When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.
Ver. 19. The word of the kingdom] So called, because it points to and paints out the way to the kingdom, and is therefore also called "The word of life, the power of God to salvation:" heaven is potentially in it, as the harvest is in the seed, as above I noted.
And understandeth it not] Considereth it not, as the Syriac here hath it, using the same word that David doth, Psalms 41:1; "Blessed is the man that wisely considereth the poor and needy." Consideration sets on the word when it hath been heard (which else lies loose, and is driven away as chaff before the wind), maketh it to become an ingrafted word (λογος εμφυτος, Jam 1:21), as the scions grafted into the stock, or as a tree rooted by the river's side, that removes not.
Then cometh the wicked one] The troubler of Israel, the master of misrule (ο πονηρος); he is one at church, whosoever is the other. A Doeg, a devil may set his foot as far within the sanctuary as a David. The sons of God cannot present themselves before the Lord but Satan comes also among them to do ill offices,Job 1:6 .
And catcheth away that which was sown in his heart] That is, upon his heart (εν τη καρδια, pro επι τη καρδια); for into his heart the seed never came, because the devil had made a pathway over it. People are now so sermon trodden many of them, that their hearts, like footpaths, grow hard by the word, which takes no more impression than rain doth upon a rock: they have brawny breasts, horny heart-strings, dead and dedolent dispositions. Hence they become a prey to the devil, as Abraham's sacrifice would have been to the fowls of the air, had he not huffed them away, Genesis 15:11 .