The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-06-18
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL,
Lesson xIl.-Second Quarter,
For June IS, 1910.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.

6S"CIHVSy Verse; <@SotoSn oASy
Jas. i, 21-commentary Prepared by
Rev. .. NJ. Stearns.
We step back quite bit in the order
Of events to take up this and the nest
two lessons on the Mysteries OF the
Kingdom" but perhaps it does not
matter much how we step If only we
step into the light and keep step with
our blessed Lord in His thoughts ard
purposes. Although verses 10 to n
are not included in our lesson We
must look at them, as there we fEd |
the reason why He taught in parallels.
The rulers having determined to kill |
Him (xii. III our lesson chapter opens
with the statement that the same day |
the seaside. A simple statement of |
fact, but very suggestive OF another |
fact-that He was about to go out |
from the house of Israel and begin 20
gather from the sea Of nations another |
people during this age who will reign |
with Him in the next or kingdom |
age (Matt. xiii, 37-39: Acts XIV, 14-1S). |
When the disciples asked Him why |
He taught in parallels, His reply was.
Because it is given unto you to know |
the mysteries of the kingdom of heay-
en-. but to them it is not given" And
then he quoted from lisa. vi the proph- |
ecy concerning this blindness. The
kingdom of God, or Of heaven. was
no mystery, for it was plainly revealed |
in all the Old Testament. The suffer
ings and glory of the Messiah were all
fully revealed. but that there should
be long period between the suffer
ings and the glory, that the kingdom
would be at hand and then postponed
for a whole age. this was not revealed
until by the Lord in these parallels,
and later to and by Paul. A concord
ance will enable any one to see that
the word mystery" is used of God
in Christ. Christ in His people, the
blindness Of Israel. the resurrection Of
the just, the development Of iniquity.
the end of this age. This whole age
between the rejection of Christ and
His coming again in glory is the time
of the mysteries Of the kingdom which
our Lord sets forth in these seven par.
ables Of this chapter. Mark and Luke
each give the first one-the parable of
the sower-the understanding of which
seems all important, for our Lord said
when asked for its significance. know
ye not this parable? And how, then,
will We know all parables?" Mark iv.)
From our next lesson we learn that
the field is the world (verse 3S), and
we must bear in mind that it is a
world lying in the wicked one and that
he is the god of 1t. 1t is an evil age
and ever growing worse as far as the
fear Of God is concerned q John v,
10; II Cor. iv. 4; Gal. i, 4; Rom. xii.
l, .; II Tim. iii, 80. Alongside of I'M
paralleled progress on many lines there
is unparalleled iniquity. unbelief, re-
lection Of the Bible as the word Of
God and OF the deity Of Christ and Of
His atonement for sin. We are no.
where taught to expect any improve
ment in these matters during this age,
but we are faithfully to SOW the seed
of the word OF God everywhere and
expect just what we are taught in this
parable. Some set their hearts on
certain results and say we must have
this or that, we must have fifty or a
hundred conversions. we must have a
revival, the town must be taken for
God, etc. Happie< are those who are
in harmony with the Lord and who
rest ON His assurance that His word
will accomplish that which He pleases
lisa. ", III. 1t is incorruptble seed,
the word of life, and He has promised
to watch over it q Fet. !. %; Acts Y,
90; Jer. /, II. r. W. The hearts Of men
are the soil. and some are beaten so
hard by the going to and fro of the
things Of this life that the seed can
scarce find entrance, and the devil is
always watching to catch 1t away lest
they should believe and be saved.
Other hearts are hard within, rocky
hearts, but with enough soft soil to re-
ceive the seed. Such appear to enjoy
the word; they say it does them good.
they receive it gladly, but they are
easily offended, cannot stand any per-
secution.
In others the soil is good enough to
grow thorns and the seed does find a
lodging. and it grows, but the thorns
grow SO fast that there is no fruit
The cares and pleasures OF this life,
the deceitfulness Of riches, the lusts
Of other things. choke the word, and
no fruit is brought to perfection. In
the first two kinds of soil there is no
indication of salvation. am inclined
to believe that this third kind of soil
indicates possibility OF salvation, but
saved as by fire q Cor. iii, IA. 15). The
fourth kind Of soil is good by the
grace Of God. There is an honest re-
ception Of the truth. They hear it
and understand it and keep it and
bring forth fruit with patience, even
to thirty. sixty or a hundred fold. All
through this age this is what we are
to expect and only this. 1t is ours to
sow the seed, the pure seed Of the
word Of God. everywhere and at all
times, with confidence in Him that
He will accomplish His pleasure by it
always. Blessed is that servant whom
his Lord when He cometh shall find
SO doing Who can estimate the honor
of hoirr a In horor NTH Cadc u-ho