Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1890-04-25
PARABLE OF THE SOWER.
LESSON w. SECOND oUARTc7, ~
TERNATloNAL SERIES, APRIL 27.


viii, 1s-COmmentary by the Rev. ID. VI.
stearns.
Icompiled from Lesson Helper Quarterly by per.
mission Of IL, s. Hoffman, publisher Philadel-
phia
According to the first three verses of this
chapter, after bringing joy and peace to the
poor women in Simon's house, He went
through all the cities and villages showing
the glad tidings Of the kingdom of God, the
kingdom foretold by all the prophets, when
the Lord shall again choose Jerusalem, com
fort Zion and restore Israel, never to be
plucked up or scattered again (Iech /, II; ii,
10-12; Jer. xiv, 6, y; that through them
He may establish His Messianic kingdom in
all the world He was accompanied by the
twelve and certain women whom He had
healed and who now ministered unto Him.
Returning, probably, to Capernaum, lie
healed one possessed with blind and dumb
demon This drew forth from the Pharsees
the accusation that He was possessed by the
devil, and thus did these mighty works.
Jesus in reply warned them Of the sin that
can never be forgiven, whether committed IN
this age or the age to come, He also foretold
His death and resurrection and pointed them
to a coming judgment. They receive not His
teaching, but determine to kill Him Matt.
xiD
A. "And when much people were gathered
together, and were come to Him out of every
city, He spake by parable" Matthew says;
1.-THE same day went Jesus out of the house
and sat by the seaside; and great multitudes
were gathered together unto Him so that He
went into ship and sat, and the whole null
titude stood on tho shore" If the rulers
would not listen to Him the common people
heard Him gladly Mark xii, 80 and it is still
true that mot many wise men after the flesh,
not many mighty, not many noble are
called" Il Cor /, 3d.
SO. "A sower went out to SOW his seed"
etc. "He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. ="
1t is simple story of what may have been
taking place before the Saviour's eyes at that
moment On the hillside farmer may have
been actually sowing his seed, some falling
OH the beaten path, some on thin soil beneath
which was a great rock; some where the
thorns had already preoccuped the ground;
and some on good ground The Saviour an
ticipates the harvest, and speaks OF that
which fell on the good ground as the only
portion accomplishing anything. lie was IN
the habit of using the most familiar things
with which to illustrate His teaching.
o. "And His disciples asked Him, saying,
What might this parable beF The Holy
Spirit interprets spiritual things to spiritual
men Il Cor ii, -, r. ", margin), and these
men had not yet received the Holy Spirit in
His fulness, therefore they understood not
this parable.
10. "And He said, Unto you it is given to
know the mysteries OF the Kingdom OF God;
but to others in parallels" BY comparing
Matt. xiii, 49, Mark iv, 10, we see that Jesus
sent the multitudes away and went into the
house, and that then He gave the explana-
ton Of this parable. That He was in the
house when He interpreted the parable APP
pears also from verses 10 and 20 of this chap
ter II has been said that a parable is some
what like a nut which keeps the kernel for
the diligent, but from the indolent, Because
they would not trouble themselves to see or
hear He therefore SO speaks that the unbe-
lieving and Indifferent may not see nor hear.
IL 'Now the parable is this: The seed is
the Word of Cod Mark says: 1.-The sower
soweth the word" The business of every
Christian in this whole age is TO be vessel
In the hand OF the great Sewer with which
He may scatter the seed of the word
10. "Those by the way side are they that
hear: then cometh the devil" We have now
four kinds Of soil on which the word falls and
will fall till the kingdom comes There is
the bard beaten heart of tt% SO called gospe
hardened He has gone to church all his life
perhaps is seldom absent on Sunday morning
but he is too weary in body to hear witt
proft, or, If not, the business of the week 81
so crowds in upon him that while apparently
he is listening to the sermon he is in his nlinC
going over yesterdays business transaction
or anticipating those of tomorrow.
-. "Thoy on the rock are they which, whel
they hear, receive the word with joy; an'
these have no root" Here is another class o
cburchgoers, for observe that each kind o
soil represents those who hear, so that thi
parable does not touch those who have neve
heard the gospel. 1t shall he far more toler
able for them luke xii, AZ, 4S) in that day
This is a nearer who pays attention, and actu
ally enjoys the public worship, or to talk o
the things Of God when it does not cost muc
that is when the weather Is fine and ther
are no difficulties in the way, no one opposing
Such may probably make n profession o
faith in Christ, and for n time give Joytu
testimony, but as soon as there Is anything u
be endured for the words sake Mark ", u
Immediately they are offended and fall away
1t was not n saving faith, not an acceptanc
of Jesus to suffer with Him cheerfully III viey
of the regning bye and bye, but only the re
ceiving Of some gladstone truth about Him
These like the other, give us no solid Ell
couTagement.
IA. "And that which fell among thorn
are they which, when they have heard, &
forth and are chokedn These hearers ma
possibly be saved, the seed has taken roo
well, and there is quite growth, but tn
thing lacking here is fruit, ripe fruit, tina
which glorifies God. But can any one b
sovaJ who docs NOT hear fruit. and who n
lows cares, riches pleasures and lusts @
other things to choke the wordi We mus
stand on the word of God, even though
NAV seem to some daugerousplace, Coz
III U-l5. and v, 3-5, clearly indicate tina
there is the possibility of salvation as b
fire. an escaping as with the skin of one
teeth Job. xix, 20. But let no one in I'll
hast degree take advantage of such po
Sibility, for such declarations ms II shall
satisfied il Just get i'm indicate sad ign'
rance Of the love and purpose of God, an
perhaps the necessity of being born anew.
IS but that on the good ground are the,
which In an honest and good heart havin
heard the word, keep it, and bring fort
fruit with patience" Matthew and Mar
add "some thirty, some sixty, and some a
hundred fold" Thank God for such nearer
Even few like these are an inspiration
ony pastor, and what comfort they must
20 the Lord Jesus and 10 the Holy Spiri
Read In reference TO them such words as Lul
vi. y, %; xix, 1919; xxi, %, 20; ii Pet.
Bill; IL John viii, etc. The difference b
tween those and the others is that these hay
truly accepted Jesus mot simply the trut
about HIM and have firmly believed Il
truths concerning the kingdom and the glol
To he revealed at His appearing. They ar