Fathers

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What the Fathers say

Matthew 13:18

Eastern Fathers

John Chrysostom

"Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower," saith He; and He speaks what we before mentioned, of carelessness and attention, of cowardice and fortitude, of wealth and voluntary poverty; pointing out the hurt from the one, and the benefit from the other.

Homily on the Gospel of Matthew 45 ↗

Theophylact of Ohrid

He urges us to understand what is spoken by those who teach, lest we too be like those who are "by the way side." For it may be said, since Christ is the way, those who are outside of Christ are by the way side. For they are not in the way, but outside of the way.

Commentary on Matthew ↗

Western Saints

Jerome

Everyone who hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it. By saying this beforehand, he exhorts us to listen more attentively to what is being said. He comes, the wicked one, and snatches away what was sown in his heart; this is the one who was sown along the path. …

Commentary on Matthew ↗

Thomas Aquinas

Hear you therefore the parable of the sower etc. Here the exposition is set down. And first he concludes that they were worthy; secondly, he expounds. He says therefore, hear you therefore etc., because you are worthy to hear, and not only to hear, but to hear through me; Proverbs 1:5: the wise man hearing will be wiser.

Commentary on Matthew ↗

Glossa Ordinaria

He had said above, that it was not given to the Jews to know the kingdom of God, but to the Apostles, and therefore He now concludes, saying, Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower, ye to whom are committed the mysteries of heaven.

Catena Aurea by Aquinas ↗