Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-07-19

For the next three Sundays we are to
study the group of parallels recorded
in Matthew 10, (and also by Mark and
parabolic form of teaching. The first
one of these was the text Of our lesson
last week. In order to, properly under
stand and to appreciate why Jesus so
suddenly changed His way of teaching
from the direct to the para bolic form,
it is necessary for us to take into ac-
count the surroundings at that time.
1t was in the early part of the sec
ond years ministry; His popularity had
been increasing from the inception of
it, He had just completed a mission
airy tour through Galilee, and while He
was away from Capernaum, His enc
mics had been very active in their op-
position. When He came back, although
great crowds followed Him still, He
could see that the effect of His preach
ing had been diminished by what had
taken place in His absence He re-
gained His popularity to some extent by
casting out the dumb demoniac in the
synagogue; and to offset this, the
scribes and Pharisees attributed His
power to an alliance with Beelzebub.
He hade apparent the folly of such a
position; but as He looked back over the
past years ministry, and appreciated
how little of the seed which He had
sown had borne fruit, He thought of
the small proportion of seed which
yielded harvest compared with that
which had been sown; the explanation
of which was the different kinds of
soil. Seated in the boat at the edge
of the lake, in order to better reach the
crowds, He began teaching them in par
ables; thus fulfilling the prophecy of
Isaiah. 1t was not an unheard of thing
other teachers had used the parabolic
form-the remarkable thing about His
parallels was the simplicity of them
and the depth He gave to the truth He
presented.
The object of His adopting this form
at this time was TO present the truth,
but to present it in such a way that it
could not be garbled, as His enemies
would undoubtedly do To the multi
tudes He spoke in parables; He explain
ed them to His disciples. The group,
part of which we study today, was Civ
en- to show the influence of evil in the
development of the kingdom Of God
this was what was on His mind in view
of the circumstances above stated, and
this thought must be borne in mind
to properly interpret His meaning.
EVIL IN THE KINGDOM.
There are three parallels in our les
son today; the parable of the harvest;
of the mustard seed; and of the leaven.
The ordinary Interpretation of these
parallels, in the light of the circum-
stances in which they were spoken, is
untenable. 1 am aware that the three
are ordinarily used to teach that the
kingdom of God will gradually develop;
the parable of the harvest being the IL
ment of the kingdom of Cod the para
bic of the mustard seed showing the
development of the kingdom to such
large proportions from such a small
beginning. One Of the commentators
uses the Sunday school as an illustra-
ton of this: growing from a small
group under Robert Raikes to the host
of 2 10000 now. Others use this as
an illustration of the growth OF the
church from the little group of peas
ant fishermen in the city of Capernaum
to the army throughout the world to-
day. The parable of the leaven is fire.
quently interpreted to show the per-
vasive influence of the gospel. AS the
leaven leavens the whole lump by con-
tact with it, so, they say, the gospel
will gradually prevade the world.
With this Interpretation l am who'll
ly at variance; and the reason for this,
l shall point out in the discussion.
When we appreciate that what Jesus
had in mind was the influence of evil
on the development of the kingdom of
God, we can see that what He intended
to teach was just the opposite-the
parable of the leaven shows the grow
ing influence of evil, rather than of the
gospel The mustard seed teaches the
apostacy of the church And the par
oh n hoT
mate outcome to evil Let us study
these somewhat in detail.
Take first the parable of the heaven;
a principle of Interpretation is involv-
ed here. Whenever a symbol is used,
the true method of interpreting that
symbol is to find out what it means,
and what it meant to the minds of the
hearers at that time. Without excep-
ton, leaven in the Bible. is used as
type of sin. Refer. if you will, to Elk
odus 12:13-23; Leviticus '2;6-1O. Hosea
4; Matt. 16; / Cor. 8; Galatians 6; Lee
viticus I, and Amos 4. This was the
symbol which appealed to the mind of
the Jewish hearer. Now when Jesus
spoke that parable to those Jewish
hearers, what thought did it convey to
their minds; that the gospel would
gradually pervade the world until it
was wholly gospelized, or that evil
would gradually pervade the life-giving
element (Which the meal represented
There can be no question of doubt of
this matter. If the leaven meant sin
everywhere else in the Bible, it GER
tainly meant sin here.
Now take the parable of the mus
tard seed; you remember it, the small
seed which would ordinarily develop
into a bush develops into a great tree, so
that the birds Of the air find lodging
in It's branches. Is this excessive
growth natural or not? Do the birds
of the air represent good or evil? If