ἄλλα δὲ ἔπεσεν ἐπὶ τὰ πετρώδη ὅπου οὐκ εἶχε γῆν πολλήν, καὶ εὐθέως ἐξανέτειλε διὰ τὸ μὴ ἔχειν βάθος γῆς.
In the parable of the sower, recorded in Matthew 13:5, Jesus uses the familiar imagery of ancient agriculture to reveal profound spiritual realities. This is not merely a lesson about farming—it is a mirror held up to the human heart, exposing how it receives or rejects the Word of the Kingdom.
In this verse, we encounter the second type of soil—the rocky ground:
ἄλλα δὲ ἔπεσεν ἐπὶ τὰ πετρώδη ὅπου οὐκ εἶχε γῆν πολλήν, καὶ εὐθέως ἐξανέτειλε διὰ τὸ μὴ ἔχειν βάθος γῆς.
“Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where there was not much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil.” This brief description captures a fleeting moment of spiritual vitality—initial growth without lasting fruit. Our focus will be on how aspectual variation between the aorist indicative (ἔπεσεν, ἐξανέτειλε) and the present infinitive (μὴ ἔχειν) creates a grammatical tension that mirrors the theological reality of temporary faith—growth that begins but does not endure.
Morphological Breakdown of Key Terms
| Word | Root | Form | Literal Translation | Grammatical Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἔπεσεν | πίπτω | Aorist indicative, active, third person singular | “Fell” | Denotes a completed action in the past |
| ἐξανέτειλε | ἀνατέλλω | Aorist indicative, active, third person singular | “Sprang up” | Indicates sudden, visible growth |
| ἔχειν | ἔχω | Present infinitive, active | “To have” | Used with negation to express ongoing lack |
| πολλήν | πολύς | Adjective, feminine accusative singular | “Much”, “A lot” | Modifies γῆν (“earth”) |
| εὐθέως | εὐθύς | Adverb | “Immediately”, “Quickly” | Emphasizes rapidity of growth |
The Aorist Indicative: Sudden Growth Without Depth
The two main actions in this verse are expressed by aorist indicative verbs:
ἔπεσεν (“fell”) and ἐξανέτειλε (“sprang up”)
These verbs mark completed events in the narrative sequence, giving them a kind of dramatic definiteness. The seed falls, then sprouts—each a decisive moment in the life of the plant.
Yet these aorists do not indicate permanence. They describe what happened, not what endured. The immediacy of the result is captured by the adverb εὐθέως (“immediately”), which intensifies the speed of the growth but also subtly foreshadows its fragility.
The Present Infinitive: Ongoing Lack That Thwarts Growth
The explanation for the failure of the plant is given in a clause introduced by διὰ τὸ (“because of”), followed by a present infinitive:
διὰ τὸ μὴ ἔχειν βάθος γῆς
“Because it did not have deepness of earth.” Here, the infinitive ἔχειν is present tense, indicating an ongoing state of deficiency. Unlike the aorist verbs that describe punctiliar actions (falling, growing), the present infinitive describes a condition that persists—lack of depth in the soil.
- μὴ ἔχειν: Negative + present infinitive = continuous absence of something essential.
- βάθος γῆς: “Depth of earth” – metaphorically represents spiritual root, perseverance, or endurance.
This contrast is crucial: the plant may grow quickly, but it lacks the enduring substance to sustain life. The grammar mirrors the theology: initial response to the word can appear vibrant, even promising—but without inward depth, it cannot last.
The Weight of a Tense
What makes Matthew 13:5 so powerful is not only its imagery, but its grammar. The aorist verbs capture the fleeting nature of superficial faith—quick growth, quick collapse. But the present infinitive reveals the deeper issue: a persistent lack of spiritual depth.
Just as the plant never truly took root, so too the heart that hears the word but fails to internalize it. There is joy, there is enthusiasm—but no staying power. And when the sun of testing rises, the shallow roots shrivel, and the plant dies.
Let us hear this parable not as a distant allegory, but as a mirror. For in the grammar of growth and lack, we see ourselves: the danger of immediate response without enduring root, the peril of outward profession without inward transformation.
And in the rhythm of the tenses, we are reminded: true faith is not merely a beginning—it is a rooting. It grows slowly, deeply, hidden beneath the surface—and only then does it bear lasting fruit.
