Evening star., 1920-12-04
BY REV. HUGH T. STEVENSON.

B1 KEW. HUH Il. STEW ENSON.
: The attitude of the Masters opponents
made Him change His method of
preaching The positive. pointed, prac-
teal sermons, with incidental illustra-
rabbinical method of teaching truths by
the use Of parallels. The radical change
In the Lords preaching puzzled the
disciples. Christs reasohs for discard
ing the direct method reveals that He
was moved by pedagogical principles.
t1ing the truth expressed SO well by
Seneca, Long Is the road by precepts.
short and effective by illustration" re-
Sponded to the opposition's tactics by
q strategic move that lessenJ their ir-.
ritation and opposition. that was hasten
ing the end Of His ministry. BY the
use Of the parallels He opened up the
mysteries OF the kingdom of heaven to
the disciples, who were spiritually pre-
pared to understand the spiritual mes
sages Of the parallels teachings, while
the multitude understood what met
their ear without apprehending all its
implications and suggestions. The power
Of the diciples to understand what the
outsiders could not comprehend was in
accord with the principles Of pedagogy
that what one learns depends upon what
one has previously learned.
While this use of parallels was in
accord with pedagogical laws. it full
dlled also. as Jesus pointed out by
His quotation. the prophecy Of Isaiah.
II presents also the fundamental rea-
SON why different individuals take a
different attitude toward the truth
It Is advisable that in our study of
the parallels We should remember
that all the parallels of the kingdom
deal with processes. None of them
is picture of a final and perfected
order. All CT them present some
phase through which the kingdom
contamination. The same parable
could be used to illustrate different
aspects of truth. SO that one ought
not to overinterpret the parallels,
AS a rule. they usually are intended
to convey but one truth. The Master
has given US the Interpretation Of
two of the group we are called upon
to study today. SO that their meaning
is clear.
Matthew has grouped with consider
able skill the Lords parallels Of the
Kingdom into progressive series.
which is characterized by fine lit
erary unity. The Master. in His ex-
PLANTATION of the first one, called il
the parable of the sower. but the at
tention isfconcentrated not upon the
sewers activities but upon the vary
ing reactions of the soil upon the
from His floating pulpit a sower scat
tering seed in field just like the one
He mentions in His parable. Jesus
sought to teach the result of environ
nfent upon the commencement of re-
]igious life, which starts with the
origin of the kingdom in the Word of
God. and how it develops in accord
ance with the disposition and en-
vironment with which il comes in
contact in human life.
Whenever the gospel is preached
there are four different classes Of
peopIe-the stolid, the sentimental,
the sordid and the sincere--who hear
the message. The same kind of hearers
have always existed. The first three
fail to give any good results. like the
seed produced when planted in a pre-
pared heart or life. The same soil
over the rocks. where the thorns
as well as the seeds grow a
good crop. We cannot help hearing
the message of the gospel, but the
way we hear it is represented by this
parable. In Mark. Jesus says that the
good hearer. represented by the good
soil, is represented as accepting it,"
In this weeks lesson from Mat
thew He is described as accepting it,
and in Luke He speaks OF the re-
sult-producing hearer. as holding it
fast" All these three elements go
into the molding of our character
Let US receive. believe. and live the
gospel.
While the preceding parable of the
sower shows how men are variously
affected by the most earnest prea CHI
ing. this one shows that Jesus was
not deceived concerning the Christian
struggles to live the life that would
reflect Christ Jesus before men
While the former parable may. as
some have suggested. have repre-
sented Christs appearance as a
preacher. this one is descriptive o,
the experience of the Christian. who
finds good and bad existing in his owr
life and in the Kingdom of God. botf
in the local church as well as in the
world. The key to the Interpretation
of this prophetic parable hangs a,
the door" Christ has given an ex.
PLANTATION of this parable. as He die
the former one: so that no one ough,
to make an error in their interpreta
tion.
In the study of it one needs to think
OF the title, which Jesus used and ap
piled to himself. that proves he recog
nized His transcendent nature HI
calls Himself 1.-The Son Of Man. which
would recall to the Jews Danierl