Charles Spurgeon Commentary Matthew 13:19

"When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, [then] cometh the evil [one], and snatcheth away that which hath been sown in his heart. This is he that was sown by the way side." — Matthew 13:19 (ASV)

When anyone heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.

The gospel is "the word of the kingdom": it has royal authority in it; it proclaims and reveals King Jesus, and it leads people to obedience to his way. To hear but not to understand, is to leave the good seed on the outside of your nature, and not to take it into yourself. Nothing can come of such hearing to anyone.

Satan is always on the watch to hinder the Word: "Then cometh the wicked one", even at the moment when the seed fell. He is always afraid to leave the truth even in hard and dry contact with a mind, and so he catches it away at once, and it is forgotten, or even disbelieved. It is gone, at any rate; and we have not in our hearer's mind a corn-field, but a highway, hard, and much frequented.

The man was not an opposer; he "received seed"; but he received the truth as he was, without the soil of his nature being changed, and the seed remained as it was, until the foul bird of hell took it off the place, and there was an end of it. So far as the truth was sown in his heart, it was in his natural, unrenewed heart, and therefore it took no living hold. How many such hearers we have! To these we preach in vain, for what they learn they unlearn, and what they receive they reject almost as soon as it comes to them. Lord, do not let any of us be impervious to your royal word; but whenever the smallest seed of truth falls on us, may we open our soul to it!

The Gospel is the word of the kingdom. It has royal authority in it. It proclaims and reveals King Jesus, and it leads people to obedience to His sway. To hear but not to understand, is to leave the good seed on the outside of your nature and not to take it into yourself. Nothing can come of such hearing to anyone.

Satan is always on the watch to hinder the Word, Then cometh the wicked one, even at the moment when the seed fell. He is always afraid to leave the truth even in hard and dry contact with a mind, and so he catches it away at once, and it is forgotten or even disbelieved. It is gone, at any rate, and we do not have in our hearer’s mind a cornfield, but a highway, hard and much frequented.

The man was not an opposer; he received seed, but he received the truth as he was, without the soil of his nature being changed. The seed remained as it was, until the foul bird of hell took it from the place, and there was an end of it. Insofar as the truth was sown in his heart, it was in his natural, unrenewed heart, and therefore it took no living hold. How many such hearers we have! To these we preach in vain, for what they learn they unlearn, and what they receive they reject almost as soon as it comes to them.

Lord, allow none of us to be impervious to Your royal word; but whenever the smallest seed of truth falls on us, may we open our soul to it!