John Calvin Commentary Matthew 13:23

"And he that was sown upon the good ground, this is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; who verily beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty." — Matthew 13:23 (ASV)

But he that received the seed into a good soil. None are compared by Christ to a good and fertile soil, but those in whom the word of God not only takes deep and solid root, but also overcomes every obstacle that would prevent it from yielding fruit. Is it objected that it is impossible to find anyone who is pure and free from thorns? It is easy to reply that Christ is not now speaking of the perfection of faith, but only points out those in whom the word of God yields fruit.

Though the produce may not be great, yet everyone who does not turn away from the sincere worship of God is considered good and fertile soil. We ought to labor, no doubt, to pull out the thorns; but as our greatest effort will never succeed so well that some are not always left behind, let each of us endeavor, at least, to deaden them, that they may not hinder the fruit of the word. This statement is confirmed by what immediately follows, when Christ informs us that all do not yield fruit to an equal degree.

Some a hundred-fold, and some sixty-fold, and some thirty-fold. Though the fertility of that soil which yields a thirty-fold produce is small compared with that which yields a hundred-fold, yet we perceive that our Lord classes together all kinds of soil which do not entirely disappoint the labors and expectation of the farmer.²⁰⁶ From this we also learn that we have no right to despise those who occupy a lower degree of excellence; for the Master of the house Himself, though He gives preference to one over another on account of more abundant produce, yet bestows the general designation good, even on inferior soils.

Those three gradations are absurdly tortured by Jerome, to denote virgins, widows, and married persons, as if that produce which the Lord demands from us belonged to celibacy alone, and as if the piety of married persons did not, in many cases, yield more abundantly every fruit of virtue. It must also be observed, in passing, that what Christ says about a hundred-fold produce is not hyperbolical, for such was the fertility of some countries at that time, as we learn from many historians who give their report as eyewitnesses.

²⁰⁶ “Esquelles le laboureur ne perd pas du tout sa peine;” — “in which the husbandman does not entirely lose his trouble.”;” — “in which the husbandman does not entirely lose his trouble.”