PARABLE OF THE SOWER. -- Matthew 13:1-9. GOLDEN TEXT. --_ The seed is the word of God._ -- Luke 8:11. TIME. --A. D. 28. PLACE. --On the sea-shore of Galilee; probably not far from Capernaum. HELPFUL READINGS. -- Matthew 12:14-50; Mark 4:1-20; Luke 8:4-18; Matthew 13:10-23. LESSON ANALYSIS. --1. _T... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THERE WERE GATHERED UNTO HIM GREAT MULTITUDES. Literally, "greatest." There is every reason to believe that this was the greatest. It was the _turning-point in his public teaching,_ since the parabolic instruction now begins.--_ Schaff._ The great Rabbi, according to the universal custom of the... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SPAKE MANY THINGS TO THEM IN PARABLES. Of which only samples are preserved, even by Matthew, and still fewer in the other Gospels, showing that the writer's aim was not to furnish an exhaustive history, but to illustrate by examples the ministry of Christ.--_ J. A. Alexander._ BY PARABLES.... [ Continue Reading ]
II. THE SOWING. 4. AND WHEN HE SOWED. The seed-time in Palestine is usually in October, about the time when this parable was spoken. Sowing is always done by hand; the ground is first scratched with. plow, which runs about four inches deep; the seed is sometimes covered with. harrow, sometimes trod... [ Continue Reading ]
SOME FELL UPON STONY PLACES. Where the rocks that jut out of the hills into the plain had. very thin covering of earth, rendering it wholly impossible that the roots should penetrate beyond. certain depth, or draw up any supplies of nourishment from beneath. It is not expected by the farmer that an... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN THE SUN WAS UP THEY WERE SCORCHED. When the hot suns and dry weather came it would wither away. It was not rooted in that deep, moist soil which would have enabled it to resist the scorching heat of the sun; and, being smitten by that, it withered and died.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SOME FELL AMONG THORNS. More literally, _into the thorns._ He was thinking of some clump of thorny plants which had been burnt down according to Oriental custom, but not eradicated, before seed-growing time. In among these roots some seeds fell. THORNS GREW UP.. CHOKED THEM. Or, as Wycliffe r... [ Continue Reading ]
III. GOOD SEED IN GOOD SOIL. 8. BUT OTHER FELL IN GOOD GROUND. The goodness of this last soil consists in its qualities being precisely the reverse of the other three soils: from its softness and tenderness, receiving and cherishing the seed; from its depth, allowing it to take firm root, and not... [ Continue Reading ]
HE THAT HATH EARS TO HEAR. This usually follows an important statement, intimating that he who has the discernment to understand will find the deeper meaning.--_ Schaff._ Christ assumes that all without exception have been divinely provided with fitting organs of hearing; and he draws attention to... [ Continue Reading ]
PARABLE OF THE TARES. -- Matthew 13:24-30. GOLDEN TEXT. --_ The harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels._ -- Matthew 13:39. TIME. --Probably same as in last lesson. PLACE. --Probably same as in last lesson. HELPFUL READINGS. -- Matthew 13:36-43; Matthew 25:31-46; Matthew 13:... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT WHILE MEN SLEPT. During sleep is the time of tare-sowing. It is when men sleep that they are most likely to inhale malarious poisons. It is when the church member sleeps that the enemy is wont to sow worldly influences and temptation in his heart. It is when the church sleeps that influences ar... [ Continue Reading ]
II. WHENCE COME THE TARES ? 26. WHEN THE BLADE WAS SPRUNG UP. At first, until there was growth, the difference would be unknown, but as both grew the difference would be more and more manifest. There is. great similarity at first between the wheat and the tares, the blades being very much alike, a... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SERVANTS... SAID, DIDST THOU NOT SOW GOOD SEED? As the Lord has not explained whom he meant by the servants, we are left to conjecture.. suppose that be introduced them only to carry on the familiar conversation, and that it was never intended to make. special application of them. Whether celes... [ Continue Reading ]
AN ENEMY HATH DONE THIS. The enemy has already been identified as the devil. He began the tare sowing in Eden, sowed seeds in the hearts of Adam and Eve that led them astray, and has continued his quiet, active sowing of tares in the field ever since. Whence came the tares? Whence came evil? Christ... [ Continue Reading ]
III. SEPARATED AT THE HARVEST. 29. NAY; LOST... YE ROOT UP THE WHEAT ALSO WITH THEM. We have quoted from Thomson the statement that the roots of the wheat and tares were often so intertwined that one could not be pulled up without the other. The Lord does not mean to prohibit discipline in the chu... [ Continue Reading ]
LET BOTH GROW TOGETHER UNTIL THE HARVEST. The time of separation will come at last. The righteous shall not always be vexed by the presence and deeds of evil doers. Harvest time will come, and that is the time of separation. The tares, ripened and manifest, can easily be sifted out from the wheat.... [ Continue Reading ]
OTHER PARABLES. -- Matthew 13:31-33; Matthew 13:44-52. GOLDEN TEXT. --_ So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth and sever the wicked from the just._ -- Matthew 13:49. TIME AND PLACE. --As in the preceding lesson. HELPFUL READINGS. --Review the parable of the Sower, Matthe... [ Continue Reading ]
WHICH, INDEED, IS THE LEAST OF ALL SEEDS. The least of all the field or garden seeds sown in Palestine. Less in proportion to the size which it obtains at its maturity.--_ P._ The mustard-seed is not the least of all seeds _in the world,_ but of all which the husbandman was accustomed to sow; and t... [ Continue Reading ]
THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS LIKE UNTO LEAVEN. In those days. piece of the leavened dough from an unbaked loaf was put among the new dough to cause fermentation. Usually the term leaven is used in the Scripture of evil influences which extend rapidly, but here, of the good and gracious influence of the... [ Continue Reading ]
II. THE VALUE OF THE KINGDOM. 44. THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS LIKE UNTO. TREASURE HIDDEN IN THE FIELD. Of inestimable value, though that value is lost sight of by the world. The people of Palestine, even now, have. strange passion for treasure-seeking, and not. few spend their last farthing in ruinou... [ Continue Reading ]
MERCHANT MAN SEEKING GOODLY PEARLS. Pearls were then esteemed as the most valuable ornaments and were sought by merchants on distant shores, the most valuable being brought from the Indian Ocean.... [ Continue Reading ]
HAVING FOUND ONE PEARL OF GREAT PRICE. He was willing to invest everything he had in this pearl of surpassing beauty and worth. We are all pearl-hunters. We want to find the pearl of happiness and blessing. We are willing to give everything else we have for it. If we think pleasure, or wealth, or f... [ Continue Reading ]
III. THE WICKED SEVERED FROM THE JUST. 47. THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS LIKE. NET. The Savior's illustrations all come home to his audience. Many were husbandmen; many were women familiar with the culinary art; some were merchants; many were fishermen.. drag net or seine is meant. GATHERED EVERY KIND... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN IT WAS FILLED. The fishermen cannot stop to sort while they are drawing the net. Nor can the preachers of the gospel always distinguish. THEY DREW TO SHORE. The shores of time in the application. Then the separation takes place.... [ Continue Reading ]
SO SHALL IT BE AT THE END OF THE WORLD. Then, not men, but the angels, under the direction of the Son of Man, shall sever the wicked from the just. The fate of the wicked drawn in the gospel net is described in similar language to that of the wicked sown by the enemy in the field of the world.... [ Continue Reading ]
words. His utterance was grander than man, Godlike, but immediately followed by. Godlike act in demonstration. It is another mode of declaring the same truth uttered when he told the Samaritans that he was the Water of Life, or the Galileans that he was the Bread of Life.... [ Continue Reading ]