The Meaning of Matthew 13:20 Explained

Matthew 13:20

KJV: But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;

YLT: 'And that sown on the rocky places, this is he who is hearing the word, and immediately with joy is receiving it,

Darby: But he that is sown on the rocky places this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy,

ASV: And he that was sown upon the rocky places, this is he that heareth the word, and straightway with joy receiveth it;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But  he that received the seed  into  stony places,  the same  is  he that heareth  the word,  and  anon  with  joy  receiveth  it; 

What does Matthew 13:20 Mean?

Context Summary

Matthew 13:10-23 - Teaching For The Teachable
Jesus defended His use of parables. He said that He carefully avoided stating the truths of the Kingdom too plainly, so as not to increase the condemnation of those who could not or would not accept them. But where the disciples cared to penetrate below the husk of the story or parable, they would reach the kernel of heavenly significance. It is given to meek and teachable hearts to know the secrets of God. Let us draw near to the great teacher, the Holy Spirit, asking Him to make us know the kernel and heart of the Word of God. See 1 Corinthians 2:6, etc.
Note these points in our Lord's explanation of His parable: (1.) Beware of the evil one, who comes surreptitiously as soon as the sermon is over. (2.) The joy of the young convert must be distinguished from that of the superficial hearer. It is joy in Christ, rather than in the novelty and beauty of the words about Christ. (3.) Expect tribulation where the gospel is faithfully proclaimed. (4.) The cares of poverty hinder as well as the riches of wealth. [source]

Chapter Summary: Matthew 13

1  The parable of the sower and the seed;
18  the explanation of it
24  The parable of the weeds;
31  of the mustard seed;
33  of the leaven;
36  explanation of the parable of the weeds
44  The parable of the hidden treasure;
45  of the pearl;
47  of the drag net cast into the sea
53  Jesus is a prophet without honor in his own country

What do the individual words in Matthew 13:20 mean?

That which now upon the rocky places having been sown this is the [one] the word hearing and immediately with joy receiving it
δὲ ἐπὶ τὰ πετρώδη σπαρείς οὗτός ἐστιν τὸν λόγον ἀκούων καὶ εὐθὺς μετὰ χαρᾶς λαμβάνων αὐτόν

  That  which 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
δὲ  now 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
ἐπὶ  upon 
Parse: Preposition
Root: ἐπί  
Sense: upon, on, at, by, before.
πετρώδη  rocky  places 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: πετρώδης  
Sense: rocky, stony.
σπαρείς  having  been  sown 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Passive, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ἐπισπείρω 
Sense: to sow, scatter, seed.
οὗτός  this 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: οὗτος  
Sense: this.
  the  [one] 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
λόγον  word 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: λόγος  
Sense: of speech.
ἀκούων  hearing 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ἀκουστός 
Sense: to be endowed with the faculty of hearing, not deaf.
εὐθὺς  immediately 
Parse: Adverb
Root: εὐθέως  
Sense: straightway, immediately, forthwith.
χαρᾶς  joy 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: χαρά  
Sense: joy, gladness.
λαμβάνων  receiving 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: λαμβάνω  
Sense: to take.