The Gospel Sower The parable of the gospel sower, which Christ presented before His hearers, contains a lesson that we should study. Those who preach present truth and scatter the good seed will realize the same results as the gospel sower. All classes will be affected more or less by the presentation of pointed and convincing truth. Some will be wayside hearers. They will be affected by the truths spoken; but they have not cultivated the moral powers, they have followed inclination rather than duty, and evil habits have hardened their hearts until they have become like the hard, beaten road. These may profess to believe the truth; but they will have no just sense of its sacred, elevated character. They do not separate from the friendship of the lovers of pleasure and corrupt society; but they place themselves where they are constantly tempted, and may well be represented by the unfenced field. They invite the temptations of the enemy and finally lose the regard they seemed to have for…
"And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;"
EGW explicitly refers to and explains the parable of the sower, directly referencing Matthew 13:3.
"A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it."
EGW directly references and explains the parable of the sower, specifically the seed falling by the wayside. The connection is clear and intentional.
"that they may bring forth fruit unto perfection, their zeal dies, their voices are silent. No longer do they boast in the strength and power of truth. 3T 111.2"
"But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; 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."
The EGW quote speaks of zeal dying and voices becoming silent, which aligns with the Matthew passage about those who receive the word with joy but fall away when tribulation arises. Both passages describe a lack of sustained commitment.
"They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away."
Similar to the previous pair, this EGW quote aligns with Luke 8:13, which describes those who believe for a while but fall away in time of temptation. The themes of initial enthusiasm followed by a decline in faith are present in both.