Matthew 13:19–23
Matthew wrote “the evil one,” Mark “Satan,” Luke “the devil.” “Beside the road” is not the same as “in the road,” and we need the difference because of “I am the road” (John 14:6); yet all three wrote “beside the road.” Most aptly Matthew and Mark say the word was sown “on the rocky places,” not on rock. Of all that is beside the road it is said that they do not understand; but of the good soil, “this is the one who hears the word and understands.” (Matthew 13:19–23) Perhaps, then, those on the rocky places and those among the thorns stand between the non-understanding and the understanding.
And it urges care for understanding. If the seed of the one who understands is not snatched, one must take up understanding and cover the seed in the earth — memory — so that it may take root and, not being found bare, may not be snatched by the spirits of wickedness.
Greek
Ματθαῖος ἔγραψε πονηρός, Μᾶρκος δὲ "σατανᾶς", Λουκᾶς δὲ "διάβολος". οὐ ταὐτόν ἐστι παρὰ τὴν ὁδὸν καὶ ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ, δεόμεθα δὲ τῆς διαφορᾶς διὰ τὸ "ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ὁδός"· πλὴν οἱ τρεῖς ἔγραψαν παρὰ τὴν ὁδόν. χαριέστατα δὲ Ματθαῖος καὶ Μᾶρκος "ἐπὶ τὰ πετρώδη", οὐκ ἐπὶ πέτραν φησὶν ἐσπάρθαι τὸν λόγον. ἐπὶ μὲν σύμπαντος τοῦ παρὰ τὴν ὁδὸν εἴρηται τὸ μὴ συνιέντος. ἐπὶ δὲ τῆς καλῆς γῆς, οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ τὸν λόγον ἀκούων καὶ συνιείς· μήποτ' οὖν οἱ ἐπὶ τὰ πε τρώδη καὶ οἱ εἰς τὰς ἀκάνθας μεταξύ εἰσιν ἀσυνετούντων καὶ συν ιέντων. προτρεπτικὸν δὲ εἰς τὸ συνέσεως ἐπιμελεῖσθαι· εἰ γὰρ μὴ τοῦ συνιέντος ἁρπάζεται ὁ σπόρος, σύνεσιν ἀναληπτέον καὶ καλυπτέον τὸν σπόρον ἐν τῇ γῇ, τῇ μνήμῃ, ἵνα ῥιζοβολήσῃ καὶ μὴ γυμνὸν εὑρισκόμενον ἁρπαγῇ ὑπὸ τῶν τῆς πονηρίας πνευμάτων.