The Pulpit Commentary — Mark — Volume 1 — Section 186

until every thought and affection and purpose (liko the birds spoken or in this parable) dwell under its influence.· If there has been no growth, let us examine ourselves. When a flower or plant is fading, drooping, and likely to die, we try to discover the cause. Per- haps it wants water, perhaps it is shut off from sunshine, perhaps it has been too long coddled under artificial heat and is therefore weakly, or perhaps a worm is gnawing at the root. If our spiritual life has no growth, let us ask why this is. We want showers of blessing, the sunshine of God's favour, independence of artificial stimulants, and above all, freedom from the sin which doth so easily beset us, and then we shall grow like plants of God's right hand planting.-A. R. Vers, 1-25.-The duty of faithfully hearing tM Word. He who taught by every act of his life, and who had already given many most important lessons with his lips, now, after the interruptions just recorded, "began to teach" more formally. It was "by the seaside," the multitude standing "by the sea on the land," and he" entered into a boat, and sat in the sea." "He taught them many things in parables." The first of these and one of the chief of the parables and the chiefcst of all on the subject of "the Word," is, with its explanation, the key to many others. The lesson of the whole is summed up in the words of ver. 24, "Heed what ye hear." It was not without purpose that he spoke of hearing. All depends upon it. Noah, Moses, Paul, Jesus himself, will preach in vain if men hear not with care. 'l.'he parable teaches- I. TnE ESPECIAL EVILS AGAINST WillCH HEN HUST GUARD IN HEARING THE Wonn. 1. The first evil is losing the Word before faith has made it fruitful. "The parable is this: the seed is the Word of God." The kingdom of heaven grows from this seed only. By it alone is conviction of sin wrought; by it is faith begotten ; by it Christ is revealed; by it regeneration is effected; by it the way of lifo is defined; by it are men sanctified; by it hope, and patience, and charity, and all graces are strengthened. This great lesson is, by both preachers and hearers, to be pondered. But the \Vord, by whomsoever sown, may be lost before it is fruitful. It may be taken out of the heart, out of the memory, from the understanding. " When they have heard, straightway cometh Satan, and taketh away the Word which hath been sown in them." 2. A second danger is from a mere temporary faith. There is " no deepness of earth," " no root in themselves." They" endure for a while.n A little thing turns them away from that which they received "straightway with joy," but without counting the cost. 3. A third evil is the fruitlessness of the Word through the" cares of the world, and the deceit[ulness of riches, and the luGts of other things," especially " the pleasures of this life." The ground is good; the seed is good ; it is well received and kept in the heart; yet is it choked. Yea, even God's good Word sown in the heart by Christ's own hand may be choked. This is a danger to which every believer is exposed. It is allowing other growths to sap this, other things to take up the time and attention, to absorb thn interest, to steal the affections. The poor are in danger from " the cares of the world;" the rich from "the deceitfulness of riches." The parable teaches- II. THE REWARD OF FAITHFUL IIEARING, "He that hath, to him shall be given." To him that hath as the fruit of his diligence, not simply what was given to him-all had this-to him shall be added the Lord's increase, over and above the na.tural con- sequences of his carefulness. He who so uses Divine truth as to be the better for it is in more favourable circumstances to receive and understa.ud. Such know the truth, for "the mystery of the kingdom of God is given" to them. Every step in the ascent makes the next step possible. 'l'ruth grows to its perfection (that is to say, the character which is the product of truth) when it is" heard" and held fast in "an honest and good heart; " a heart inwardly good and outwardly honest; a heart honestly desiring the Word and acting honestly by it. To such there is "fruit, thirtyfold, and sixtyfold, and a hundred- fold." This is the truly prepared ground-ploughed, as could not be said of " the wayside" or the" stony ground." The parable further teaches- III. THE CONDEMNATION OF Blll W1:IO HEABETH NOT TO PROFIT. 1. "He that bath not," i.e. hath not any fruit of his careful hearing, hath nothing more than was first given to him; "even that which he hath "-that which was given to him-" shall be taken away," Disregarded truth becomes disliked truth, and by him who docs not use his understanding about it, it is naturally forgotten. So the condemnation takes the form of a removal of the truth. 2. In carelessness he puts the truth away from him. llis 182 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MARK. [ou. 1v. 1-41.