R.A. Torrey emphasizes the contrast between the traditions of the scribes and Pharisees and the true Word of God, illustrating how the Pharisees prioritized human traditions over divine commandments. He highlights that true defilement comes from the heart rather than external actions, urging believers to focus on inner purity and genuine worship. Torrey points out that the Pharisees' hypocrisy, honoring God with their lips while their hearts were far from Him, renders their worship vain. The sermon calls for a return to the authority of Scripture and a heart-centered relationship with God, rather than mere adherence to tradition.

John Nelson Darby expounds on the Parable of the Sower, illustrating the various responses to God's word based on the condition of the heart. He emphasizes that the natural heart is resistant to divine truth, likening it to hard ground where the seed cannot take root. Darby explains that without God's intervention, the seed of the word is easily snatched away by Satan or choked by worldly distractions. He concludes by affirming that true fruitfulness comes from being rooted in Christ, as God actively purges and nurtures the believer to produce abundant fruit. The sermon calls for self-examination and a desire for God's purging work in our lives.