The Seed Among Thorns
In a world overwhelmed by distractions, deadlines, debt, and the constant pursuit of “more,” it’s easy to lose sight of what truly matters. Many people begin their walk with Christ full of passion and purpose but only to find, over time, that their spiritual fire has dimmed.
Why does this happen?
What chokes spiritual growth?
Why do some Christians remain fruitless despite hearing the Word of God?
In this Bible study of Matthew 13:22, we dive deep into one of the most sobering truths Jesus shared in the Parable of the Sower — the seed that fell among thorns.
📖 Matthew 13:22
“He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.”
This single verse holds powerful spiritual insight into how the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches can slowly and silently suffocate the life of faith.
Jesus paints a vivid picture of a heart that receives truth, yet never bears fruit because it’s entangled in worldly weeds.
If you've ever wondered why you're spiritually stagnant, or why peace, purpose, and power seem just out of reach, this study is for you.
We’ll unpack this verse phrase by phrase — examining the meaning behind “the care of this world,” exposing the lies in the “deceitfulness of riches,” and uncovering how these thorns choke the Word of God.
Context: The Parable of the Sower
Matthew 13 is a chapter filled with parables, and the Parable of the Sower is foundational. Jesus describes a sower who scatters seed on different types of ground; each representing different responses to the Word of God.
👉 The seed is the Word.
👉 The soil is the heart of the hearer.
Verse 22 deals specifically with the thorny ground, which is one of four responses to the Gospel.
Phrase-by-Phrase Commentary
“He also that received seed among the thorns”
This refers to a person whose heart initially receives the Word of God but is surrounded by "thorns", which is symbolic of worldly distractions.
Thorns grow alongside the good seed, not initially preventing growth but eventually overwhelming it.
This tells us the problem isn’t outright rejection of the Word.
It’s competition from worldly influences.
“is he that heareth the word”
Notice: he hears the Word. The problem is not ignorance or lack of exposure to truth. He hears, likely understands to some degree, and perhaps even responds emotionally or intellectually. But hearing is not enough.
James 1:22 warns, “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.”
“and the care of this world”
This phrase refers to anxieties, distractions, and responsibilities that dominate the mind and heart. “Care” comes from the Greek word merimna, meaning anxiety, worry, or distraction.
Jesus warns elsewhere in Matthew 6:25, “Take no thought for your life…”, and in verse 33 of that chapter, He tells us to “seek ye first the kingdom of God…”
Worldly care becomes a choking force, not necessarily sinful in and of itself, but because it distracts from God and competes for our loyalty.
“and the deceitfulness of riches”
The second threat is riches, not just possession of wealth, but its deceitfulness. Riches are deceptive because they promise security, identity, and satisfaction apart from God.
1 Timothy 6:9-10 warns of this:
9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
Riches deceive by convincing a person that their need for God is reduced, or that spiritual fruit is optional if worldly success is achieved.
“choke the word”
The imagery is powerful: the good seed grows, but the thorns (worldly care and wealth) wrap around it and suffocate it. The life-giving power of the Word is neutralized by what surrounds it.
This isn’t about sudden rebellion or outright rejection.
It's a slow death of spiritual vitality.
The heart gets crowded, and the Word is edged out.
“and he becometh unfruitful”
⚠️ The end result is a life with no spiritual fruit. Galatians 5 describes the fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, etc.) but this person has none.
His life may be full of activity, even religion, but no real evidence of transformation.
In John 15:2, Jesus warns, “Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away…” A sobering reminder: fruitfulness is not optional for the true believer.
📖 John 15:2
"Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit."
Theological Implications
- Salvation and Fruit: This verse does not necessarily speak of salvation lost, but it does reveal a spiritual condition where no lasting change occurs. The person is ultimately unchanged, unconverted, or perhaps self-deceived.
- Divided Heart: Jesus said in Matthew 6:24, “Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” The thorny ground shows what happens when someone tries to serve both.
- Spiritual Warfare: This verse underscores the subtlety of Satan’s tactics. He doesn’t need to convince people to hate God. The enemy just convinces people to love "other things" more.
Practical Application
- Self-Examination
Ask: What thorns are growing in my life? Am I giving more mental space to worry, career, money, or entertainment than I do to God’s Word? - Simplifying Life for Fruitfulness
Hebrews 12:1 speaks of laying aside “every weight” that hinders us. Not every thorn is a sin, but some are just distractions that make us spiritually barren. - Stewardship of Riches and Responsibility
We must view wealth and worldly responsibility as tools, not masters. When these things define us, they choke us. - Abiding in Christ
John 15 reminds us that only by abiding in Jesus can we bear fruit. The thorny heart is not abiding in Truth, but rather, it is tangled in other loves.
Summary
Matthew 13:22 is a sober warning about the spiritual dangers of divided loyalty. The Word of God, though powerful, must be received in a heart that is cleared of competing affections.
Jesus doesn’t just want to be heard.
He wants to be your Lord.
Yet, in contrast, Matthew 13:23 brings a message of great hope. It reveals that when the Word falls on good ground (an honest and yielded heart) it brings forth fruit, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
👉 This is the life God desires for you: not one entangled by thorns, but one that overflows with lasting, spiritual fruit.
The choice between thorns and fruitfulness is not made once, but daily.
Let the Word of God take root deeply and flourish fully.
🙏 Prayer: Lord, Make My Heart Good Ground
Dear Heavenly Father,
I come before You with a heart that is often distracted, often divided, and too easily pulled by the worries of this world. You know me, Lord. You see the thorns I’ve allowed to grow, the anxieties I’ve carried, desires I’ve chased, and affections I’ve placed in things that do not last.
Please forgive me, Lord, for the times I have heard Your Word but failed to guard it, failed to treasure it, and failed to live it.
Jesus, I don’t want to live a fruitless life. I don’t want to be choked by the cares of this world or blinded by the deceitfulness of riches. I want to bear lots of fruit, and lasting fruit, and eternal fruit for Your glory. So I ask You now: please search my heart. Uproot every thorn. Expose what hinders growth. Cut away anything that competes with You.
Please make my heart good ground, Lord.
Soft, surrendered, and ready.
Please let Your Word take deep root in me. Let it grow, stretch, convict, heal, and transform me from the inside out. Cultivate in me the kind of life that multiplies thirtyfold, sixtyfold, or even a hundredfold for Your kingdom.
I don't want to just hear You.
I want to follow You.
I want to love You more than comfort, more than success, more than the approval of man. You are my Savior, my Lord, my treasure, my first love.
Thank You for Your patience with me.
Thank You for never giving up on hard or thorny hearts.
Today, I lay mine before You. Please have Your way in my life.
In Jesus’ holy and powerful name,
Amen.