The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-05-19
Sunday-SchOo Lesson for May 20
Parable of the SOWer.
MATT. XIII 1-8 and 1928
BY REV. J. e. GILBERT d. d. LID,
Secretary of American Society of Religious Education
MATT. XIII 1-S and 1928.

that margin Of the field where the stone gath.
cred out Of IL had been cast; some fell among
thorns (Gen. iii: 1S), the foes Of good agricul.
ture, growing up without cultulc; some fell on
good ground, the mellow and prepared earth. In
this He takes notice Of the parts Of the field,
from the outer edge TO the inward part, the lat.
ter being intended for grain 3, The first seed
was trodden down by passersby and afterward
devoured by birds the second sprang up but
soon wItnered for lack OF support; the third was
choked by the thorns; the fourth brought fruit.
All this very plain, yet obscure. As
narrative of facts il was well understood, every
farmer being familiar with such occurrences, but
as section in the discourse Of religious teach.
er its purpose and meaning we're not apparent
in mere words.
REASoN.-Why did Jesus Use a parable? Why
did He not speak in direct abstract terms, as
He had donel SO the disciples quered. The
answer of Christ is condensed in Luke. "Unto
you" the disciples "it is given TO know the
mysteries Of the kingdom of heaven; but to Others
in parallels, that seeing they might not see"
Was Jesus partial, withholding from some what
lie granted to others? Was His parable a
cealment? q Tim. ii: ~. In the lesson of today
He is reported more fully, His meaning appears.
"Ths peoples heart rs waXed gross" psalm
cxix: 70), "and their ears are dull Of hearing,
and their eyes have closed" BY their avarice
and pride the Jewish rulers had bunted their
spiritual power, rendering them incapable of un-
derstanding Christ q cor. ii: 1D. But the dis.
ciples by following Jesus had improved their
capacity to learn (verse 16). Parallels are con.
tinued similitudes. Things that familiar
are taken to picture and illustrate unfamiliar
things. This method of teaching, used under
the old dispcnsation (Judges ix: S; IL Sam. xii:
Ii. m N l. In nt trap nd ~
attention, and is valuable in addressing the
masses. To those who are sincere it is very
forcible, because it adorns the truth. Christs
parallels were like the pillar and the cloud be.
tween the Israelites and the Egyptians--thty
helped those who desired to learn, and foicd
those who sought to cnsnare QI Cir ii: 16).
MENINGITIS reason for parabolic teaching
having been given, the disciples desired Jesus
to interpret this parable MARK iv: 2O), which
lie proceeded to do, a service which, doubtless
He would have gladly rendered to any of the
vast audience that dispersed in Ignorance, had
they been honestly anxious to know. He said:
"The seed is the word of God" The hearers are
of four kinds-those whose hearts hardened
by the constant passage of secular things; those
whose hearts are soitcned on the surface, but
hard in the depths; those who are prcoccupied
with the riches and pleasures of this life, and,
finally, those who are ready to receive and nur-
turc truth, who are anxious to learn, who are
willing to adjust themselves to the truth as they
perceive it. These descriptions Of mans moral
state, so graphically drawn, were not new. They
are to be found in many places in the Old Tos-
lament (Ezek. Xi 49, Jer. iv: "a; Zech. wis l2).
They had been given by teachers in the heathcn
world. (Sce Mathesons Growth of the Spirit of
Christianity The outcome, as described by
Jesus, was what every one might expect, Moth