Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1889-02-01
PARABLE OF THE SOWER.
LESSON v, FIRST QUARTER, IN
TERNATlONAL SERIES, FEB. 8

Text of the Lesson, Mark Nv, 1O-20-Com-
init Verse aO-Golden Text, Mark ~,
23-Commentary by the Rev. ID. NJ
stearns.
Compiled from Lesson Helper Quarterly, by per-
mission of Ii. s. Hoffman, publisher Phiadel-
phia.]
Jesus had at this time been well through
the land and his fame had spread abroad
everywhere He had been in all the cities
and villages teaching in their synagogues,
and preaching the Gospel of the kingdom,
and healing every sickness and every disease
Matt tx, 35; He had ordained the twelve
and sent them forth to heal the sick and
preach that the kingdom of Heaven was at
hand Matt. Z, 1-s); He had proclaimed by
words and deeds that He was the anointed
One Of God foretold by the prophets, Israel's
Messiah, the Servant Of Jehovah, Jehovah
Himself; but they would not receive Him,
His own townsmen of Nazareth seek His life
and the Pharisees held a council against
Him, how they might destroy Him luke iv,
90; Matt. xii, A.
| 10. And when He was alone, they that
were about Him with the twelve asked Of
Him the parable" Sitting in a boat on the
sea Of Galilee, He had been teaching the
multitudes in parallels they stood on the
shore He had spoken the parallels of the
sower, the wheat and tares, the mustard seed
and the leaven, AMI then sending the multi
tude away He went into the house Matt.
xiii, l-3G) and now, being alone with His dis
ciples, they ask him the meaning Of this par
able
IL Unto you it is given to know the mys-
terry of the kingdom Of Godn Now the
kingdom as revealed to David and the
prophets was no mystery, but fact plainly
stated over and over again, that a son Of
David should sit on David's throne the
Throne of the Lord at jerusalem reigning in
Righteousness over the twelve tribes of Israel,
the whole nation knowing the Lord and re-
joicing in Messiah, their king, and all ma
tions Of the earth looking to them, blessed
through them and sending or going up from
year to year to worship the Lord of Hosts at
Jerusalem; these and many similar state
ments were not mysteries, but simple truths
plainly stated. Neither was it mystery,
but the plain statement of Gabriel to Mary
that her son was the promised Son of David
to sit on Davids throne and reign over the
house of Jacob forever luke i, 49, 33). But
that the Messiah should come and the king
dom not come; that He should die and rise
again and return to Heaven without restor
!
spoken; that He should have to come a second
time for this restoration; that Gentiles
should for a time be put on a level with Jews,
and people gathered out of all nations for
His name; what would be the condition of
things on earth during this gathering out"
process between His going away and return;
these were things kept secret from the foun-
dalton Of the world Matt. xiii, So; these are
some of the mysteries of the kingdom con-
tanned in these parallels, and referred to so
often in the epistles. (Eph. i, 8. 10; iii, 40;
v, 81; Rom xi, 25; II Thess. ii, Z, s; Rev.
xviii 5; x, 7; Cor. XIV, 81 etc.
II. unto them that are without all these
things are done in parallels, that seeing they
may see and not perceive; -" II they
persist in remaining without, notwithstand
ing all the gracious invitations to enter in,
they can blame no one but themselves for
their blindness, and ignorance and hardness
of heart. Some one has said that parable
is like the shell of nut which keeps the sweet
meat within for the diligent, but from the
INDECENT who are too slothful To diligently
seek it,
} 13 known We not this PARALLEL How
then will We know all parallels" He seems
to wonder at their dizziness in not readily See
ing the meaning of this first and perhaps,
most simple of all parallels.
. IA. "The sower Soweth the Word" and
"The Seed is the Word of God" luke viii,
IL 1t is incorruptable seed which causes
the one who receives it into his heart to be
born again. Il Peter, i, 80. 1t is the seed
which abiding in the believer keeps him
from SHINING against God. Il John iii, o;
Ps. cxix, H. 1t is mamma from Heaven
!! to be gathered every morning and eaten
often every day John viz 1t is milk
! for babes and strong meat for those of
full age. Heb. v, l2-l4) 1t is as a fire
and hammer. Jer, xiii, 90; it is the
) sword of the Spirit (Eph. vi, H. 1t is the
, joy and rejoicing of the believers heart,
sweeter than honey, better than thousands
, OF gold or silver. Jer. XIV, Is; Ps. cxix, ~,
1857
, ~. "And these are they by the wayside,
, where the word is sown." We find that the
seed falls on four different kinds of ground,
in each case with different result The
ground represents to us the human heart,
and it must be the heart Of one who has heard
the word of God so that we might be safe in
saying that the parable refers only to church
goers or those who at some time, in some
way, hear the glad tidings of the love of God
in Christ Jesus. In these wayside hearers
the ground or the heart being SO hard the
' seed only lies on the surface; and
9 tnis is not the intention of the sower
! for it is only the entrance of the
p Word that giveth light. (Ps. cxix, 1907
It, ''These are they likewise which art
: sown ON stony ground" Here is joyful
hearing and receiving of the Word; not Only
! churcnaoers but attentive and appreciativ,
= listeners, who ca. tell a good sermon wheI
{ they hear it, and enjoy the truth to a certain
= | extent.
< IL Have no root, endure bu
Q for time The work is not thorough, bu
. too much on the surface; there is no depth Il
: them; they are too emotional They make
e fine squirt for while and seem TO 60 ahea,
e of many; are often received into the churcl
with great rejoicinSs and pointed out a
4 wonderful trophies of the Grace Of God
l They themselves wonder at the more quie
, demeanor OF Others, and are astonished tina
. the whole church is not Jealous as they are
: they would put real life into all the service
: and lift all Christians up TO their prope
y plane 1t is really inspiring TO hear them
would 10 God that they might continue