There is only one class of hearers which is right in fhe sight of God. And what are we P Do we belong to that one P
Finally, let ns leave the parable with a solemn recol- lection of the duty of every faithful preacher to divide his congregation, and give to each class his portion. The clergjnnan who ascends his pulpit every Sunday, and addresses his congregation as if he thought every one was going to heaven, is surely not doing his duty to God or man. His preaching is flatly contradictory to the parable of the sower.
Notes. Lukb VIH. 4—16.
4. — When much people were gathered^ dc.'] Let us note, in this ex- pression, a strong indirect evidence of our Lord's faithfulness and honesty as a public teacher. So far was He from flattering men, and speaking smooth things to procure popularity, that He speaks one of the most heart-searching and conscience-pricking of His parables, when the crowd of hearers was greatest.
Faitliful ministers should always denounce sin most plainly, when their churches are most full, and their congregations most large. Then is the time to '* cry aloud and spare not,** and show people their sins. It is a snare to some ministers, to flatter full congregations and scold thin ones. Such dealing is very unlike that of our Lord.
5. — [A sower went out to sow.] It is highly probable that in this piu*able, our Lord describes something which was actually going on within sight. Many of His parables, we must remember, were spoken in the open air, and the images, in many cases, were borrowed from subjects before his eyes. Hence His lessons were seen as well as heard.
6. — [Upon a rock.] The rocky soil of many parts of Palestine makes the circumstances here mentioned far more likely than it appears to us, who live in a country like England.
7. — [Among tJioms.] The precise nature of the plant or weed here called " thorns,*' we cannot exactly determine. It is the same word that is used in describing the *' crown of thorns," plaited by the soldiers in the day of the crucifixion, and put in mockery on our Lord's head. Whether those thorns were the prickly thorns or briars, with which we are all familiar, has been much doubted, and remain^ an undecided question.
LUKE, CHAP. Vin. VBR. 4 — 16. 256
The description of the growth of the " thorns" here mentioned, would rather lead us to suppose that they were some plant or weed which grew up out of the soil together with the seed com.
8. — [He that hath ears to hear let him hear.'] Let it he noted, that this expression is specially recorded hy aU the three evangelists, Matthew, Mark, and Luke, in their report of this parahle. It seems to point out the special importance of the parahle.
10. — [Seeing they might not see."] The expression used in this verse, is evidently quoted from the words in Isaiah vi. 9. It is worthy of ohservation that hardly any passage in the Old Testament is so frequently quoted in the New Testament as this. It is found six times. Matt. xiii. 14, 15 ; Mark iv. 2 ; John xii. 40 ; Acts xxviii. 26 ; Bom. xi. 8, and in this place. On each occasion it is applied to the same subject, the hardened and unbelieving state of mind, in which the Jews were.
11 — [The seed is the word of God.] Let us observe here, that the word "is " means, "signifies," or "represents," according to the Hebrew manner of speaking. It is important to remember this, because it throws light on the well-known words used by our Lord at the appointment of the Lord's supper, " This is my body. This is mv blood."
12. — [Then cometh the devU.] This is one of those expressions which bring out strongly the existence, personality, and agency of the devil. There is an active, living agent, distinct from man, operating powerfully in man's heart, and to man's injury.
13. — [Fall away.] The word so translated, is, in the Greek language, the root of our well-known word " apostacy."
14. — [Oo forth.] The meaning of this expression has been explained in various ways. Some think that it simply means "going away from the hearing of the word." — Others think it means, " as they pass through life, — ^in their progress through life," and compare it with Luke i. 6., where Zacharias and Elisabeth are said, " to walk in the ordinances of the Lord." The Greek word there is the same that is used here.
[Bring.,, fruit to perfection.] This expression is rendered in the Greek by a single word, which is found nowhere else in the New Testament.
15. — [Honest and good heart.] We must carefully remember that this expression does not imply that any one's heart is naturally " good," or ever can become so, without the grace of God. The fairest sense of the words is, " an unprejudiced heart, willing to , be taught," such as was peculiarly lacking among the Jews in our Lord's time. The Bereans are an illustration of this ex- pression. Acts xvii. 9.
[Keep it.] The word so translated, is not the word sometimes translated " observe." It rather signifies " hold fast," so as not to
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