The Pulpit Commentary — Luke — Volume 1 — Section 205

further respecting thnt dny's pBrahle-tcnch- 0080 of mnny of his own tme servnnts, the lng. It is most probe.blo thut e.11 these prophets. It mirrored, too, the many fulllr~ reported discourses, paro.bles, expoRitione, failures and the few Ju.tu.re successes of the or sermons, a.re simply e. r~urru! of the listening disciples: it warned them not to origine.l words. The disciples evidently by be deluded by appearances, not to be dis- their question-which St. !\fork tells ne was couraged by apparent failure. The Word, put to Jesus when they were alone with of cout·se, in the first instance is his own him-wote surprised a11cl puzzled, first at teaching; it comprehends, however, any the strange chnnge which that eventful preaching or teaching, whether of prophet day ine.ugure.ted in the method of their of the past or minister of the futllre, which Master's tee.ching, and secondly, at the tries faithfnlly ta copy hie own. peculiar character of this hie first gree.t Ver. 12.-Thoae by the wayside are they po.ro.ble-lceeon. It was, incleed, a sombre that hear ; then oometh the devil, and taketh and depreHsing announcement whatever way away the Word out of their hearts, lest they it was looked at-sombre e.e e. picture of should believe and be saved. The wayside the results of hie own po.at ministry, de- hearers represent the great outer circle of pressing if rege.rcled as a prophecy of their men and women who more or less respect future success as teachers. religion. It must be carefnlly borne in Ver. 10.-And he so.id, Unto you it is mind that in none of the four classes pic- given to know the mysteries of the kingdom tured in the parable are despisers of God, of God: but to others in parables ; that see- declared enemies of religion, portrayed. ing they might not see, and hearing they To these the gospel, with its warnings and might not understand. In St. Matthew we its promises, rarely if ever speaks. These have the Lord's reply given at greater of "the wayside" are they whose hearts length: the same prophecy of Isaiah which resemble a footpath, beaten hard antl flat here forms the basis of St. Luke's account by the constant passing to and fro of wishes of Jesus' reply is given in full. - St. Mark of the flesh, of thoughts concerning earthly weaves the Isaiah-words into the Master's things, mere sordid hopes and fears. f nt > answer. The thought, however, in each of these hearts the Word cnn never real.!y the three accounts is exactly the same. penetrate. Momentary influence now e.nd The parable mode of teaching was adopted again seems to have been gained, but the by Jesus who, as Heart-reader, was aware many watchfnl agents of the evil one, with now by sad experience and still sadder fore- swift wings, like birds of the air, swoop knowledge, that his glorious news rather down and snatch away the scattered seetl repelled than attracted the ordinary hearer. which for a moment seemed as though it They did not want to be disturbed from would take root. Jndaa Iscariot the Jew, their earthly hopes and loves and fears. and Pontius Pila.ta the Rome.n, might be They preferred not to be healed as God instanced as types of this class. These-- would heal them. The Master then apoke before their awful fate--both appeared to his paro.bles with the intention of veiling have been moved. The one for loug months hie Divine story from the careless and in- followed the Lord and was trusted by him: diffe1·ent. Tilese, he knew, would for the the other pitied, and for a moment in his- most part be repelled by such teaching, Pilate's caee-pity seemed passing into love while it would specially attract the earnest and admiration, and tried to find a way of inquirer. "The veil which it (the parable) escape for the innocent Prisoner. Dut the throws over the truth becGmes transparent one betrayed, and the other delivered to to the attentive mind, while it remnins im- death, the sinless Son of God I penetrable to the careless" (Godet). It was Ver. 13.-They on the rook are they, therefore his deliberate wish that such whioh, when they hear, receive the Word hearers might neither see nor unclersta.nd. with joy; and these have n? root, whioh for Dr. Morrison (' Commentary on St. l\Io.rk ') a while believe, and in time of temptation well and clellrly puts the Lord's thou.,.ht fall away. 'fhese represent natures at once here: "It is the sinner's deeply rooted ;ish impressionable and excitable; impulsive that he should not see and understa.ud nnd men und women who, charmed with tho the so.d explauo.tiun of this wish is giv~n by beauty, perhaps (to them) the novelty, of St. Mark-the sinner is a.frnid lest he should the gospel message, receive the Word, take be prevailed to llll'n. Lest at any t-ime they up the Master's yoke with joy, but without should be converted (Ma.rk iv. 12)." thou 0 ht. These hastily ma.ke a religioll8 Vera. 11-15.-7'he Lord's interpretation profc~sion, but they forget a.ltogeth0r to of the parable of the sower. count who.t the rca.l codt of such a pro- Ver. 11.-The seed is the Word of God. fession amounts to. Upon these superficial It wna his own sa,! oxporicnce the l\lnster but kin,Uy natures come trouble, ptlrplexity, was rola.ting. 'I'ho pioture Wl\8 of thiu"s, discouragement, perhaps persecution; th, " too. whi"h bud o.lrcu,ly happcued in tbe <Juickly the anc~-lovetl religion with,·:·;  204 TTTF. GOST'EL AOOORDING TO ST. LUKE. [en. vm. 1-156.