"had no root" and "withered away"
"had no root" and "withered away" ["had_no_root"_and_"withered_away" ∞]
Matthew's phrase "had no root" and "withered away" (Matt. 13:6, 21) specifically relates to Israel in the wilderness in ways that are unique to their experience.
1. "Had No Root" – Israel’s Lack of Depth in Covenant Relationship
In the wilderness, Israel lacked deep, lasting faith in God’s word, making them like the rocky soil in the Parable of the Sower:
- Superficial Agreement with God – At Sinai, Israel said, “All that the LORD has spoken we will do” (Exod. 19:8), but their commitment was shallow.
- No Root in God's Promises – Instead of trusting God's covenant, they constantly doubted:
- They feared hunger (Exod. 16:3) despite seeing manna from heaven.
- They feared thirst (Exod. 17:2-3) despite water from the rock.
- They feared the giants in Canaan (Num. 13:31-33) despite God’s promise to give them the land.
- Root in Egypt Instead of God – When faced with difficulty, they longed to return to Egypt:
- “Would that we had died in Egypt!” (Num. 14:2-4).
- Their past life in slavery had more influence on them than God's word.
This lack of root in faith led to their downfall.
2. "Withered Away" – Israel’s Death in the Wilderness
The withering in Matthew 13:6 happens because the plant cannot endure the heat. This parallels Israel’s death in the wilderness when faced with testing:
- The "Scorching Sun" as Trials –
- They were tested by hunger and thirst but failed (Exod. 16-17).
- They were tested by delay (when Moses was on Sinai) but turned to idolatry (Exod. 32).
- They were tested by fear (the spies’ report) and rejected the Promised Land (Num. 14).
- The "Withering" as Their Judgment –
- The entire generation died in the wilderness for their lack of faith (Num. 14:22-23).
- Their bodies fell in the desert, never entering God's rest (Heb. 3:17-19).
Unlike a plant with deep roots, which survives the heat, they dried up spiritually and perished.
3. What Is Distinctive to Israel?
While anyone can struggle with faith, Israel’s wilderness experience is unique in that:
- They Had the Covenant but Lacked Commitment – They had God’s presence, miracles, and direct revelation, but still doubted.
- They Were Meant to Be the Rooted People – God chose them to be a planting of the Lord (Isa. 60:21), but they had no deep root in Him.
- They Were the "First Soil" Before Christ – The wilderness generation was the first group tested with God's word in a national covenant, but they withered.
- They Were Replaced by a Rooted Generation – The next generation, led by Joshua, entered the Promised Land because they trusted God’s word (Josh. 1:7-9).
4. Christ as the True Root
Where Israel failed to root themselves in God, Christ succeeded:
- He endured 40 days in the wilderness, trusting God fully (Matt. 4:1-11).
- He called Himself the True Vine, so that those who abide in Him will not wither (John 15:5-6).
- Unlike Israel, He went through trial, heat, and suffering but remained faithful to the end (Heb. 2:10).
Conclusion
Israel in the wilderness had no root because they did not deeply trust God's promises, and they withered away in judgment under the heat of testing. Christ, the True Israel, endured the wilderness successfully, so that those who are rooted in Him will never wither but have eternal life (Ps. 1:3, John 15:5-8).
