Jesus explained that the story represented different ways people respond to his teaching.

Luke 8:9-15

9 Jesus’ disciples later asked him about the meaning of the parable he had just told. 10 He said, “God is revealing to you what he did not reveal before, about how he wants to rule [MET] over people’s lives. But when I am telling other people about these things, I tell them only in parables. The result will be like a prophet predicted long ago:

They will see what I am doing, but will not perceive what it means. They will hear what I am saying, but will not understand it.

11 So this is the meaning of that parable: The seeds represent God’s message. 12 Some people are like the path on which some of the seeds fell. When these people hear God’s message, the devil comes and causes them to forget what they have heard. As a result, they do not believe it, and will not be saved {God will not save them}. 13 Some people are like the soil with rock underneath. When they hear God’s message, they accept it joyfully. But because it does not penetrate deeply [MET] into their inner beings, they believe it for only a short time. They are like the plants that did not have deep roots. When difficult things happen to them, they stop believing God’s message. 14 Some people are like the soil that had roots of thorny weeds in it. They are people who accept God’s message, but later on they worry about things, and try to become rich, and enjoy things that give them a lot of pleasure. So they do not become spiritually mature. 15 But some people are like the good soil. They hear God’s message and accept it. They become good, honest people, and they continue doing things that please God [MET].”