在祂为着建立诸天之国所作的初步工作中，主耶稣来作撒种的人。种子是甚么？种子是国度的道。
有的种子落在路旁，路旁就是路边的地，给路上的交通弄硬了，使种子难以落进去。这种路旁，象征有的心为属世的交通往来所硬化，无法敞开以领悟、领略国度的道。飞鸟象征撒但那恶者，他来把撒在硬心里国度的道夺了去。
有的落在土浅石头地上，象征有的心接受国度的道是肤浅的，因为深处有石头，就是隐藏的罪、个人的欲望、自私和自怜，阻挠种子在心的深处扎根。日头及其炙热象征患难或逼迫。苗只要深深的扎根，日头的热就使庄稼长大并成熟。但由于苗扎根不深，日头的热，反成了致命的打击。
有的落在荆棘里，荆棘象征今世的思虑和钱财的迷惑。这荆棘把道全然挤住了，使道不能在心里长大并结实。
有的落在好土里，好土象征好的心，没有为属世的交通往来所硬化，没有隐藏的罪，也没有今世的思虑和钱财的迷惑。这样的心让出每一寸的地土，接受主的话，使主的话可以长大，结出果实。
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The Preliminary Work for the Kingdom — Sowing the Seeds – Matt. 13:3
In his preliminary work for the establishment of the kingdom of the heavens, the Lord Jesus came as a sower. What is this seed? It is the word of the kingdom.
Some seeds fell beside the way. Beside the way is the place close to the way. Because it is hardened by the traffic of the way, it is difficult for the seeds to penetrate it. This kind of wayside signifies the heart that is hardened by the worldly traffic and is not open to understand, to comprehend, the word of the kingdom. The birds signify the evil one, Satan, who came and snatched away the word of the kingdom sown in the hardened heart.
Some seeds fell on the rocky places, signifying the heart that is shallow in receiving the word of the kingdom, because deep within are rocks – hidden sins, personal desires, self-seeking and self-pity – which frustrate the seed from gaining root in the depth of the heart. The sun with its scorching heat signifies affliction or persecution. The heat of the sun is for the growth and ripening of the crop once the seed is deeply rooted. But due to the seed’s lack of root, the sun’s growing and ripening heat becomes a death blow to the seed.
Some seeds fell on the thorns. Thorns signify the anxiety of the age and the deceitfulness of riches, which choke the word from growing in the heart and cause it to become unfruitful.
Some seeds fell on the good earth. The good earth signifies the good heart that is not hardened by worldly traffic, that is without hidden sins, without the anxiety of the age and the deceitfulness of riches. Such a heart gives every inch of its ground to receive the word that the word may grow and bear fruit.