The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1889-02-02
PARABLE OF THE SOWER.
LESSON V, FIRST QUARTER, IN
TERNATlONAL SERIES, FEB. 8

Text of the Lesson. Mark iv, 10-eO-Com-
NIT Verse 2o--Golden Text. Mark iv.
:3-Commen;ary by tho Rev. ID. NJ
Stcarns.
Compiled from Lesson Helper Quarterly, by per.
mission of Ill. 5. Hoffman, publisher, Philade-
phia.
Jesus had at this time been well through
the land and his fame had spread abroad
everywhere. He lad been III ell the cities
and villages teaching in their synago@ues,
and preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom
and healing every sickness and every disease
Matt. tx, 80; He had ordained the twelve
and sent them forth to heal the sick and
preach that the kingdom of Heaven was at
hand Matt. x, l-8); He had proclaimed by
words AID 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 townSnen Of Nazareth seek His life
and the Pharisees held n council against
Him, how they might destroy Him duke iv,
%; Matt. xii, IA.
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
multtudes in parallels as 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 Il dis
ciplcs, they ask him the meaning of this par
able
IL Unto you it is given to know the mys
terry of the kingdom of God" Row the
kingdom as revealed to David and the
,h.to .I.;.
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-
Joiclng IN Messiah, their king, and all ma
tons 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 was tho promised Son of David
to sit on David's throne and reign over the
house of Jacob forever luke i, -, 33l. 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
ing all things of which the prophets had
SiPohtil, lilslI W tDlllc second
time for this restoration; that Genties
should for time be put on 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 We're things kept secret from the foun-
dation of the world Matt. xiii. So these are
some of the mysteries of the kingdom con-
tanned i'll these parallels, and referred to SO
often i'll the epistles (Eph. j, ., 10; iii, 80;
v, 50; Rom. xi, 25; ii Thess ii, :, s; Rev.
xviii 5; Y, Z; l Cor. XIV, 81, etc.
Il. Unto them that are without, all these
things are done in parallels, that seeing they
may see and nst perceive; -" II they
persist i'll remaining w thout, 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 a parable
is like the shell Of nut which keeps the sweet
meat within for the diligent, but from the
INDECENT who are too slotlful TO diligently
seek it.
-. "Anown yc not this parallel How
then will ye know all parabIesr lie seems
to wonder at their dullncss in ret readily see
ing the meaning of this first and, perhaps,
most simple Of all parallels.
Ii. The sower Sowcth the Word" and
Tho Seed is the Word of God" luke VIII
H. 1t is incorruptable seed which causes
the one who receives it into his heart to be
born again. Il Peter, i, 23 It is the seed
which abiding III the bclicvcr keeps him
from SHINING against God. Il John iii, 9;
Ps. cxix, IL 1t is mamma from Heaven
to be gathered every morning and eaten
often every day. tJghn VII 1t is milk
for babes and strong meat for those of
full age. QIcb. V, l4-l4) 1t is rs FIRE
and hammer tJcr, xiii, 29); it is the
sword of the Spirit. tEph. vi ~ 1t is the
Joy and rejoicing of the believers heart,
sweeter than honey, better than thousands
of gold or silver. Ger. Ky, Is; Ps. elk, -,
1857
10. "Aud these are they by the waysido,
where the word is sown." We find that the
seed falls on four different kinds Of ground,
i'll each case with a different result. The
grounl represents to us the human heart,
aud it must be the heart Of one who has heard
tae 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, il some
way, hear the glad tidinSs 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
this is not the intention of the sower,
for it is only tho entrance of the
Word that giveth light. (ps. cxix, 1907
lG. These are they likewise which are
sown on stony ground" Here is joyful
hearing and receiving Of the Word; not only
churchgoers, but attentive and appreciatiye
listeners, who ca;I tell good sermon when
they hear it, and enjoy the truth to a certain
extent.
II. Have no root, cn lure but
for a time" The work is not thorough, but
too much on the surface; there Is 10 depth to
them; they are too emotional. They make
Guo squirt for a while and seem to go ahead
of many; are often received into the church
with great rcjoicings and pointed out as
wonderful trophies Of the Grace Of Cod
| They themselves wonder at the moro quiet
demcanor of others, and arc astonished that
tho whole church Is not Jealous as they arc;
they would put real LIE into all the services
and lift all Christians up to their proper
plane. 1t is really inspiring to hear them;
would to God that they might continue
"N hen aflictioa or persecution ariseth for
tho worlds sake, immediately they arc Of
Tended" The race is not to the swift nor
the battle to the strong" (Eccl. TX, ~. They
had not been tried, and now, when tried, they
can't stand it, for in time of temptation or
trial they fall away. They thought it would
| be all sunshine but it has proved different;
they could not stand Gre; their eyes were not
Oh the Master.
Is, 10. ''Sown among thorns the
cares Of this world, the deceitfrlncss Of
riches and the lasts of OF or things choaethe
word, aud it becOmeth unfrutful." Luxe
says they bring no fruit to perfection These
also seem to be members CT the visible
church and 10 have made a profession OF
faith in Christ, for fruit is cx pected from
them, but ii is not found.
20. 'Sown Oh good ground, hear,
receive, bring forth fruit, thirty, sixty, tn
hundred fold" Luko says that this soil rep
reSents an honest and good heart wnicn hears
the word, KEGS it, AID brings forth 1rui5
with patience