Then there are the thorns which Jesus says are the wealth and cares of the world. Providing for your family, working, spending, the economy, getting more stuff, getting the stuff paid for and so on are all part of the tension of living in this world while being a proper steward of our blessings. And then there are the more serious distractions like addictions, lust, hate, and so forth that quickly choke out the abundant life of God’s ways.
Again like in the previous ground, Jesus is new and exciting but doesn’t last. While there is great potential in the soil that is filled with rock, we don’t take time to get rid of the weeds. Especially in a vineyard, thorny vines can have a devastating effect on the grapevine. Not only can it choke out the vine if left unattended, if the vine survives, the fruit can be tainted in flavor if the grape vine is even healthy enough to bear fruit.