The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-12-05
SABBATH SCHOOL, :;
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
DECEMBER 8.
Lesson Text: stChrist Preaching by
Parables," Luke will, 4-15-Gold- i,
en- Text: Luke viii., IL
Commentary.

COmmenCdrys
4. "And when much people were gathered
together and were come to Him out OF every
city He spake by parable" In Math. kill,
2, and Mark w., 1, It Is written that he sat In
@ ship, and the multitude stood on the shore
while He taught them. In Math. kill, /, 1t
Is said that He went out Of the house and
sat by the seaside. This going out OF the
house may be suggestive of His turning from
the house Of Israel because Of their turning
against Him, for we read in Math. XII, "A
that they held q council to destroy Him, and
1t was not till after this that they were
taught by parallels. The light Is never taken
from those who are willing to receive It.
s. "a sower went out to SOW his seed, and
as he aowed some fell by the wayside, and
1t was trodden down, and the fowls OF the
air deyoured It." In verse II and u We
have His own explanation Of verse and
WILL therefore take them here and 80 on
OF God. In Pet. l., 2S, 1t Is called tnoor-
ruptible seed which uveth and abideth for
ever. In Math. KILL, 81, he that soweth the
good seed Is the Son Of man, but IN the next
verse the good seed Is the children Of the
kingdom.
9. "And some fell upon O rock, and as
soon as 1t was strung up II wtthered away
because It lacked moisture" Matthew and
Mark say II had not much earth and with
cred when the sun was up because It had no
root. ,..... ....
1S. Here Is the explanation Of the seed
on the rocky soil. Compare Math Kill, 20,
81, and Mark w., 10, II. These ohurch-go-
ers receive the word with Joy, possibly talk,
It over on the way home and at the dinner
! table, but some one says something against
the preacher, a SANDER old or new, or per-
haps one says that higher criticism has dis
posed Of the wole passage which the preach.
er spoke from, and the foundation Of his re-
marks are thus swept away. Or perhaps
next day In the store or Office the hearer
talks Of the good sermon OF yesterday and Is
laughed at by his fellows, who want to know!
when he turned his back on them and how,
soon he intends to depart for the foreign,
field. Thus he Is offended, and satan con-
quers. =
Z. "And some fell among thorns, and the Z
thorns sprang up with It and choked II"
Mark iv., T., says II yielded no fruit. ~
a. This verse, with Math. xiii, 20, and
Mark w., IS, 10, gives light on the thorny
ground hearers. These seemed to be really
not salvation. The cares and riches and
pleasures Of this life, with the lusts Of other
things, choke the word, and they bring no
fruit to perfection. There are many who
think that II they can only make sure Of
heaven that iS everything. and having re-
ceived Jesus as their Saviour they are bur-
dened with business or household cares or
carried way with pleasures or other things,
as studies or pursuits OF various kinds. They
accept Jesus as Saviour, but not as Lord.
They expect to crown Him Lord OF all when
they get to heaven, but know nothing OF It
here. They are described In Cor. ILL.,, 15,
oo 1oofn air ,,orto ond aav vad a q a fra
They are not abiding in Him for fruit bear
ing and would be ashamed If BE should
come q John H., %; John xv.).
8. "And other fell on good ground and
sprang up and bare fruit an hundredfold-
And when He had said these things he cried,
He that hath ears to hear let him hear."
Matthew and Mark say that this seed brought
forth some thirty, some sixty and some
hundredfold. 80. - "' rt q"
Is. This, with Math. Kill, %; and Mark
w., 20, leave US In no doubt as to who are
meant by the good ground. The honest and
good heart must indicate the new heart born
from above, which was probably also In the
last class Of hearers. These hear the word
and receive It and keep 1t and with patience
bring forth fruit to the praise Of His name
/ who redeemeth them. While all true be-
levers are equally sanctiaed In Christ by his
one offering (Heb. K, 10, 14), It is equally
true that we are daily being sancttfed as to
our daily life ty His word Of truth (John
xviii, ~. All Gods dealings with his peo-
pie are In order that they may bear more
fruit (John xv., 8, 81. To this end we must
remember that Jesus said In this connection,
seWithout Me or apart from Me ye can do
nothing" )" or, as In Hos. xiv. 8, "From Me Is
thy fruit found" II we, as believers, ever
find ourselvers trying to abide or trying to
bear fruit, we may be sure that We are not.
right, for quietly as the branch abtdes In the
vine and as quietly as the vine bears fruit,
through its branches 80 quietly will God by
His Spirit bear fruit through Us In Jesus's
name when we are fully yielded to Him. We
His workmanship, created in Christ JesussF
unto good works, which God hath before pre-
pared. that We should walk In them" (Eph.
H., 10). II we simply and whole heartedly
Weld to Him, He will work In Us both tot
will and to do OF His good pleasure those
things which are we'll pleasing In His sight
Phil. IL, 13 Heb. Kill, 2D. Some have nof
ears to hear these things. They are wise
and prudent In their own estimation and
Common sense II He did not want Us to be-
self-relient and plan and work out things for
His glory. !,
8. "And Bis disciples asked Him, saying,
What might this parable be9" In Iark w..
10, It Is written that when He was alone
they that were about Him with the twelve
asked Of Him the parable" So IN Mark
kill, s, 4, we find that Peter, James, John
and Andrew asked Him privately about
certain matters. He still has an inner
circle of disciples to whom He tells many
things which He cannot tell to all. He Is
not partial. He Is no respecter OF persons
but all do not come equally close to Him In
whole-hearted surrender. All limitations
and htndrances are on our side. not on His
10. "And He said. Unto you 1t is given to
know the mysteries Of the kingdom OF God,.
but to others In parallels, that seeing they
might not see and hearing they might not
understand" This Is not as some think, who
suppose that He taught in parallels In order
to make His teachings more plain. OBJ
serve, He says that they might not see and
not understand. He had taught them pain
" and without parallels until they refused3
Him and sought to kill Him, but now that
the kingdom Is to be postponed till HIS re-
turn He tells In parallels the characteristics
of this present age, known as the period OF
the mystery Of the kingdom. A parable ts'
like the shell OF nut, as one has said. IL
keeps the kernel from the tndolent and Tor
dflieent. t.-Lesson Helper