a that he went into a ship, and the fowls came and devoured sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore. 4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way-side, and a Lu.5.3. b Mar.4.2. Lu.8.5,&c. veniently addressed by Him from the boat. They were "by the sea, on the land" (Mark). Luke mentions (8. 2), that the women of Galilee and the 12 were with Him. The same are mentioned who "followed Him from Galilee" (see Luke 23. 49). 3. Parables. This word is from a Greek term, meaning to bring together for comparison. This was a method of teaching by similitudes, where the truth is presented as in a picture. It is a representation of moral or spiritual truth, under the likeness or similitude of a natural subject. The advantage of this teaching was, that it secured the attention of the multitudes. It opened and enforced unfamiliar truth by that with which they were now familiar. It was calculated to remove prejudices by gaining a candid, honest judgment on the subject, before the application was made (as Nathan to David); and it tended to test character, leaving the truth veiled from such as would be blinded, and opening it to those who sought instruction.- TA sower-a man who sows seed. This is a common and familiar work; and the lessons from it could easily be understood. It agrees well for an illustration with the work of Christ and His ministers, sowing the seeds of truth. 4. The way-side-where the field and the road join-the edge of the field which the plough had not turned up. These are they who hear the word, and do not understand it (vs. 19), and do not care for it. They give it no attention. It falls upon them as upon the hard, unploughed, unprepared edge of the field that them up. 5 Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth; and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: 6 And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and be skirts the road. Satan takes away the word, by diverting the mind, starting objections, or keeping the thoughts dull, sluggish, and careless about the whole matter, or exciting an interest in any thing else about the sermon or service, rather than the truth itself; or, this seed is trodden down (Luke). The young are often prevented from attending to God's commands by gay diversions-companions-pleasures-and by Satan's snatching up, by his temptations, any germ of truth from their minds, just as birds pick up seeds that have lodged on the hard ground. Yet this is no excuse for them, because "they love darkness rather than light." 5. Stony places (Luke-" a rock"). That is, where there was but a thin surface of soil with rock underneath; a mere covering of ground upon a base of rock, just enough to conceal the rock from view, but not enough to allow of any rooting in the ground.- -T Forthwith-immediately. Though they sprang up the sooner for the lightness of soil, yet they sooner withered, on the same account. There are often hasty conversions and professions that have no depth or genuineness-are gone and vanish as quick as they came. Noisy, boastful converts are often such. 6. See vss. 20 and 21. Stony ground hearers, anon or promptly receive it (vs. 20) eagerly, "with joy." They differ from the former in going further and yet not getting through. It is not from their being diverted and losing the truth, but from their not being converted to it—not deeply feeling it, but hastily and superficially catch cause they had no root, they withered away. 7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up and choked them. 8 But other fell into good ing at it. They spring up in a moment from some exciting impulse. Their hearts are not truly exercised, and not at all changed. Religion has taken no root in their bosoms. They cannot endure trial or persecution any more than such a hasty sprout can stand the scorching, mid-day sun. False professors who sit and hear, but do nothing in Christ's service, and make no advance, have no root. Such are offended (21). "Scandalized" is the Greek term. It refers to a stumblingblock. They stumble and fall when a severe trial of temptation or persecution comes; they find it a stumblingblock to them, and they turn aside from religion. This furnishes a caution against false hopes, high excitements that soon pass off, and loud professions on light grounds. 7. Thorns. Briers and brush in the field, which seemed to grow the faster after the seed had been cast in. These are the natural, wicked desires of the heart. They came up thick and rank-crowded the seed, and shaded them, and took all the sustenance from the ground. In other words, they choked them. These thorns that choke the truth and prevent sermons and other teachings from coming to any thing in the heart, are the cares of this world (vs. 22); i. e., the anxieties and concerns of a worldly kind of business or pleasure, which occupy men's minds. Their thoughts are so full of these matters that they cannot attend to the word. So, "the deceitfulness of riches" (vs. 22)-the planning and worrying to make money-with all the hopes and fearsthe successes and disappointments attending it-and even the temptations to unjust gain. This keeps the heart busy and crowds out other and better things. So, "the lusts of other C c.11.15. things" which Mark adds (ch. 4. 18), entering in" have the same choking effect. An appetite for worldliness in various shapes-a hankering after gratifications of sense, in forms nameless and numberless, issue in the same sad result. They keep the soul excited and distracted by the mere frivolities of the hour-passing shows-enjoyments — planning for gratification; and the truth cannot enter in where so much else enters and crowds it out. Those who wish to serve God should treat the cares, and riches, and pleasures of this life, as the seductive baits and snares of Satan, that only mislead the soul and destroy all that is good. "As strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts that war against the soul." And if the hearers of the word produce no fruit, they are known to be lovers of pleasures, more than lovers of God. We should prayagainst the evils of our own hearts, which will crowd out all good. 8. Good ground. Luke explains, an honest and good heart." difference turns upon the state of the heart. It is not the truth that changes the heart of itself, but like seed it must find a prepared soil, in order to grow and yield fruit. Such a heart as grace has prepared is called here honest and good, that is, such as receives the truth soberly and acts upon it-"heareth the word and understandeth it"-" having heard the word, keep it"-and does not reject it, nor let it die out.- -¶ A hundred-fold, &c., i. e., yielding a hundred grains for one that was sown, &c. So it is at times with grain. True religion shows a large increase and growth upon the first beginning. "Much fruit" is a mark of discipleship (Jno. 15. 8). All true Christians do not produce alike, any more than all good seeds yield an The 10 And the disciples came, | in parables: because they seeand said unto him, Why speak-ing, see not; and hearing, they est thou unto them in parables? hear not, neither do they under11 He answered and said unto stand. them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. d 12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away, even that he hath. 13 Therefore speak I to them d c.11.25. Mar.4.11. 1Co.2.10,14. Ep.1.9,18; 3.9. Col.1.26,27. 1Jno.2.27. e c.25.29. Lu.9.26. g 14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, f which saith, By & hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: 15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their f Is.6.9. g Eze.12.2. Jno. 12.40. Ac.28.26,27. Ro. 11.8. 2Cor.3.14,15. h He.5.11. equal product. Yet there is always God adopts. They who improve a harvest. 9. Who hath ears. This is the common formula (ch. 11. 15), for calling attention to something that needs special notice to be understood. It intimates, too, that all would not understand. And it is an appeal, in general terms, to all who have the natural faculties, as they are bound to hear. It summons the Christian attention of those who understand the gospel by grace. So that this parable is addressed to every one as much as to those disciples. 10. Why? The disciples wished to know His reason for adopting this method of teaching the multitudes. 11. Because, &c. His sovereign will is the reason given of a difference here made between persons. Unto you it is given, or it pertains to you (out of mere grace), to know the mysteries of the kingdom, i. e., the characteristic doctrines of Christ. But to them it is not given, and hence, these truths are conveyed in a covering of similitude that only the initiated will see through and understand. Mysteries here mean, not things incomprehensible, but the things not before revealed, and not else revealed except in Christ. 12. For. The reason is here expanded. This is a principle which what opportunities they have, shall have more opportunities and helps. Upon this rule, no desire after truth is ever put up in vain, and none who seek are sent empty away. The promise and threatening, of giving more to those who have any thing at all, and taking all away from those who make no improvement, and treasure nothing up, must apply to those who seek Christ, and shall find help, or who, with all their opportunities, are careless and shall at length have their very opportunities cut off. 13-15. Because they seeing see not. The other Evangelists state it in a different form. "That seeing, they might not see," or, "may see, and not perceive." (Mark.) In using the parables, this was the sure result, while their wilful blindness was also a just cause. He gave out the truth in such a way that those of proper disposition toward it would perceive and appreciate the meaning. The fault, therefore, lay in them, for the darkness was their own, and out of their own hearts, and not of the truth. They had not the eyes to see these things, and had not a heart for them at all. He chose to state these things in a way that the disciples would understand and not the Jews. And this eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and should heal them. 16 But i blessed are your eyes, for they see and your ears, for they hear. 17 For verily I say unto you, that many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them. i c.16.17. Lu.10.23,24. Jno.20.29. 2Cor.4.6. j Ep. 3.5,6. He.11.13. 1Pe.1.10,11. ther form in order to bring out the idea of judicial blindness. "He hath blinded their eyes," &c. (See Alexander on Isaiah.) Mark 8. 17, 18. 16. Those who do see and hear, should bless the distinguishing grace. The eyes and ears of the disciples were blessed because their eyes had been opened and their ears unstopped to see and hear the truths of the gospel, which natural men cannot understand. And they were blessed in living to see Christ in the flesh, and to hear His doctrines from His own lips. could be referred only to His sovereign pleasure, according to this plan of dealing. For to those who had the understanding it was GIVEN, not deserved, or purchased- -T In them is fulfilled (Isa. 6. 9, 10). This shows the profound plan. The people are charged by the prophet with grossest insensibility, and the results of all their means of grace were predicted. The Jewish nation was fairly contemplated, and in these it is fulfilled. They are even, in irony, commanded to go and do the very opposite of what they ought. "Hear indeed," or hear on, "but understand not." So sure was it, that this would be the result, and so determined did they seem to be in their unconcern,, they are at length dismissed, as it were, with this language of desperation and abandonment. So also, the prophet is charged to do, what all his efforts were foreseen as accomplishing, "Make fat the heart of this people," 18. Hear ye. The disciples are &c. "Judicial blindness is the thing here addressed. Christ would expredicted and ordained as the result plain to them the parable, and asks of national and personal depravity. them to listen. Mark reads (4. 13), This end would be promoted by the "Know ye not this parable. And preaching of the truth, and so, a com- how then will ye know all parables ?" mand to preach, was in effect, a com- as nothing would seem plainer than mand to blind and harden them." In this, and this was fundamental. this passage the Septuagint (Greek) version is retained, in which the people's guilt is the prominent idea. In John 12. 40, the sentence takes ano 17. Many prophets. Isaiah and all the prophets in some degree looked forward to Christ. They prophesied of Him, and desired to see these gospel realities. So" Abraham rejoiced to see my day; he saw it, and was glad," though it was only by the eye of faith. See John 8. 56. 1 Pet. 1. 10-12. Heb. 11. 13. 19. The hardened and careless are here understood-way-side hearers in the unploughed edge of the field. (See notes, vs. 4.) 21 Yet hath he not root in | into the good ground, is he that himself, but dureth for a while; heareth the word, and underfor when tribulation or persecu- standeth it; which also beareth tion ariseth because of the word, fruit, and bringeth forth, some by and by he is offended. an hundred-fold, some sixty, some thirty. 22 He also that received seed among the thorns, is he that heareth the word; and the care P of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. 23 But he that received seed o c.24.10; 26.31. 2Ti.4.16. p Lu.14.16-24. q Mar. 10.23. 1Ti.6.9. 2Ti.4.10. 20, 21. Stony ground hearers, are the superficial and outside converts. Their religion is an impulse, and they are of loose surface and hard, rocky, botttom. (See notes verses 5 and 6.) Hard trials, like the hot sun upon a plant without root, wither it away. 22. Among the thorns. The worldly converts. Those whose religion is so surrounded and choked by worldliness, that they soon give out (1 Tim. 6. 9-11). 23. The good ground hearers are the true converts the renewed regenerate-where the heart is really changed, and it is not all outside, or temporary, or worldly. There may be various degrees of fruitfulness, but all true Christians are fruitful, and we are to aim at much. [55. THE PARABLE OF THE TARES. OTHER PARABLES.]-Near Caperna um? r quently used by our Lord to designate Himself, and never given Him in the New Testament by any other, except in one instance (Acts 7. 56), where Stephen seems to have seen Him in His glorified humanity. The title was already given Him in the Old Testament (Dan. 7. 13), and He claims it as the Second Adam, in which capacity He loved to be recognized. The title by which He was popularly named, was "the Son of David." - His field. This represents the region within which the gospel is properly preached-that is, the world (vs. 38). It is Christ's field for His work of redemption.T The good seed," are the children of the kingdom"-the true membership such as really belong to the kingdom, in distinction from those who are but nominally such. In the last parable, the good seed was the truth; but here, in the progress of the sentiment, the seed is regarded as having entered into the person and having become identical with him. The field is called the world (vs. 38), because God has ordained to gather His children out of all nations, and because the great preaching commission is, "Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature." The Lord may be said to sow this field, because of His own will begat He us with the word of truth," and we are born, "not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of |