The Pulpit Commentary — Mark — Volume 1 — Section 207

inherent in the word, certain H is that such hearers receive the Word not wearily nor listlessly, norae a formal duty, but as a matter of privilege,and in order to be instructed and edified thereby, and that their souls may be sati~fied ae with marrow and fatness. But, secondly,euch hearers understand (crvv~v) the Word, The interest we feel in any truth or fact helps ue greatly in its right comprehemion; once onr interest is fully l\wa.kened our attention will be excited; we shall examine its bearings more thought- fully. It is thus especially wit~ the Word of ~?d: we _shall study it more carefully, as well as more prayerfully; while the Holy Spmt, promised to them that ask him, will guide us into all truth, even "the truth ae it is in Jesus." A third element in this recep- tion of the Word is the retention of it ( Ka.Tlxov1T1, used by St. Luke): they keep it, Having received the truth in the love of it, and having mingled it with faith, it becomes the ingrafted W ord-ingrafted as a fruitful shoot in the wild unfruitful stock, or implanted in them, at all events, incorporated with their very being. As a natural and necessary consequence, they hold it fast, 60 that Satan cannot snatch it away, nor vain thoughts c-rush it down, nor worldly concerns stifle it, nor any evil influence destroy it. It becomes the subject of regular, constant, daily meditation; and so it gets linked with the thoughts and feelings and affections, while it is reduced to practice in the life. The individual 60 receiving it is "not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the Word," and so blessed in the deed. This corresponds exactly with the apostle's statement (1 Cor. xv. 2), "By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory [1ta.T<X•TE, literally, hold fast, as here] what I preached unto you." 3. Fruitfulness. Fruit is borne in varying propor- tion, according to the talents bestowed and the surrounding circumstances. 'l'his fruit is borne in patience, that is, enduringly and perseveringly, and to the end; and not only the seed itself, but the fruit-each grain in every ear in tum becoming seed multiplies itself. XI. PBACTI0AL LESSONS. 1. Right way of receiving the Word. 'l'here must be the exercise of attention, understanding, and memory; as far ae possible the attention must be lively and earnest, the understanding active and practical, and the memory retentive. 2. The fruitfulness, The fruit, though it varies in quantity, is a uniform product, evidencing the root of the matter, and ministering at once glory to God and grace to man.-J. J. G. Vere. 21-25. Parallel passage: Luke viii, 16-18. -Light and illumination. I. TEMPORARY OBSCURATION, The heathens in their mysteries had esoteric doctrines only made known to the initiated, and not designed to be revealed at any time to the uninitiated, The obscuration in their case was permanent. Our Lord, at a particular period of his ministry and for a special purpose, veiled his teaching in parable. But this obscuration was only meant to continue for a. time. Our Lord guards against the notion that the doctrines thus propounded were designed for perpetual concealment, or for revelation only to a select few. Accordingly he asks whether at all (u;\T,) a lamp (Avxvos) is brought i11to an apartment in order to be secreted or to be set on a lamp- stand. The lamp is not brought, is it, to be put under a bushel (rather, a peck-measure, equivalent to the Roman modius) or under a bed, and not to be set on a lamp-stand? The light in a dwelling may be concealed for some necessary purpose and for some short time, but this is contrary to its regular and proper use. So our Lord here implies that the light of his teaching may be partially concealed by parable, and confined for a timo to a few immediate followers, but shall be manifested, and is meant to be manifested, o.ll the more afterwards. The matter is expressed in two ways-first as a prediction, and secondly as a purpose. As a prediction, "'l'here is nothing hid, that shall not be manifested;" or, more literally, There is not anything hid, that (or whatsoever) may not be revealed. As a purpose," Neither was anything kept secret, but that it should come abroad;" rather, Neither did anything become secret, but that it might come into open view. Like a lamp placed under some piece of domestic furniture for a 11hort space 1md for soro e sufficient reason, the light of our Lord's doctrine was placed under the veil of parable or other obscuring medium for a time. But this position was never meant to be permanent-nay, the purpose was the very opposite; that is, to promote rather than prevent the future splendour and the further outshining of that bright and beautiful light. II. RELATION 011' LEARNING TO TEAOBING. Our Lord's maxims never undergo a change of meaning, but their application necessarily varies with the context. After enunciating  204 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. AIARK. [oe. IV. 1-41.