The Pulpit Commentary — Mark — Volume 1 — Section 165

ueee them not, God will gradually tako because the harvest is oome. As soon aa them away. Obrist here encourages his Christ's work is completed, whether in the apostles and disciples to diligent and earnest Church or in the,individual, "immediately" preaching of hie gospel, by promising them the sickle is sent forth. As soon as a in return yet greater influxes of his wisdom Christian is ready for heaven, God calls him and grace. away; and therefore we may infer that it is Yere. 26- 28.-This p11rable is recorded nnwise, if not sinful, for a Christian, op- by St. Mark alone. It differs greatly from pressed it may be with sickness or trouble, the po.rable of the sower, although both of to be eager in wishing to leave this world. them are founded upon the imagery of the "It is one thing to be willing to go when seed cast into the ground. In both cases God pleases; it is another thing to speak as the seed represents the doctrine of the though we wished to hasten our departu·e." gospel ; the field represents the hearers; " When the fruit is ripe, immediately he the harvest the end of the world, or per- putteth forth the sickle." If, therefore, the hapu the death of each individual hearer. sickle is not yet sent forth, it is because So ie the kingdom of God, in its progress the fruit is not yet fully ripe. The afflic- from its establishment to its completion. tions of the faithful are God's means to The sower casts seed upon the earth, not ripen them for heaven. They are the dress- without careful preparation of the soil, but ing which the Lord of the vineyard employs without further sowing. And then he pur- to make the tree more fruitful, Co make the sues his ordinary business. He sleeps by Christian more fruitful in grace, and more night ; he rises by day; he has leisure for ripe for glory. other employment; his work as a sower is Vere. 30-32,-Wheren.nto shall we liken finished. Meanwhile the seed germinates the kingdom of God l or with what com- and grows by its own hidden virtues, assisted parison shall we compare it l In the first by the earth, the sun, and the air, the sower clause of this verse the best authorities give knowing nothing of the mysterious process. ,rws for -r/11,, How shall we liken the kingd<nn :First comes the blade, then the ear, then of Godf and in the second clause, instead the full oom in the ear. Such is the of the Greek of which the Authorized preaching of the gospel. Here, therefore, Version is the rendering, the best-approved the sower represents human responsibility reading is (-r/11, a11Tti11 ,rapa~o>,:fi Bwµ,11 ), in in the work. The vitality of the seed is what parable shaU we set it forth j Our independent of his labour. The earth de- Lord thus stimulates the intellect of his velops the plant from the seed by those heo.rers, by ma.king them his associates, natural but mysterious processes through o.s it were, in the search for appropriate which the Oree.tor is ever working. So in similitudes (see Dr. Morison, in loc.). The spiritual things, the sower commences the kingdom of God, that is, his Church on work, and the grace of God perfects it in eo.rth, is like a grain of mustard seed. By the heart which receives these in.lluences. this image our Lord shows the great power, The earth beareth fruit of herself. In like fertility, o.nd extension of the Church; in- manner, by degrees, the faith of Christ asmuch a.a it started from a very small and increases through the preaching of the apparently insignificant beginning, and gospel ; and the Church grows and expands. spread itself over the whole world. It is And what is true of the Church collectively not literally and absolutely true tllat the is true also of eaoh individual member of the gr11in of mustard seed is less than all seeds. Church. For the heart of each faithful Chris- '!'here are other seeds which are less tho.n tian produces first the blade, when it con- it. But the expression may readily be ceives good desires and begins to put them allowed when we compare the smo.llness into action; then the ear, when it brings of the seed with the greo.tness of the results them to good effect ; and lastly the full produced by it. It is one of the leo.st of all oorn in the eo.r, when it brings them to their seeds. And so the preo.ching of the Gos- full maturity and perfection. Hence our pel and the establishment of the Church Lord in this parable intimates that they was one of the smallest of beginnings. who labour for the conversion of souls Perhaps the well-known pungenoy of tho l>Ught, with much patience, to wait for the seed of the mustard plo.nt may suggest the fruit of their labour, as the husbandme.n quickening, stimulating power of the Gos- we.its with much pe.tience for the precious pel when it to.kes root in the heo.rt. The fruits of the ee.rth. muetlll'd plant shoots out large branches, Ver. 29.-But when the fruit is ripe (~cu, whioh are used o.s fuel in some countries, Ii~ ,rapao,ii l> ,cap,ros). The verb here is quite lo.rge enough for shadow for the birds. active; it might be rendered delivereth up, A traveller iu South .America says tho.t it or alloweth. It is a peouliar expression, grows to so large o tree upon the slopes 0f though cvidontly meaning '' when the fruit the mounto.ins of Chili tho.t he could ri<lu is ready." Re putteth forth the siokle, under its branches.  160 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MARK. [oa. 1v. 1-4:L