A parable follows (Lk lli"^--i), not necessarily associated originally with the foregoing incident, although in full affinity of theme. The Rich Fool is the personification of the successfully covetous man, and yet a revelation in almost the same breath of how little such success amounts to from the standpoint of eternity. He sowed only to the world ; therefore he reaped inwardly no riches of the spirit. ' So is he,' saith Jesus, ' that layeth n|i treasure for himself, and is not rich towards God ' (v.='). There is affinity of teaching in the parable of Dives and Lazariis (which see).
LlTBRATlTRl.— The Standard works on the Seinioii on the Mount and on the Parables. Among special discourses ; F. W. Robertson, Scnnons, 2nd series, Serm. I. (with which com- pare XVII. of 1st series); .J. Service on 'Profit cind Loss' in Salmtion n,;r,i,Hl II.,.,nl.r . J ' i^ . ,1.1 PI,. ,7'/,, T. .■-,/,■„„» of the Kin,„l„n, '.. " 11^ " ■,. ' ^' ■ I r^.'r-s
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(JEORfiF. MUKRAY.
COWARDICE. — Cowardice must be distinguished from a natural timidity in circumstances of danger, from the awe which, in the presence of the mirac- ulous or the extraordinary, may so possess the mind as for the moment to paralyze its activities, and above all from the fear of (iod, His jiaternal love, power, and holy judgment, which may be the strongest antidote to all base and servile fear, and the source of the highest courage. The dis- tinction is partly preserved in the words ^o^os and SeiXia. The latter word is 'always used in a bad sense' (Trench, Synonyms of the NT, p. 34). It expresses ' not the natural emotion of fear, but the cowardly yielding to it. It is the craven spirit which shrmks from duty, loses hope, abandons
what it should hold fast, surrenders to the enemy, or deserts to his side' (Bernard, Coiliril Teaching of Jesus Christ, pp. 188, 189). oeiXia occurs only in 2 Ti 1', but Su\mu Jn U^^, and oaX6s (EV ' fearful ') Mt 8*, cf . Mk 4* and Kev 218. gut the line of dis- tinction cannot be drawn hard and fast by the use of these words. In Mt 8=" (cf. Mk 4«) the question TL SfiXoi f'cTTc, oXiybTnaToi. : is not so much a serious imputation of craven fear, as the expression of 'per- sonal fearlessness, to gain ascendency over panic- stricken spirits' (Bruce, Expos. Gi: Test., iiiloc.). On the other hand, an ignoble fear in face of danj^er or ditticulty, or the disapprobation and hostile .sentiments of others, is sometimes in view -when 06/3os, <po^(iijeai are used (Mt 10=8, ^f. Lk l-2\ Mt 25••'^ Jn 7" 19'*8 20"). When fear of physical con- sequences impairs fidelity to Christ, causing men to be ashamed of Him (Mk 8**, Lk 'J="), or even to "o the length of denying Him (Mt 10'"), it incurs His severest disapprobation (Mt 10^", cf. Rev 21*). It is not cowardice to fly from the rage of the perse- cutor. Jesus not only counselled flight in circum- stances of peril (Mk 13", Lk 21='), but Himself evaded the malice which would have brought His life to an end before His hour was come, and His mis.sion completed (Lk 4», Jn 8™ 10""). It is only when the fear of man tempts to the compromise of truth, and the disowning of allegiance to Christ, that it becomes a snare and a sin. Cowardice is not ultimately evinced in feeling', but in action. It is cowardice when a man declines the task he was meant to render : ' I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the eartli' iMl '_'."■- i : m hen he turnsaway, however sorrowfully, i\i<u\ iIh- path of .self-sacrihce which the call ol < Imsi points out to him (Mt 19"=). (See Paget, ^tatU^.s i„ the Christian Character, p. 104).
The antidote to cowardice lies in the fear of God, in His power over tlie soul as well as the body (Mt 10="), the ni.T riN-): which drives out all baser fear ; in the spirit of watchfulness and prayer that, in circumstances of trial, ^^■e do not fall into the temptation to forsake Christ or deny Him (Mt 26''M; but most of all in I'aitli (Mt 8™, Jn 14'--''). Faith in the FatherhoiMl oi ( .oil i li.'it the manifest duty, however difticull nu.l il.ni.jnous, is His will ; that from Him life has its .'ijipointcil twelve hours, and in the path of obedience to Him there is no possible foreshortening of them (Jn 11*") : that over all is His unsleeping and loving care — will save the soul from all base betrayals of itself and its Divine trust through fear. To this end was the Comforter promised and bestowed, that, co-operat- ing with the spirit of men, He might brace them to consistent courage in action and endurance. And the eftect of His presence and power is seen in the contrast between those who 'all forsook him and fled' (Mk 14™), denied Him (Mt 26«»-"), 'gathered in an upper room for fear of the Jews' (.In '2n'9), and the same men, not many months later, im)>ri'ssiui; the autlioritics l)y their boldness (Ac 4"), and displaying, in circumstances of severest trial, minds delivered from all craven fear, and in- spired with the high and solemn courage of faith. See art. FEAR.