The Yale expositor., 1906-05-04

AZ. "And shall cast them into fur
mace of fire." Whatever the furnace
of fire. may mean here, this at all
events is certain, that it points to
some doom so intolerable that the Son
| of God came down from heaven and
tasted all the bitterness of death. that
he might deliver us from ever know
ing the secrets of anguish which, I'M
less God be hooking men with empty
threats, are shut up in these terrible
words Trench. There shall be
(the) wailing OR. ", "weeping) and
gnashing OF teeth" THE utterances
of rage and Impotence, under the
sense of intolerable pain and unutter-
| able loss. Trench
49, "Then," when the evil, hinder
ing element is removed, shall the
righteous shine forth as the sun" Lit
orally, lamp forth. "The righteous
shall shine forth as the sun from be-
hind a cloud "-Professo Vincent.
who ha hears to hear. let him hear"
Words that Christ often used, solemn
ly and iupressively directing attention
to some truth of especial Importance.
". Modern Applications of the Par
able. This is one Of the most difficult
of the parallels. because it deals with
one of the most perplexing problems;
but it is full of wisdom and is espe-
cially rich in instruction for our mod
ern life.
Christians are to be like good seed.
The principle of life, of increase, is to
be in them. The pyramids of Egypt
are not an inch larger than when they
were built, but the few grains Of
wheat, perhaps three thousand years
old. found in a mummy case, have
given us leagues of wheat fields. So is
It with a life, however humble, a deed,
however insignificant apparently; If
The life is lived, the deed done under
the guidance of Christ, glorious re-
suits are certain.
Evil, as well as good, has tremen-'
dous propagating power. The soil
that is good for the good seeds is good
Tor the bad ones.
Evil. in this world, is everywhere
mingled with the good. Bad men
md good men are living together side
~ side. But that is only the begin
hing. Not merely every crowd but ev
Try man is all confusion. Every man
5 good. Every man is bad Nor is
this all. Not only in the same man
but in the same deed the good and evil
are commingled. Phillips Brooks.
The good is finally TO conquer the
evil and be separated from it. The
kingdom of heaven is to come on
earth. Christians are to be perfect.
Sin and sinners are TO go to their
place apart. The certainty of this
gives us courage for the conflict with
evil. 1t is a citadel sure to fall some
day.
The conquest of evil is generally 4
! slow process. have known converted
lrunkards whose fearful appetite, by
! genuine miracle, was destroyed i'm.
| nediately; but most are like Cough.
compelled to fight for self-control all
heir lives. In the United States slav-
| cry was abolished by a single stroke
Of the pen; in Russia. by progressive
| emancipation.
Wherever the triumph of good is de-
| 'erred. it is for good reasons. Per.
secutions and trials for heresy have
more often rooted up wheat than
! tares Church discipline is necessary,
! md is enjoined elsewhere in the New
I Testament, but we must be sure Ii is
yhrist that bids us cleanse the tenn
! Die.
V. Other Problems and Parallels.
Besides the parallels of the sower and
he tares, our Lord spoke at this time,
IN public and private, six other para
bles, all throwing light on important
| problems of the kingdom of God and
its individual members.
/. The Problem of Insignificance,
answered by the parable of the mus
lard seed Matt. 1881, 32). No sect,
20 party in Palestine no known ma.
ton, began in so small, unnoticed, and
apparently feeble manner-the
teaching of a poor, unlearned man,
without army or money or political in
fuence. Yet that tiny seed has nav
become, as Christ prophesied, a
mighty tree, whose branches cover
the earth.
9 The Problem of Influence, an
swered by the parable of the leaven
Matt 1888. 1t is not enough for
Christianity to flourish the world
must be transformed.
8. The Problem of Ignorance, an
swered by the parable of the seed
springing secretly mark 4:26-29).
Faithfully commit the seed to the
soil, and go away. leaving it covered
up in the dark. 1t will grow. you know
not how; but be sure It will grow"
4. The Problem of Choices, an
swered by the parallels of the hid
treasure and the pearl of great price
Matt. 13:44-46).
5. The Problem of Judgment an
swered by the parable of the draw-net
Matt. 13:47-50). This parable com
pletes that of the tares, emphasizing
the final separation, by God, of the
evil from the good. while the parable
of the tares emphasized their temper