The Thorns and the Harvest (Mark 4:18-20)

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We see from Jesus' parable of the soils that there are at least four different kinds of people to whom the Word of God comes. The first group consists of those who pay no heed to the gospel at all. Never do they show any positive response to Scripture, not even on the surface. They are so hardened to God's Word that the devil is able to snatch it away from them (Mark 4:4, 15).

The second group responds in what seems to be an exceedingly positive manner to the gospel. Such people appear to receive Christ enthusiastically, and they may even seem to grow quickly, exercising a wide influence for the kingdom (vv. 5–6, 16–17). Yet appearances are in this case deceiving. The rapid growth hides the shallowness of the faith professed until persecution comes. Under the intense heat of opposition, this second group of hearers finally rejects Jesus.

Jesus compares the seed that is later crowded out by thorns and thistles to those who seem to respond in faith but are then buried by the cares and concerns of this life (vv. 7, 18–19).

It is not too much of a stretch to think that this group looks even stronger than the group that falls to persecution.

Maybe it has passed through persecution without committing apostasy. Perhaps it has started to bear what seems to be good fruit. Yet in the end, these

people turn away from Jesus to "the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things" (v. 19).

They become distracted, sometimes even by things that are in themselves good, and they forsake Christ for the lesser gods of power and prestige or fame and fortune. Their discipleship is thereby proved to be false.

Finally, we have the fourth group, represented by the seed that falls onto good soil (v. 8). These individuals receive the Word of God gladly, but unlike the seed that fell into rocky soil or is later crowded out by worldliness, a harvest results. Moreover, the harvest is abundant. (v. 20).

These are the true disciples of Jesus who rest in Him alone for salvation and are firmly grounded in the truth of His Word. They consider all earthly gain to be a loss for the sake of Christ and His kingdom, and Jesus uses them mightily to advance His gospel.

This article was first published in Tabletalk, the Bible study magazine of Ligonier Ministries. Find out more at TabletalkMagazine.com or try it free for three months today at ryTabletalk.com.