The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1894-12-07

international Lesson Tor December D.
Isoi-Christ Teaching by Parallels Luke

u, i-i5.
Especially Arranged from Pcloubcts Noies.l
GOIpFS TEXT The seed Is the word OF God
-l.ukc e.li
TnE sEcrioS Includes the whole group OF
PARALLELS recorded In Matt 10 i-sS. Mark Al
81 Luke i--a.
TnG %Lw LPocH In the teaching q. Jesus
began with the parable Of to-day lesson. II
s change Ia his method OF teaching. ac-
count u change IN the circumstances. ~
The people were some hat familiar with the
plain statements OF truth. ana needed new
fora ~ presentation. in order best 10 awaken
attention (.l There many things they needed
% know. for which they were NOT yet prepared.
They could not understand them. Hut the
seed OF these truths must BE- planted in their
minds and hearts In q living. abiding form.
ready 20 burst from the soil when the right
time clmc go There were many who did not
wish 20 know the truth. and the parable would
lind entrancc when plain statement would
pass unheedod t4) There were bitter enemies.
who would not ouly reject. but would be sure
~ uiSunaerstand and pcrvert the truth.
especially the truths that rertaincd 70 the COM
Ing Of the Kingdom Of God Therefore. these
truths We're taught In way least liable to per-
version and misuse
THE GROUP OF Eight Parallels spoken at this
time t>cven In Matthew and one other Ia Mark)
were concerning the Kingdom Of Heaven in
various aspects. and should be read and
studied as a group Ia order to obtain view OF
the drift and burden o: Jesus teaching 1T this
time.
NOTE that these parallels are followed by o
group OF miracles. as was the Sermon on the
Mount Ia the record given by Matthew. as IL on
purpose to confirm the teachers authority for
the great truths he spoke.
TIME.-Autumn OF A. ID IS q few weeks after
the last lesson. but on the same day US Lesson
VIII. Matt li.D-
PLAcE.-On the shore OF She sea OF Gaiilee
near Capernaum
LEssoN NOTES.
The Circumstances 4. % This
parable together with many others was
spoken in the afternoon of very busy
day, as recorded in lesson VIII. and
followed by voyage across the sea of
Galilee. the same evening. in which
Jesus was SO weary that lie slept calm
~ amid terrible tempest. CO Much
people were gathered together" from
all the surrounding country to see and
hear the now famous teacher. They
included every variety of charac ter
represented in the parable spoken. "a,
There were apparently great cxpccta-
tiors aroused that the Messiah had
come. and would show Himself in the
way they had conceived that lie should
come. as a great king bringing out.
ward dcliverance to the nation. Their
expectations needed both correction
and encouragement. ca Jesus laugh,
from a fishing boat as lis pulpit Matt
l3:al. 1t was n short distance from the
land. while the multitudes stood upon
the sircular shores of the bay, which
rise up as they reccde from the water.
thus forming great amphitheater
crowded with people. of which
Jesus in the fishing boat was
the center. MacGreggor, in his
Rob Roy, once approached this
place, and spoke to those on the
shore. 1T was remarkable" he says.
"how distinctly every word was heard.
though our voices were not raised.
even AT three hundred yards off: and it
was very easy to comprehend how, in
this clear air. preacher sitting in
boat could address vast multitude
standing upon the shore 90 All the
material for the parable was close at
hand. within view of the people. Grain
fields. unfcnced. surrounded the place
The people had passed through them
in the troddcn paths on their way to
the shore. These and black basaltic
rocks Were visible in the fields. He
spake by parable" The parable Of
the sower is the first recorded parable
spoken by Jesus.
A parable is an allegorical relation
or representation of something real in
life or nature, from which moral is
drawn for instruction Die
tionary. The term parable from a
word meaning to place side by side)
denotes form Of instruction in which.
by the side of the truth. is placed the
image which represents it.-tiodct.
Source of Parabolic Teaching. This
world, with all its forces and powers.
seems made purposely TO express in
visible forms, as in an incarnation, tho
invisible facts Of the spiritual world.
Earthly things are made after the pat
tern of the heavenly.
The Instrumentalitics. The Sower-
Y. ). "A sowcr went out to SOW" Who
soever soweth the word Of God in the
hearts Of the people is represented by
the sowcr in the parable. Hence the
sowcr designatcs: First. Jesus Christ,
who came To sow the good seed in this
evil world: second. the Apostles who
scattered IL over the world: third. all
who go forth to preach or to teach. in
public or in private. the truths Of the
word Of God; fourth. all whose holy
example illustrates and imprcsscs those
truths.
The Sced.--vs. ;. IL. ITO sow his
seed" That is, the word Of God luke
SID, the spiritual truths which God
has revealed to men in various ways,
but especially by His Son Jesus Christ.
The Soil.-Thc soil for the good seed
is the heart Of man. including his MEM
DRY. mind and will. The seed cannot
grow without soil; but the life Is in the
seed, not in the soil. The results de-
pend largely on the kind Of soil in
which the seed is sown and the prep
aration made for receiving the seed.
THE illustration cannot touch ut all
points. 1t takes no account Of the fact
that the condition of the spiritual soil
may be altered by Divine grace; that
the trampled ground can become soft,
the rocky ground deep and the thorns
L.. a