The Pulpit Commentary — Mark — Volume 1 — Section 190

Vere, 1-20.-Tlie process of truth in IM 1/0Ul. "Word" in the parable stands for truth in genera:!. It is the Greek logos, which contains everything relating to Ideas e.nd the reception of them. I. THE RELATION OF TRUTH TO THE SOUL, It is myEterions, because in it the secret of life lies. We know certain things about the seed; we know certain things about the soil; we k.B.ow that their contact is necessary that germination and growth may take place. Bight, experience, teach us this. But the relation itself is unseen and defies the grasp of thought. Well may the poet say of the "flower in the crannied we.11" that he has plucked and holds in his hand, could he know its mystery, he should know "man e.nd God and all things." Piety lacks root without reverence; and reverence is begotten of mystery, i.e. of the sense that God is present in every fact of lifo, in every act of thought. II. THE RECEPTION OF TRUTH m THE som.. The parable clearly teaches that the whole intelligence e.nd will are closely concerned in this. 1. There must be attention. 'fhe frivolous listener lets the sound of instruction "go in at one ear and out at the other." Pictures of life and duty, which need to be seized and fixed in conduct so soon as they arise in the inner chambers of imagery, melt away like dissolving views. 2. There must be retention. Memory depends on attention: "Therefore we ought to give earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest at any time they should slip by us." Memory is a talent of which some have more, some less; but in every case it may be increased. Truth does not strike e.ll minds in the same way; the important thing is to seize the truth which does strike us, and which we know to be truth by the way in which it strikes us. If conscious of the frailty of our memory, let a few things be constantly brought before our thoughts. Non multa, sed multum. 8. There must be Bimplicity of choice. Truth is jealous, and admits no rival. We must be true to her, for she alone gives freedom. Passions, cares, excitements of the imagination-these cannot be avoided in our active life in the world. For a time they may overcloud our ideal, cause us to lose sight of our goal. But the cloud will lift again, and directness of purpose will dispel these mists and cause the weight of the µ.lp,µ.vai. ~,.,.,.,,,a.{ (see • Ecce Homo I' p. 221) to fall Christ sympathizes with our life-difficulties, but implies that we may overcome them. III. THE PROGRESS OF TRUTH m THE SOUL, 1. It follows the analogy of plant- growth, We can hardly think of spiritual growth under any other image. Herein the need of some knowledge of natural science to the theologian. There lie some of his best instructions and illustrations. It is the Divine counterpart in nature of the ideal truth of spirit. 2. There is diversity in spiritual as in natural growth. Here the corn only is used as an analogy. But we me.y generalize. 'l'he differences in kind as well as degree of produce are not less numerous than in the immense plant-world. The world of souls is as varied as a garden-as a tropical forest. ''l'is a universe of variety, God spiritually unfolding himself in endless forms of beauty e.nd of strength, delicacy and vigour. "He that hath ears to hear, let him hear,n For the parable i~ in fact a sketch-picture of the ideal world-of God's kingdom of the invisible e.nd eternal. We are in this world to be acted upon by him, that we may react upon him in all the devout activities of a fruitful life.-J, Vers. 21-25.-The use of tlie spirit. I. TlIE FACULTIES OF THE HmfAN SPIRIT COMPARED TO LIGlIT. We may take any division of them we please: intellectual, emotional, volitional; head, heart, hand ;-the comparison holds good. 1. Light is cheering, so is intellect; sound reasoning, bright fancy, lambent wit, genial humour, sound knowledge. 2. With light goes heat. The sound head is generally associated with the large heart. Carlyle so.id that a great heart was the foundation of taleut. 3. Light promotes morality, purity, progress; dispels the thoughts e.nd deeds of dark- ness. Great is the blessing of the presence and action of the man of high principle In the home, the Church, the court, the senate, the judgment see.t. 4. It is revealing. The beauties of nature exist not for us in the darkness. Nor can we see tho wonders of God in the spiritual ·or ideal world without the light shed by the genius of the scientific man, the moralist, the philosopher, and the poet. II. FACULTIES GIVEN TO BE USED. 1. If not used they are hardly possessed. They llwindle and become enfeebled in disuse. "To him that hath shall be given," etc. In 186 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MARK. [011.. rv. 1-41