Good and bad soil (1) - All The Good Seed Daily Devotionals for 2026

Behold, a sower went out to sow.
Matthew 13:3.

Good and bad soil (1)
The illustration that the Lord Jesus Christ used in the parable of the sower comes from the time when farmers used to scatter the seed by throwing handfuls over the land. Maybe the Lord had a field before Him with a well trodden path at the side, some stony land with a thin covering of earth, thorns galore and some good soil, too. The seed fell on all four areas. Although it is a well known scene, gardeners especially will have experienced it.

The parable deals with three elements, two of which, the sower and the seed, remain the same, but the soil is different.

The sower illustrates Jesus Christ. In a later parable we read, "He who sows the good seed is the Son of man" (v. 37), who preached to people of every social status. The sower is thus the example for everyone who propagates the gospel, the good news of God's offer of salvation, to lead people to Jesus.

The seed, which is "the Word of God" (Luke 8:11), is of the best quality and can be sown everywhere. It is "living and powerful", and relevant even today (Hebrews 4:12).

The ground, by contrast, varies greatly. It illustrates the heart of man, as Jesus Himself later explained: "what was sown in his heart" (v. 19). Hearts can be receptive or hardened. The soil stands for man's responsibility, his will, his conscience and his attitude to the Word of God.

(to be continued tomorrow)

Today's reading: Leviticus 4:27-35 · Psalms 50:16-23