The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 2 — Section 37

search to see that it certainly is not so. The resemblance between the two pamblcH lies only on the surface, and not lcs8 true is it that on the very surface also lies sufficient conviction of the real <lifferen1:e between the two. The illustration of the kingdom of heaven furnished by this parable sets it forth- I. As A LARGE GATHERING OF PEilSONS OF VERY VAnIOUS CHARACTER, WHO HAVE ENTl!lilED FROM THE RESTLESS WAVES OF TlllB 1'ROUBLESOME WORLD WITHIN AN ENCLO- SURE, NOT OF THEIR OWN MAKING, NOT OF THEIR OWN DESIGNING, AND NOT OF THEIR OWN PLACING, AND THERE FOB A TIME KEPT TOGETHER. II. As A GATHERING OF DIFFERENT PERSONS, WHO, THOUGH LONG FOUND TOGETHER WITIDN THAT ENCLOSURE, WOULD AT LENGTH BE SEPARATED; BE CALLED THE GOOD OB. THE BAD, THE II WICKED" OB THE "JUST j" AND BE DEALT WITH ACCORDINGLY, ill. As A GATHERING OF SUCH AS ABOVE DESCRIBED, THE SEPARATION AMONG WHOll AT LAST WOULD BE MADE BY SOVEREIGN AND IRRESISTIBLE AND SUPREME AUTHORITY. -B. Vera. 53-58 (see also Mark vi. 1-6).-The defying of conviction. What is written in this passage is not to be understood as following close upon the speaking of the four parables from the ship, and the three following upon them, and which were spoken in the house. Nevertheless, the Evangelist Matthew furnishes us with the suggestive link, which consists of the fifty-third verse. The parables, with all their Divine fulness of meaning, whether more or less mystic, and whether those to the multitude e.nd disciples, or to the disciples alone, a.re for the present "finished." But " wi,dom and mighty works" are not finished; e.nd he who speaks the wisdom and who does the mighty works journeys untiringly elsewhere, e.nd with his face toward "his own country." Notice-- I. A CERTAIN POSITION OF HUMAN NATUBE HEBE DESCRIBED--VIZ. CONVICTION ITSELF, CONFRONTED BY A STUMBLING-BLOCK. The "wisdom" and the " mighty works,, are pot denied, are not doubted ; are asserted and proclaimed. The material of conviction was all present, and its work asserted itself. The way is surely perfectly plain for tho human mind, and what further need be said? I!. A CERTAIN ATTITUDE OF HUMAN NATURE UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES DESCRIBED, It is an uneasy attitude, one of uncertainty, one of casting about, how it is possible to make a difficulty, to get over, and conquer plain duty. It may be readily granted tha:t there did exist a difficulty not inconsiderable for those who are here spoken of; that a diffi- culty was present in the very existence of so great a cause for wonder; that the difficulty was not lessened by the fact that he who was now the centre of observation and. of admiration, and, to say the least of it, of unparalleled surprise, had been one familiarly known, and his family familiarly known, and familiarly known not as among those who were princes of the world in wealth, or in station, or in power and exalted sphere of influence. Ill. A CERTAIN UNSATISFACTORY, INCONSEQUENTIAL, A~'D UTTERLY RECKLESS TREAT- MENT OF THE DILEMMA BETWEEN THE DIFFICULTY AND THE CONFESSED-TO CONVICTIO~. It is the treatment called defiance. The difficu 1ty is not reasoned out to the end ; nor is it treasured in reverent patience to await further light; nor is its comparative, practical, unimportance acknowledged, and permitted to relegate it to its proper subor- dinate place. But the difficulty is petted and made much of, while conviction i,; defied, and conscience is di~honoured. These are bowed off the solemn scene ; and with them another retreats awhile at least. It is he of whom it is said, "He could do no mighty work there, save that he laid his hands on o. few sick folk, and healed them;" and again, "He did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief;" and, "He marvelled because of their unbelief." Some day later, when their eyes were, perforce opened, and something beside their eyes also, what a marvel, what a reproach, what a remorse, that identical instance and working of "unbelief" must have been to theml-B. Vere. 8-23.-Parabla of the sower. The object of this parable is to explain the causes of the failure an<l success of the gospel. It might have been suppostd enough to proclaim the kingdom. Why does this fail? It fails, says our Lord, because of the nature of the soil. This soil is often impervious, often shallow, often dirtJJ. ~8 THE GOSPEL ACCORDL.\'G TO ST, MATTHEW. [cu. xrIL 1-68.