Luke 8:6

6 Others were planted on rocky soil. When the plants came up, they withered because they had no moisture.

Luke 8:6 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 8:6

And some fell upon a rock
Which the other evangelists call "stony places", and "stony ground"; by which are meant such hearers whose hearts are, hardened through the deceitfulness of sin, and continue so notwithstanding the preaching of the word unto them.

And as soon as it sprung up;
as it did immediately, as the other evangelists say; and that for this reason, which they give, "because it had no depth of earth"; only a small crust, or shell of earth over the rock; and signifies, that these hearers had only a superficial knowledge of the word, and hastily made a profession of it, which soon came to nothing:

it withered away, because it lacked moisture;
the other evangelists say, "when the sun was up, it was scorched"; meaning tribulation and persecution, the grace of God being wanting to support under fiery trials: the reason given in Matthew and Mark why it withered, is,

because it had no root;
and so read the Persic and Ethiopic versions here.

Luke 8:6 In-Context

4 When a large crowd had gathered and people had come to Jesus from every city, he used this story as an illustration:

5 "A farmer went to plant his seeds. Some seeds were planted along the road, were trampled, and were devoured by birds.

6 Others were planted on rocky soil. When the plants came up, they withered because they had no moisture.

7 Others were planted among thornbushes. The thornbushes grew up with them and choked them.

8 Others were planted on good ground. When they came up, they produced a hundred times as much as was planted." After he had said this, he called out, "Let the person who has ears listen!"