4:20
Finally we get good news! There is good soil, and when this receives the word it accepts the word, grows and is abundantly fruitful. All these four examples indicate that the state of our heart is crucial. This is why Prov 4:23 tells us to “guard our hearts with all diligence”, for it is the wellspring of life. We need to watch and nurture our hearts. Now all this might seem to indicate that how responsive we are to the gospel is determined by the condition of our hearts, rather than the grace of God. It seems to me that we often pose a false dichotomy between the grace and sovereignty of God, and our responsibility. The Bible seems to have no such problem.
4:21
Jesus now introduces an analogy. If you have a lamp the one thing you definitely do not do with it is put it under a bowl (or under a bushel, as in KJV) or bed. The whole purpose is to put it on a stand, to make it visible so that its light can shine, and bring light to its surroundings.
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