The Pulpit Commentary — Luke — Volume 1 — Section 206

awny like corn growing on rocky plRces a hated and persrcnted sect, eaoriflced a hP11m(h the burning summer sun. John lnrge portion of their property to help the llhrk, the would-be missionary comp1tnion poor of the llook, and yet these app1uently of Pnul and Barnabas, was one of this devoted ones were living a double life ; the impulsive but little-enduring class; and thorns he.d eo grown up nnd twined about Demas, once the friend of Panl, but who the corn that in their field nothing ever loved too well the present world. Another ripened. imtanoo wonld be the man who offered to Ver. 15.-But that OD the good ground folh1w J eeus "whithersoever thon goest," RS are they, which in an honest and good he phrased it, till he found, by the Lord's bee.rt, having heard the Word, keep it, and Em'Ve answer, that the Master he offered to bring forth fruit with patienoe. In this f.,llow had neither home nor resting-place: portrniture of the fourth class of our Lord's then he -ms quickly to harn turned great life-picture of hearers of and in- bnck. quirers concerning religion, the Greek Yer. 14.-And that whioh fell among words renclered in the Authorized Version thorns are they, which, when they have " honest " and " good " (" in e.n honest and heard, go forth, and are ohoked with oares good heart ") were words well known and and riches and pleasures of thiA life, and in familiar use among ;the widely spread bring no trait to perfection. There is some- Greek-speaking peoples for whom especially thing very sad in this, the thorn-choked St. Luke's Gospel was compiled. ProfeSBOr class of believers. Each of them represents Bruce (' Pe.rabolio Teaching of Christ,' eh. the .,ie manquu; the beautiful flower just i.) remarks thnt "the man who united the spoiled as it was bursting into full bloom. two qualities expressed by the term' honest• These hear the Word, and, hearing it, grasp (better remlered 'noble') and • good,' repre- its deep solemn meaning, and for a part of sented the beau-ideal of manhood. He was each dny honestly try to live the life which one whose o.iru was noble, and who was that Divine Word pressed home to them. generously devoted to his aim. The ex- But v.ith these tllere is another life; side pression rendered 'honest' (better translated by side with the golden grain has grown 'noble,' 1e11~6r) has reference to aims or chief up a crop of thorns, which, nnless destroyed ends, and describes one whose mind is re.ised in time, will choke and utterly mar, as, alas, above moral vulgarity, and is bent, not on it often docs, the true corn. Such men money-making and such low pursuits, but and women, the double-minded ones of St. on the attainment of wisdom, holiness, James, try to serve two masters-God and and righteousness. The epithet rendered the world. Dr. Morrison bas a good note •good• (a;,a86r) denotes generous self- on the parallel passage in St. Mark, where, abandonment in the prosecution of lofty after suggesting that the cares, the riches, ends; large-heartedness, magnanimous, over- and the pleasures of this life in our time flowing devotion." l\lary of Bethany, with are snch things as housPs, land, works of her devoted love and her generous friend- art and mrtu, posts of honour, gaiety of ship: the centurion Cornelius, with his garments, grandeur of entertainments, and fervent piety and his noble generosity to- in general ti.e myriad appliances of luxury, wards a despised and hated race ; Barnabas, he goe. on to say, "These come more or with his splendid liberality, his utter absence less in upon e.11 men, but some men lay of care for self, his bright, loving trust in themselves peculiarly open to their in- human nature, his true charity," bee.ring all fluence, and allow them to twine and things, hoping ell things; "-are good ex- twist themselves like the serpents of Lao- amples, drawn from different sexes a.nil coon around every energy and suscepti- from varied races, and out of divcrde paths bility of their being." The rich young of life, of these true inquirers, who not only rnlc:r -whom J esllS luved is a fair instance hear tlie W orcl, but keep it. of this not uncommon character, which Vere. 16-18.-A solemn conclusion of perhaps is more often met with among the the I ,o,-d's to hi, exposition of hiJJ first great more cultured of society than among the parable. poor and the artisan class. There must Ver. 16.-No man, when he hath lighted have been much that was really beautiful a candle, covereth it with a veseel, or putteth an<l true in that young man, or Jesus never it Wlder a bed ; but setteth it OD a oandle- he.cl singled hiill out as one whom he etick, that they which enter in may eee the especie.11 y loved, ancl yet in his case the light. The meaning of the Lord's saying thorns of riches and luxury had so twioecl here is-the disciples must not look on this themselves among the rea.l com that, as far parable-method of teaching, which from WI we know, it never brought fruit to per- henceforth he purposed frequently to adopt, fection. .Ananias and Sapphire. mRy, too, as mysterious, or as containing anything Le instanced. They had given up much for beyond ordinary human comprehension. tlie Name'a sake, 1M1110Ciated them~elvee with The explanation of " ihe sower," which he on. vrn. 1-56.] TIIE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. LUKE. 205