A Functional Definition of "Good Soil"

In the parable of the sower, Jesus mentions four different kinds of circumstances in which an individual hears the word of God. The best condition involves “good soil,” which provides the resources necessary to prevent external factors from interfering with the spiritual growth made possible by God’s word. Though Jesus does not say what this good soil is, the parable’s context enables us to discern its function: It enables disciples to benefit from the word without being hindered by the world, the flesh, or the devil (which seem to be what Jesus has in mind in the other three cases).