The Pulpit Commentary — Mark — Volume 1 — Section 162

him." The Greek adjective, aooording to but for want of depth of soil puts forth no the most approved reading, ie ""'"',-or, root, an_d is e?ou scorched,by the rising sun, the superlative of ,ro,-ur, and should be ,md, bemg without root, withers away. 3, rendered "a very great" multitude. They But further, not e.ll who show faith bring had probably been waiting for him in forth the frnit of good works ; like the seed the neighbourhood of Capemanm. He en- sown amon_g t~e thorns, _which, growing up tered into a boat-probably the boat men- together with it, oboked it (crvv,,rv1E11V abTb); tioned at oh. iii. 9----a.nd eat in the see., i.e. such is tho meaning. St. Luke has the in the boat afloat on the water, so as to be words ( cruµ</JuEicra, a/ 6.Kav6a1 lnd,rv1Eav), 11 tho relieved of the pressure of the vast multi- thorns grew up with it and choked it." tude (1r'-F~or txMs) gathered on the shore. 4. But, lastly, there nre those who receive Ver. 2.-He taught them many things in the gospel in the love of it, nnd bring forth parables. This was a new system of teach- fruit, not, however, in equal measures but lng. For some months he had taught some thjrtyfold, some sixty, some a hundred; directly. But as he fonnd that this direct and this on account of the greo.ter in- teaching was met in some quarters with fluences of grace, or on account of the more unbelief and scorn, he abandoned it for the ready co-operation of the free-will of man lees airect method of the parable. The with the sovereign grace of God. The parable ( ,ra.pa,BaXii) is etymologically the whole parable marks a gradation. In the setting forth of one thing by the side of :first case t~e seed produces nothing: in another, eo that the one may be compared the second it produces only the blade: in with the other. The parable ie the truth pre- the third it is near the point of producing sented by a similitude. It differs from the fruit, but fails to bring forth to perfection; proverb inasmuch as it is necessarily :figura- in the fourth it yields frnit, but in different tive. The proverb may be figurative, but measures. it need not of necessity be figurative. The Ver. 9.-And he said, Who hath ears to parable is often an expanded proverb, and hear, let him hear. St. Luke (viii. 8) has a the proverb a condensed parable. There is stronger word than (l'-ey•v) "he sa.id." He but one Hebrew word for the two English (viii. 8) has ( l<1>rfiv<t) "he cried." Our Lord words" parable" and "proverb," which me.y uses this expression, "he that bath eus to account for their being frequently inter- hear," etc., when the subject-matter is figu- cl:ianged. The proverb (Le.tin) is a common rntive or obscure, as though to rouse the sentiment generally accepted. The parable attention of his hearers. He has "ears to (Greek) is something put by the side of hear" who diligently attends to the words of something else. Theologically, it is some- Christ, that he may ponder and obey them. thing in the world of nature which :finds Many heard him out of curiosity, that they its counterpart in the world of spirit. The might hear something new, or learned, or parable attracts attention, and so becomes brilliant; not tbe.t they might lny to heart valuable as a test of character. It reveals the things which they heard, and endeavour the seekers after truth, those who love the to practise them in their lives. And eo it light. It withdraws the light from those is with those who go to hear sermons on who love darkness. And said unto them in account of the fa.me of the preacher, and his doctrine (ev -rji 8,liaxji a/,,-av); lit~rally, not that they me.y learn to amend their in his teaching, namely, that particufor lives: e.nd thus the words of Jehovnh to mode of teaching which he he.d just intro- Ezekiel (uxiii. 32) are fulfilled, " And, duced; "he taught them" (l8/liacrK•v). He lo, thou art unto them e.s a very lovely song BILid. "in hie teaching" ( lv ,-fi 8,liaxfi cun-ov). of one that bath a pleasant voice, nnd co.u Vers. 3--8.-Hearken <:A~a6•.-.): This play well on an instrument: for they hear word is introduced in St. Mark's narrative thy words, but they do them not." only; and it is very suitable to the warning Ver. 10.-When he was alone. These at ver. 9, "Who bath ears to hear, let him words do not nppear in St. Matthew's hear. The sower went forth to sow. The account. He simply says that" the disciples scope of this beautiful parable is this: ea.me and said unto him." This must have Christ teaches us that he is the Sower, that been upon some other occasion. It could is, the great Preacher of the gospel among not have been when 110 was preaching from men. I. But not all who hear the gospel the boat ; for St. Mark says, they that believe it and receive it; jnst as some of were about him with the twelve. Ho is the the seed sown fell by the wayside, on the only evangelist who notices this. We must hard footpath, where It could not penetrate not forget that, besides the twelve, tb ere were the ground, but lay upon the enrfa.ce, and Beventy other disciples. They asked of him BO we.a picked up by the birds. 2. Age.in, the parables (Te&s ,ro.pa/3o:>..J.s ), according to not e.ll who hear and believe persevere in the best reading. The inquiry was a the faith; some fe.11 away; like the seed sown general one, although St. Mark here givee on rocky ground, which springs up indeed, the explanation of one only. cm, IV, 1-41.] THE GOSPEL AOOORDING TO ST. MARK. 157