13 4
194
Μι a Ch. xxvii XIII. 1. "EN δὲ] τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκεινῃ ἐξελθὼν ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς ἀπὸ τῆς iv. 1; vi. οἰκίας ἐκάθητο παρὰ τὴν θάλασσαν: 2. καὶ " συνήχθησαν πρὸς αὐτὸν
il. I (with πρὸς ὄχλοι πολλοί, ὥστε αὐτὸν eis τὸ 5 πλοῖον ἐμβάντα καθῆσθαι: καὶ
τινα].
1 ΜΦΒΣ omit δε, which the ancient revisers seem to have inserted regularly as a
transitional particle.
2 SZ have εκ (Tisch.). margin). 5 SBCLZE omit το.
are idealists, promoters of pet schemes, and religious devotees whom it would cost no effort to speak thus; not an ad- mirable class of people. It did cost Jesus an effort, for He possessed a warm heart and unblighted natural affections. But He sacrificed natural affection on the altar of duty, as He finally sacrificed His life—Ver. 50. Definition of spiritual kinsmanship. The highest brotherhood based on spiritual affinity.—3o7ts γὰρ ἂν ποιήσῃ: a general present supposition expressed by the sub- junctive with ἂν followed by present in- dicative.—r16 θέλημα τ. πατρός p. τ. ἐν οὐρανοῖς: this probably comes nearest to Christ’s actual words. Insuch a solemn utterance He was likely to mention His Father, whose supreme claims His filial heart ever owned. Mark has ‘‘ the will of God’’; Luke ‘‘those who hear and do the word of God ”—obviously second- ary.
CHAPTER XIII. JESUS TEACHING IN PARABLES. The transition from the sultry, sombre atmosphere of chap. xii. into the calm, clear air of Cnhrist’s parabolic wisdom would be as welcome to the evangelist as it is to us. Yet even here we do not altogether escape the shadow of unbelief or spiritual insus- ceptibility. We read of much good seed wasted, bad seed sown among good, fish of all sorts caught in the net. The adoption of the parabolic method of teaching, indeed, had its origin in part in disappointing experiences; truths misapprehended, actions misunderstood, compelling the Teacher to fall back on natural analogies for explanation and self-defence. Al! the synoptists recog- nise the importance of this type of teach- ing by their formal manner of introducing the first of the group of seven parables contained in Matthew’s collection. Cf. Mt. xiii. 3; Mk. iv. 2; Lk. viii. 4. Matthew’s way of massing matter of the same kind most effectually impresses us with the significance of this feature in Christ’s teaching ministry. That Jesus
B has neither εκ nor απο (W.H. omit απο and have ex in
κ.
spoke all the seven parables grouped together in this chapter at one time is not certain or even likely. In the cor- responding section Mark gives only two of the seven (Sower and Mustard Seed). Luke has the Sower only. The Sower, the Taves, and the Drag net may have formed a single discourse, as very closely connected ἵπ structure and import. Perhaps we should rather say had a place in the discourse from the boat, which seems to have been a review of the past ministry of Jesus, expressing chiefly disappointment with the result. Much besides parables would be spoken, the parables being employed to point the moral: much seed, little fruit, and yet a beginning made destined to grow; the situation to be viewed with patience and hope. Just how many of the parables reported by the evangelists were spoken then it is impossible to determine.
Vv. 1-9. The Parable of the Sower (Mk. iv. 1-9; Lk. viii. 4-8). Ver. 1. ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ. The parable stands in the same connection in Mark (not in Luke), but not as following in immediate temporal sequence. No stress should be laid-on Matthew’s phrase ‘‘on that day ”.---ἐξελθὼν τῆς οἰκίας: the house in which Jesus is supposed to have been when His friends sought for Him, though Matthew makes no mention of it (vide Mk. iii. 19).—éxa@yro: as at the teaching on the hill (v. 1), suggestive of lengthened discourse. The Teacher sat, the hearers stood.—Ver. 2. ὄχλοι πολλοί, great numbers of people in all the accounts, compelling the Teacher to withdraw from the shore into the sea, and, sitting in a boat, to address the people standing on the margin. Much interest, popularity of the Teacher still great, and even growing; yet He has formed a very sober estimate ofits value, as the parable following shows.—Ver. 3. ἐν παραβολαῖς: this method of teaching was not peculiar to Jesus—it was common among Easterns—but His use of it was unique in felicity and in the