“Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.”
Matthew 13:21 — Greek Interlinear
Church Fathers on Matthew 13:21
He had said above, that it was not given to 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.'
It is certain that the Lord spoke the things which the Evangelist has recorded; but what the Lord spake was a parable, in which it is never required that the things contained should have actually taken place.
In these words the Lord explains what the seed is, to wit, the word of the kingdom, that is of the Gospel teaching. For there are some that receive the word of the Lord with no devotion of heart, and so that seed of God’s word which is sown in their heart, is by demons straightway carried off, as it were the seed dropped by the way side. It follows, 'That which is sown upon the rock, is he that heareth the word, &c.' For the seed or word of God, which is sown in the rock,…