom seed was sown on the good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands and grasps it; he indeed bears fruit and yields, some a hundred times [as much as was sown], some sixty [times as much], and some thirty.

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Into good ground

Those whose hearts are prepared by grace to receive it honestly, and to give it full opportunity to grow.

In a rich and mellow soil; in a heart that submits itself to the full influence of truth, unchecked by cares and anxieties; under the showers and summer suns of divine grace; with the heart spread open, like a broad, luxuriant field, to the rays of the morning and to evening dews, the gospel takes deep root and grows; it has full room, and then and there only shows “what it is.”

Mark saith much the same, Mark 4:20. Luke saith, Luke 8:15, But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.  To make a good Christian all these things must concur:

1. A hearing of the word.
2. An understanding or believing it.
3. A keeping of it.
4. A bringing forth of fruit.
5. A bringing forth fruit with patience.

He that receiveth the seed into good ground, is he (saith Luke) who in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it.

The good ground, (in this parable), is the good and honest heart, that is, a heart renewed and sanctified by the Spirit of God. He heareth the word: he (saith the apostle) who is born of God, heareth us: faith cometh by hearing. And understandeth it.  Mark saith, receiveth it, that is, not in the mere notion, but by faith, and a mind willing to learn and be instructed. Luke adds, and keepeth it, retains the savour and impression of it upon his soul.

Good ground …

1. is good and honest heart
2. is a perfect and sincere heart.
3. is an obedient heart.
4. is a faithful heart.
5. is a jealous heart.
6. is a fruitful heart.

He that heareth the word, and understandeth it.

▪︎ He that heareth the word and understandeth, or, considereth it differs from the first class of hearers: he understands what he hears, and makes it the matter of his serious and frequent meditation.

▪︎ And he differs from those of the second class; for, according to Luke, he keeps, or, retains it, as κατεχει signifies. Notwithstanding the opposition or persecution he meets with, he holds fast what he has received, namely, both the word of truth itself, and the change it was instrumental in producing in him. So that he did not only endure for a while, but to the end. 

▪︎He is also distinguished from those of the third class: for he receives and retains the truth in an honest and good heart, Luke 8:15; a heart, not honest and good by nature, but made such by grace; a new heart given him by God, and a new spirit put within him (Ezekiel 36:26).

Therefore he is not like the ground overrun with thorns, and other weeds, which was dishonest, so to speak; eluding the tiller’s toil, and deceiving the husbandman’s expectations. 

The process is not merely an intellectual one. He takes it in, discerns its meaning. The phrases in the other Gospels express the same thing, “hear the word and receive it” (Mark), “in an honest and good heart” hear and retain it (Luke).

Even here there are different degrees which is symbolised by “bearing fruit”

Which also beareth fruit

Namely, the fruits of the Spirit, internal and external, holy tempers, words, and works, repentance toward God, and fruits meet for repentance, faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, and the proper fruits of faith, godliness and righteousness, piety and virtue, in all their branches.

The fruit of holiness in his life, in an obedience to the will of God; for all seed bringeth forth fruit according to his kind. Luke adds, with patience, by which is to be understood certainty, constancy, and perseverance, and that notwithstanding all trials and oppositions he meets with from the world, the flesh, and the devil.

Some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty

That is, in various proportions, some abundantly more than others, the situations and circumstances in which some are placed by the providence of God affording them far greater opportunities for receiving and doing good than fall to the lot of others, and the abilities and capacities for usefulness in some far exceeding those of others.

It is allowable to fill up the outline-sketch of interpretation which thus formed the first lesson in this method in the great Master’s school.

A. It may seem strange at first that the disciples were not told who in the work of the kingdom answered to “the Sower” of the parable. The interpretation is given in the parable of the Tares (“the Sower of the good seed is the Son of Man”), and,

▪︎ in part, it may be said that this was the one point on which the disciples were not likely to misunderstand Him;

▪︎ but in part also, we may believe, this explanation was not given, because, though the parable was true in the first instance of Him and of His work, He meant them to learn wisdom from it for their own work.

True, they were reaping what they had not sown (John 4:38), yet they too were in their turn to be sowers as well as reapers.

B. It is obviously one important lesson of the parable that it teaches us to recognise the possible existence of “an honest and good heart” (the first word meaning “noble,” “generous,” rather than “honest” in our modern sense) prior to the preaching of the word. Such characters were to be found in those living under the Law, or without the Law (Romans 2:14), and it was the work of the preacher to look out for them, and win them to something yet higher.

What made the ground good, is a question which the parable was perhaps meant to suggest, but does not answer. Theologians may speak of “prevenient grace.” The language of John 4:37-38 leads us to think of the work of “the Light that lighteth every man.” Here also the law holds good that “to him that hath shall more be given.”

C. It lies in the nature of such a parable that it represents the phenomena of the spiritual life only partially. It brings before us four classes of hearers, and seems to assume that their characters are fixed, incapable of change, issuing in results which might have been foreseen.

But if so, then the work of the “word” thus preached would seem to be limited to order and progress, and the idea of “conversion” — the change of character — would almost be excluded. We must therefore supplement the parable in its practical application.

▪︎ The soil may be improved;

▪︎ the way-side and the stony places and that which contained the thorns may become as the good ground.

It is the work of every preacher and teacher to prepare the soil as well as to sow the seed. In the words of an old prophet, which might almost seem to have suggested the parable itself, they are to “break up the fallow ground and sow not among thorns” (Jeremiah 4:3).

Greek

But ☆ δὲ (de) ☆ Conjunction ☆ A primary particle; but, and, etc.

The [seed] ☆ Ὁ (Ho) ☆ Article – Nominative Masculine Singular ☆ The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

Sown ☆ σπαρείς (spareis) ☆ Verb – Aorist Participle Passive – Nominative Masculine Singular ☆ To sow, spread, scatter. Probably strengthened from spao; to scatter, i.e. Sow.

Into ‭/ ‭on ☆ ἐπὶ (epi) ☆ Preposition ☆ On, to, against, on the basis of, at.

Good ☆ καλὴν (kalēn) ☆ Adjective – Accusative Feminine Singular ☆ Properly, beautiful, but chiefly good, i.e. Valuable or virtuous.

ground ‭/ ‭ soil ☆ γῆν (gēn) ☆ Noun – Accusative Feminine Singular ☆ Contracted from a primary word; soil; by extension a region, or the solid part or the whole of the terrene globe.

Is ☆ ἐστιν (estin) ☆ Verb – Present Indicative Active – 3rd Person Singular ☆ I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

He ‭/ ‭the [one who] ☆ ὁ (ho) ☆ Article – Nominative Masculine Singular ☆ The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

that heareth ‭/ hears ☆ ἀκούων (akouōn) ☆ Verb – Present Participle Active – Nominative Masculine Singular ☆ To hear, listen, comprehend by hearing; pass: is heard, reported. A primary verb; to hear.

The ☆ τὸν (ton) ☆ Article – Accusative Masculine Singular ☆ The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

Word ☆ λόγον (logon) ☆ Noun – Accusative Masculine Singular ☆ From lego; something said; by implication, a topic, also reasoning or motive; by extension, a computation; specially, the Divine Expression.

and ‭☆ καὶ (kai) ☆ Conjunction ☆ And, even, also, namely.‭ Understands ☆ συνιείς (synieis) ☆ Verb – Present Participle Active – Nominative Masculine Singular ☆ To consider, understand, perceive. From sun and hiemi; to put together, i.e. to comprehend; by implication, to act piously.

Which ☆ ὃς (hos) ☆ Personal / Relative Pronoun – Nominative Masculine Singular ☆ Who, which, what, that. ‭

also ‭/ ‭indeed ☆ δὴ (dē) ☆ Particle ☆ Probably akin to de; a particle of emphasis or explicitness; now, then, etc.

Bears fruit ☆ καρποφορεῖ (karpophorei) ☆ Verb – Present Indicative Active – 3rd Person Singular ☆ To bear fruit. From karpophoros; to be fertile.

And ☆ καὶ (kai) ☆ Conjunction ☆ And, even, also, namely.

bringeth forth ‭/ produces a crop ☆ ποιεῖ (poiei) ☆ Verb – Present Indicative Active – 3rd Person Singular ☆ (a) I make, manufacture, construct, (b) I do, act, cause. Apparently a prolonged form of an obsolete primary; to make or do.

Hundred ☆ ἑκατὸν (hekaton) ☆ Adjective – Accusative Neuter Plural ☆ One hundred. Of uncertain affinity; a hundred.

Sixty ☆ ἑξήκοντα (hexēkonta) ☆ Adjective – Accusative Neuter Plural ☆ Sixty. The tenth multiple of hex; sixty.

Or ☆ δὲ (de) ☆ Conjunction ☆ A primary particle; but, and, etc.

Thirty ☆ τριάκοντα (triakonta) ☆ Adjective – Accusative Neuter Plural ☆ Thirty. The decade of treis; thirty.

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