The Parable Of The Sower - The Thorny Ground

by Micky Galloway

Luke 8:14 “And that which fell among the thorns, these are they that have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of (this) life, and bring no fruit to perfection.”

When I was young and living on a farm in Kentucky, there were many experiences that caused me to relate to the parable of the sower. My Dad subscribed to the philosophy that it is a mighty poor father that can’t find enough jobs to keep his children busy. When we weren’t working the crops or milking and feeding the cows, we could always cut fence posts from the woods with a double bit axe and crosscut saw, repair the fences, clean out fence-rows, pick up rocks or dig up thistles from the pastures. My Dad wanted the thistles dug up and the root turned up to the sun to make sure they would die. Of course, it was important to destroy the thistles before they went to seed, because the seed would scatter like a giant dandelion. If these thistles were not destroyed they would take over a field, choking out the grass.

In the parable of the sower, Jesus discusses the seed which fell among the thorns. The seed was hindered from bringing fruit to perfection because it was choked with pre-occupation of the heart by other things. The Lord tells us that these thorns represent the heart of the hearer of the gospel. Matthew’s account describes them as “the care of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches” (Matthew 13:22). Mark calls them “the cares of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things” (Mark 4:19). Luke calls them the “cares and riches and pleasures of (this) life” (Luke 8:14). If we see no danger in these things, surely we are blind.

The Cares Of The World. Unfortunately, many things that fall under this heading are often considered honorable. For example in Luke 10:39-42, as the Lord visited in the home of Martha and Mary, we read, “And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at the Lord's feet, and heard his word. But Martha was cumbered about much serving; and she came up to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister did leave me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. But the Lord answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha , thou art anxious and troubled about many things: but one thing is needful: for Mary hath chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” Preparation for guests is generally a good thing, but to neglect the Lord, failing to hear Him, is indeed to be overcome by the “cares of the world.” Many such things are right in themselves; buying land, oxen, or even marriage (cf. Luke 24:15ff), but wrong when we allow these things to have priority in our life. Our spiritual life then is choked out and we bring no fruit to perfection.

The Deceitfulness Of Riches. When the rich young ruler (Matthew 19:16-22) asked Jesus about the “one thing” he lacked to enter into the kingdom of heaven, Jesus told him, “If thou wouldest be perfect, go, sell that which thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.” The young ruler departed because he “had great possessions.” He tried to hold on to the treasures of both worlds (cf. Matthew 6:24). He loved his wealth and position more than his own soul (cf. Matthew 16:26). “The deceitfulness of riches” choked out the word of Jesus from his heart, and so blinded his judgment that he could not obey. Proverbs 11:28 says, “He that trusteth in his riches shall fall; But the righteous shall flourish as the green leaf.” The apostle Paul said, “But they that are minded to be rich fall into a temptation and a snare and many foolish and hurtful lusts, such as drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil: which some reaching after have been led astray from the faith, and have pierced themselves through with many sorrows … Charge them that are rich in this present world, that they be not highminded, nor have their hope set on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy” (I Timothy 6:9-17). As riches become our priority, meditation on spiritual things gradually disappears.

The Pleasures Of (This) Life. Some may be kept from heaven by an indifference toward spiritual things, and the love of ease and pleasure, the tangible, visible delights of life. Both lawful and unlawful delights can ruin the soul forever. Amos warned the people of God, threatening captivity, “Woe to them that are at ease in Zion, and to them that are secure in the mountain of Samaria, the notable men of the chief of the nations, to whom the house of Israel come … that lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves upon their couches” (Amos 6:1-4). Solomon who had the means to enjoy every pleasure said, “Come now, I will prove thee with mirth; therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also was vanity” (cf. Ecclesiastes 2:1-3). He then sought, “what it was good for the sons of men that they should do under heaven all the days of their life.” Moses wisely chose, “to share ill treatment with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; accounting the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt: for he looked unto the recompense of reward” (Hebrews 11:25-26). Such temporal pleasures often divert our minds from the things of the Spirit. “For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are contrary the one to the other; that ye may not do the things that ye would … And they that are of Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with the passions and the lusts thereof” (Galatians 5:17, 24; cf. 6:7-9).

All of these things represented by the thorny ground take time and attention away from spiritual things. They do not leave time to examine our soul. They all promise what they cannot deliver. They ultimately rob us of the happiness we seek. To these things there is no end “but death.” How many, O how many, thus foolishly drown themselves in destruction and perdition! How many more might reach heaven, if it were not for this deep seated love of that which fills the mind with care, deceives the soul, chokes out the word of God in their lives, and ultimately leaves them naked, guilty, and lost!