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.
Ver. 22. He that received the seed among thorns] So the love of money is called, because it chokes the word, pricks the conscience, harbours vermin lusts. Magna cognatio, ut rei sic nominis divitiis et vitiis. Let rich men look to it, saith Gregory, that they handle their thorns without pricking their fingers; that while they load themselves with earth, they lose not heaven, as Shimei, seeking his servants, lost himself. a "Set not thy heart upon the asses" (said Samuel to Saul), since "to thee is the desire of all Israel." Set not your hearts, say I, on this world's trash, since better things abide you. Martha was troubled about many things, but neglected that one thing necessary, to sit, as her sister did, at Christ's feet, and hear his word. This Christ checks her for.
And the deceitfulness of riches] The world is a subtle, sly enemy, that doth easily insinuate and dangerously deceive. We may safely say of it, as he sometimes did of a historian, Both its words and shows are full of fraud. b As the panther hides his deformed head, till the sweet scent have drawn other beasts into his danger; so deals the world, alluring men by the deceitfulness of riches, and masking the monstrous and deformed head, the end thereof, under the gilded show of good husbandry, or disguised shape of sin. In a word, these outward things, howsoever as hosts they welcome us into our inn with smiling countenance, yet, unless we look better to them, they will cut our throats in our beds.
And he becometh unfruitful] Because the thorns over shadow the grain; whereas the good ground, though it hath many thorns, yet the grain ascends above them: grace is superior to corruption, the fruit springs up and increaseth, as St Mark Mar 4:8 hath it. These thorny ground hearers, though they stood out persecution, and shrank not in the wetting, as the stony ground did, yet, because the plough had not gone so low as to break up the roots, whereby their hearts were fastened to earthly contents, they proved also unfruitful. See how far a man may go, and yet be never the nearer after all. The stony and thorny ground were nearer to the nature of the good ground, than that of the highway, and yet fell short of heaven.
a Dum peritura paras per male parta peris. Viderint divites quomodo spinas sine panctione contrecteat.
b Δολερα μεν τα σχηματα, δολερα δε τα ρηματα. Plut. de Herodot.