Jesus explained that the parable about the kinds of soil illustrates four different ways people respond to his teaching.

Matthew 13:18-23

18 “Since God wants you to understand what I am teaching you, listen as I explain the parable about the man who sowed seeds in various kinds of soil. 19 The people who hear about how God rules over people’s lives and do not understand what they have heard are like the path where some of the seeds fell. Satan, the Evil One, comes and causes these people to forget [MET] what they have heard [MET]. 20 Some people are like the shallow soil on top of rock. When they hear God’s message, they immediately accept it joyfully. 21 But because it does not penetrate deeply into their inner beings, they believe it for only a short time. They are like the plants that did not have deep roots. When they are treated badly and caused to suffer because they believe God’s message, they soon stop believing it. 22 Some people are like the soil that had the roots of thorny weeds in it. They hear God’s message, but they desire to be rich, so they worry only about [MTY, PRS] material things. As a result, they [PRS] forget God’s message, and they do not do [IDM] the things that God wants them to do. 23 But some people are like the good soil where some of the seeds fell. Just like the plants that grew in this soil produced a lot of grain, these people hear my message and understand it. Some of them do many things [IDM] that please God, some do even more things that please God, and some do very many things that please God.”