Those
which were sown on the good ground are those who hear the word, and accept it, and bear fruit, some thirty times, some sixty times, and some one hundred times.
Mark 4:20
Mark 4 [10.] When he was alone, those who were around him with the twelve asked him about the parables. He said to them, “To you is given the mystery of God’s Kingdom, but to those who are outside, all things are done in parables, that ‘seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest perhaps they should turn again, and their sins should be forgiven them.’”
Mark 4 [13.] He said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How will you understand all of the parables? The farmer sows the word. The ones by the road are the ones where the word is sown; and when they have heard, immediately Satan comes, and takes away the word which has been sown in them. These in the same way are those who are sown on the rocky places, who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with joy. They have no root in themselves, but are short-lived. When oppression or persecution arises because of the word, immediately they stumble. Others are those who are sown among the thorns. These are those who have heard the word, and the cares of this age, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. Those which were sown on the good ground are those who hear the word, and accept it, and bear fruit, some thirty times, some sixty times, and some one hundred times.”
Mark 4 [21.] He said to them, “Is the lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed? Isn’t it put on a stand? For there is nothing hidden, except that it should be made known; neither was anything made secret, but that it should come to light. If any man has ears to hear, let him hear.”
Meaning:
Jesus' explanation of the parable of the farmer ends on a note of joy. After describing the hard path (Mark 4:14-15), the rocky ground (Mark 4:16-17) and the thorny ground (Mark 4:18-19), he turns to the good ground. Here at last the seed does what seed is meant to do. This single verse describes what a genuine disciple looks like: someone who hears the word, accepts it and bears fruit, in different measures but always abundantly.
- Hear, Accept, Bear Fruit
The three verbs are in the present tense, describing an ongoing way of life rather than a single moment. All four kinds of ground "hear" the word, so hearing alone is not enough. What sets the good ground apart is that its hearers "accept" it. The Greek word means to welcome or receive gladly, as one would welcome a guest into the home. They do not merely agree with the message; they make room for it at the centre of their lives.
Matthew's account stresses that good-ground hearers understand what they hear, and Luke says they are those "in an honest and good heart" who "hold it tightly, and produces fruit with patience" (Luke 8:15). Together the Gospels describe a heart that listens, grasps the meaning, holds on and keeps going.
- What Is the Fruit?
In the Bible fruit is the visible result of an inward life. Paul lists the fruit of the Spirit as "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control" (Galatians 5:22-23). He prays that believers will walk worthily of the Lord, "bearing fruit in every good work" (Colossians 1:10), and be "filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are through Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1:11). Fruit also includes new believers brought into the kingdom as the word spreads; Paul rejoiced that the gospel was "bearing fruit and growing" all over the world (Colossians 1:6).
This fruit does not come from human effort alone. Jesus said, "I am the vine. You are the branches. He who remains in me, and I in him, the same bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing" (John 15:5).
- Thirty, Sixty, a Hundredfold
Not every believer produces the same amount. Some yield thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times. In a land where a good harvest was often only a few times the seed sown, even thirtyfold is remarkable, and a hundredfold recalls the extraordinary blessing God gave Isaac (Genesis 26:12). Jesus is not ranking Christians against each other. Each disciple's gifts, opportunities and circumstances differ, but every life that welcomes the word becomes fruitful, and all of it is to the glory of God: "In this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit" (John 15:8).
- Fruit Takes Time
No farmer expects grain the week after sowing. The psalmist describes the righteous person as "like a tree planted by the streams of water, that produces its fruit in its season" (Psalm 1:3). Growth in Christ is often slow and hidden, as Jesus goes on to teach in the parable of the seed that grows secretly (Mark 4:26-29). Patience is part of good soil.
The Significance of Mark 4:20
- Encouragement for Ordinary Believers
This verse assures us that fruitfulness is not reserved for spiritual heroes. Anyone who keeps hearing, welcoming and obeying God's word will bear fruit. James puts it simply: "Be doers of the word, and not only hearers" (James 1:22). The question is not how impressive our harvest looks compared with others, but whether we are good ground.
- Hope for Those Who Sow
For preachers, teachers, parents and anyone who shares the gospel, Mark 4:20 is the promise that makes the work worthwhile. Much seed may fall on the path, the rocks or the thorns, but the good ground will produce a harvest far greater than all the losses. God gives the increase (1 Corinthians 3:6-7).
Cross-References:
Luke 8:15: "That in the good ground, these are such as in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, hold it tightly, and produces fruit with patience." Luke highlights the honesty, perseverance and patience of good-ground hearers.
John 15:5: "I am the vine. You are the branches. He who remains in me, and I in him, the same bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing." Lasting fruit comes from remaining in Christ.
Galatians 5:22-23: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control." The fruit of the word in a life is Christlike character produced by the Holy Spirit.
Colossians 1:10: "that you may walk worthily of the Lord, to please him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God" Fruitfulness shows itself in good works and growing knowledge of God.
Conclusion: Mark 4:20 shows the happy end of the parable: hearts that hear God's word, welcome it and bear fruit thirty, sixty and a hundred times. Such fruitfulness grows from abiding in Christ, takes time, and differs from one believer to another, yet it always brings glory to the Father. Let us ask God to make us good ground, and let us keep sowing his word in hope of a rich harvest.
PIB Scriptures are derived from the World English Bible