The Pulpit Commentary — Mark — Volume 1 — Section 187

mea.sure is small, so he metes it to himself. 3. To hear is n duty ; to neglect brings God's condemnation. 4. He who does not so receive God's truth 88 to become a true subject of the kingdom of heaven, is in the kingdom of evil, and continued disobedience lea'I'~ the man fui:the: a.nd further from God. 6. So truth assumes the form of a parable to ~1m: Hts eye 1s dimmed. He sees only the outward word; of the inward meaning, which 1s experimental, he knows nothing. Even Christ, his work and his gospel, may be to men a mere parable. They know not "the things" which are spoken. Thus is to be seen: (1) The terrible and to-be-dreaded consequence of not heedin" the Word. It b8?omes a parable, a dark saying, a riddle. "If they hear not Moses," etc. (2) The mercifulness of him who would hide truth in a beautiful parable, to tempt the careless to inquire that they may be roused to effort and be saved. (3) The great lesson," to bear the Word," "to read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest the same, that by patience and comfort of the Scriptures we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of ever- lasting life, which is given to us in our Saviour Jesus Christ."-G. Vers. 26-34-.-The kingdom nf God further illastrated by parables. No sin"le parable holds the entire truth in Itself; therefore, by "many such parables" Jesus ,['spake the Word unto" the multitude. Of those spoken at this time, St. Mark selects only two others besides that of the sower, and both of them, as was the first, are drawn from seeds. How suitabk a simile of that kingdom, whose inherent, vital, self-expanding force is one of its most distinguishing features! These two parables stand related: the one lending us to think of the part" the earth" plays in bearing "fruit "-the power, as before we saw the duty, of the human heart to receive and to nourish the seed, to yield its due results; the other teaching the history of the little seed when received into suitable soil. This parable, the only one peculiar to St. Mark, is simple and very beautiful, and full of rich teaching. It embraces all the history of the seed in the heart, from its sowing, through its stages of growth, to its ripeness and ingathering. It may be summarized as- Tm; LA w OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 1. The human heart is the suitable "earth" for the heavenly seed. But one kind of seed, " the Word," is named. From this alone the kingdom grows. Yet the seed is not al ways sufficiently winnowed. The same hand sometimes scatters darnel with the wheat, or the gaudy, bright, but useless poppy. But seeds, bad and good, will grow together in the same field. What will not grow in the human heart I He who made the warm soil suitable for the growth of the useful herb for the service of man, and adapted the seed to the earth, has made the heart so that the best and hlghest truths will grow therein. There, what would otherwise be a dead truth- hard seed-may find the suitable conditions for its nourish- ment and growth. There it is quickened. Every holy truth may find a home in the heart of man; the richest, ripest, most wholesome, most abundant fruit may be gathered in that Eden. 2. 'l'he needful committal of the seed to the earth has its parallel in Christ's co=ittal of his kingdom to the fruit-bearing heart. There H grows, " we know not how," though we know so much. There is but one true Sower to whom the field belongs, and who provided the one basket of seed. But many sow in his Name a.nd by his direction-preachers, parents, teachers, writers, friends. But the truth once sown in the heart must be left to Heaven's own influence. Days and nights follow. Patient waiting lil needed, for the growth of good principles is slow and the perfect fruitfulness not immediate. And the lesson of patience is silently hidden in the words of the parable. He who causes the seeds of the earth to swell and burst and die, and out of the hidden germ a new life to spring up, brings the truth to the remembrance, awakens dormant thought stirs the indolent conscience, carries conviction deep within, whence springs faith tt.i'be followed by all holiness. The growth retains its own distinctive character, being nevertheless affected by the nature of the soil-" the earth which beareth fruit of herself." 3. The progression of the spiritual life is ~s the ~rowth of the field. The tr~th quickly works its way. The first signs are found ma sh~htly changed manner of hf~, as it submits to the restraining and guiding truth; the tmt on the face of the field 1s slightly altered; a delicate tinge of spring green blades mingles with the russet-bro"'.n of the soil. All is immature and feeble, but beautiful, as the field in the first days of sprmg; and it is full of promise. A longer space follows ere the ear appears. It ia the time of growth. 'l'hc responsibility of the sower is transferred to the earth, save that he may guard cm. rv.1-41.] THE GOSPEL AOCORDING TO ST. MARK. 183