John Calvin Commentary Matthew 13:22

"And he that was sown among the thorns, this is he that heareth the word; and the care of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful." — Matthew 13:22 (ASV)

And he who received the seed among thorns. He places in the third class those who would have been disposed to receive the seed within, if they had not permitted other things to corrupt and render it degenerate. Christ compares to thorns the pleasures of this life, or wicked desires, and covetousness, and the other anxieties of the flesh. Matthew mentions only the care of this life, along with covetousness, but the meaning is the same; for under that term he includes the allurements of pleasures, which Luke mentions, and every kind of desire. As corn, which otherwise might have been productive, no sooner rises into the stalk than it is choked by thorns and other matters injurious to its growth, so the sinful affections of the flesh prevail over human hearts, overcome faith, and thus destroy the force of the heavenly doctrine before it has reached maturity.

Now, although sinful desires exert their power on human hearts before the word of the Lord springs up into the blade, their influence is not perceived at first. It is only when the corn has grown up and given promise of fruit that they gradually make their appearance. Each of us ought to endeavor to tear the thorns out of our hearts, if we do not choose that the word of God should be choked; for there is not one of us whose heart is not filled with a vast quantity, and, as I may say, a thick forest of thorns. And indeed, we perceive how few there are that reach maturity; for there is scarcely one individual out of ten that labors, I do not say to root out, but even to cut down the thorns. Moreover, the very number of the thorns, which is so prodigious that it ought to shake off our sloth, is the reason why most people give themselves no trouble about them.

The deceitfulness of riches. Christ employs this phrase to denote covetousness. He expressly says that riches are deceptive or deceitful, so that people may be more desirous to guard against falling into their snares. Let us remember that the affections of our flesh, the number and variety of which are incalculable, are so many injurious influences that corrupt the seed of life.