The Pulpit Commentary — Mark — Volume 1 — Section 183

Adam a sower in things natural, made the second Adam a Sower in what was spiritual, Our Lord referred to himself and to all who follow him in his work when he said. "Behold, the sower went forth to sow." Now, soil and seed are essential to caoh other. Many a man has the "honest and good heart;" but he must not be content with that for, as the richest soil will remain empty unless seed be in it, eo even such a heart wili be unproductive of spiritua.l results without Christ, the true and living Word. While the soil is thus useless without the seed, the seed is unproductive without the soil. Hence Christ urged men t.o receive him, and hence he said of his teaching, "He that bath ears to hear, let him hear." Christian truth may be intellectually known and prop..- gated, but the world is only the richer for it as it becomes the inspiration of human hearts. Christ's words must be translated into men's lives, that they may be read ae "living epistles." In a. sense, the Lord himself must become incarnate in each of his followers (Col. i. 27). For the world's sake, a.s well as our own, may we receive the seed of the kingdom l This parable speaks of- I. THE PERILS WHICH THREATEN THE GOOD SEED. Let us seek to recognize them in the various thoughts which contend for the mastery with Christ's truth. 1. Evil thoughts. They come through companions, from books, etc., but find their source in Sa~n (ver.15). Often we_find that.they are most intrusive just after or during our holiest hours. They are like the bU'ds of prey which swooped down on Abraham's sacrifice when be was making his covenant with God (Gen. xv.). Like him, we must seek by constant watching and effort to drive them away. 2. Vacant thoughts. The foolish habit of letting thoughts wander as they list, settling nowhere on what is definite or dignified, is a. characteristic of the shallow characters represented by the rocky soiL Earnest conviction and the abiding stability which follows it cannot belong to these. Well is it when each can say, "I hate vain thoughts, but thy Law do I love." 3. .An:ciou.s thoughts. "The cares of this world" (ver. 19) are destructive of the serenity and rest which Christ's true disciples should always rejoice in. There- fore onr Lord so urgently warns us against them (Matt. vi. 25-34). St. Paul says, " Be careful for nothing ; but in everything by prayer and supplication with tha.nks- gi ving let your requests be ma.de known nnto God," and then "the peace of God ... shall keep your hearts." 4. .Adverse thoughts. "The lusts of other things" so absorb some that their minds are like a soil full of growing thorns. " If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." Judas Iscariot was a terrible example of this. It wonld be useless to point out such perils as these if it were not that our hearts a.re not like the soil, which is destitute of will, of effort, and of a voice to cry to Heaven. Our condition largely depends npon our choice, or rather on the prayer which is the outcome of it; so that it is not in vain that we have guarded ourselves against the perils which beset the seed. From them let us tum to consider- II. THE PBOGilEBB WHICH AWAITS THE BEED in various hearts. 1. Swiftly gone, devoured by the birds, i.e. dissipated or destroyed by other thoughts. Warn against the flippancy and worldliness of much conversation in Christian homes on the Lord's day, and point ont the injury which young people may thus receive. 2. Springing soon, withering soon. This is specially seen in sentimental natures. There is a shallowness in thought and experience from which we should earnestly pray for deliverance. It is well when such underlying r6ck is broken up by the plough of affliction. 3. Growing, not fruit-bearing. This is the condition of many professed Christians, whose homes witness to unconquered tempers and whose Churches mourn unattempted service. 4. Producing fruit and increase. All do not bring forth the same fruit, either in kind or in degree. Still we see the "thirtyfold," the "sixty- fold," and the" hundredfold,'' according to the gift and capacity of each. God only expects of ns according to that which we have, and not according to that which we have not. The different talents entrnsted to the servants (Matt. xxv.) remind us of this ; yet that every one of them could win the reward of him who had been "good and faithful." Allude lo various examples of fruit-bearing among Christians, e.g. the quiet ministrations in the home, of which no one outside it hears ; the steadfast adherence to Christian principle when slight swerving from it would bring an advantage, which as a keen man he is qnick to see, but as a devout man ls swift to spuni; the privilege of writing words which go forth to unseen multitudes, stirring in them loftier thoughts Qf God and of hia Word and works;· tne plea.lllWtness of the gentle girl who at school or on. IV. 1-41.] THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MARK. 179