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XLIX. Jesus preaches the parabolical sermon, beside the sea of Galilee. The parable of the sower. The reason why he taught the people by parables. The interpretation of the parable of the sorver. The parable of the lighted lamp. Matt. xiii. 1,-23. Mark iv. 1,-25. Luke viii. 4,-18.

It seems the calumnies of the Pharisees had not the effect intended; for the crowd was now become so great, that neither the house nor the court before it could contain the people that came. Jesus therefore carried them out to the sea-side, and taught them. Matt. xiii. 1. The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea-side. And because there were many still coming and going, he judged it necessary to enter into a boat, for the conveniency of being heard and seen by all, which he might easily be, if the shore thereabouts was somewhat circular and declining, after the manner of an amphitheatre. 2. And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, (Luke viii. 4. Much people were gathered together, and were come to him out of every city) so that he went into a ship and sat, (Mark, sat in the sea) and the whole multitude stood on the shore, (Mark, was by the sea on the land.) Thus commodiously seated in the vessel, he delivered many doctrines of the highest importance, wisely making choice of such for the subject of his sermons, when he had the greatest number of hearers, because on those occasions there was a probability of doing the most good by them. Mark iv. 2. And he taught them many things by parables.

He began with the parable of the sower, who cast his seed on different soils, which according to their natures brought forth either plentifully, or sparingly, or none at all. By this similitude he represented the different kinds of hearers, with the different effects which the doctrines of religion have upon them, according to their different dispositions. In some these doctrines are suppressed altogether; in others they produce the fruits of righteousness, more or less, according to the goodness of their hearts. A parable of this kind was highly seasonable, now that the multitude shewed such an itching desire of hearing Christ's sermons, while perhaps they neglected the end for which they ought to have heard them. Mark iv. 2. And said unto them in his doctrine, i. e. in the course of his teaching, 3. Hearken, behold there went out a sower to sow. 4. And it came to pass as he sowed, some fell by the way-side, which being hard beaten, the seed could not enter, (Luke, and it was trodden down, i. e. bruised by the feet of travellers) and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up. 5. And some fell on stony ground, (Matt. stony places) ground that lay upon a rock, (Luke, and some fell upon a rock) where it had not much earth, either above it to retard its springing, or under it to nourish its roots, and immediately

it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth. (Luke, And as soon as it was sprung up) 6. But when the sun was up, or shone hot upon it, it, viz. the tender blade, was scorched, and because it had no root, (Luke, because it lacked moisture) it withered away. 7. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, (Luke, with it) so as to cover it from the sun and dews, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. 8. And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased, and brought forth some thirty, (Matt. thirty fold) and some sixty,* and some an hundred seeds for one that was sown. 9. And he said unto them, (Luke, And when he had said these things, he cried). He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. See on Matt. xi. 15. § 42.

It seems the apostles, and others who were in the boat with Jesus, did not understand the meaning of his parable. Wherefore, when they heard him cry at the conclusion of it, "He that hath ears to hear, let him her," they were so displeased, that they went up and asked him why he spake in such obscure terms? and desired him to explain what he had delivered. Mark says they came to him when he was alone, iv. 10. And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve, asked of him the parable. Most harmony-writers, thinking this inconsistent with the acknowledged circumstances of the history, have supposed that the interpretation of the parable was not given now, but on some other occasion, though for the sake of perspicuity it is related along with the parable. Yet the nature of the thing, as well as the testimony of Matthew, ver. 10. proves sufficiently that the question which occasioned this interpretation was put immediately after the parable was delivered. For the question took its rise from the concluding words of the parable, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear; which were no sooner pronounced than the disciples came from their several stations in the vessel, and asked the reason why he spake in parables, since he desired his hearers to understand what he said. To remove this difficulty therefore we may suppose, that in addressing Jesus, the disciples spake with such a tone of voice as they used in conversation, and that Jesus answered them on the same key; so that the people upon the shore not hearing distinctJy what passed, Jesus and his disciples were to all intents and purposes

Ver. 8. And some an hundred.] The fruitfulness of the seed that was sown on good ground, is not to be understood of the field's producing a hundred times as much as was sown on it; but it is to be understood of a single seed's producing a hundred grains, which it might easily do where it met with a good soil, and was properly nourished. But there are many accidents by which the produce of a field, so rich as to be capable of nourishing a hundred grains by a single root, is reduced within ordinary 'bounds. The parable mentions some of them. Part of the seed is trodden down by passengers, part is picked up by birds, part is starved in bad soit among rocks, and part is choked by weeds; so that the hundred fold increase of a single seed, mentioned in the parable, is perfectly just.

poses alone. Or after finishing the parable, he might as on former occasions of this kind, (Luke v. 1, 3.) order his disciples to thrust out a little farther from the land, that the people might have time to consider what they had heard. And the disciples embracing this opportunity, might speak to him in private concerning the manner of his preaching. Either of these suppositions, if I am not mistaken, fully comes up to the import of Mark's phrase," And when he was alone, they that were about him," &c. See Luke ix. 18. for a similar expression. The answer which Jesus returned to the disciples, who blamed him for teaching the people by parables, is very remarkable. Matt. xiii. 10. And the disciples came and said unto him, Why speakest thou to them in parables? 11. He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them (Mark, that are without, so w, the people out of the vessel, the multitude on the shore. See used in a similar sense in the history of Peter's denial of his master, Mat. xxvi. 69. § 136.) it is not given. (Mark, All these things are done in parables.) I may explain to you the nature of the Messiah's kingdom, and the other difficult doctrines of the gospel, because you are able to hear them, but I may not deal so with the multitude, who are obstinate to such a degree, that they will not hear any thing contrary to their prejudices and passions. For I must act agreeably to the rule by which the divine favours are dispensed. Matth. xiii. 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. Our Lord did not mean that he was by any direct and immediate agency of his, going to deprive the people of the knowledge they had already obtained, because they had misimproved it. But that as persons who despise the advantages bestowed on them, are often deprived of those advantages, so the Jews having misimproved and misunderstood the revelation of God's will already made to them, were on that account deprived of such a full and plain declaration of the doctrines of the gospel, as they might otherwise. have enjoyed. They were altogether unworthy of such a favour. Besides, they had rendered themselves incapable of it. This sense of the passage is confirmed by the subsequent clause. 13. Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing, see not; and hearing, they hear not, neither do they understand. I speak to them in parables, because their stupidity is so gross, and their prejudices so numerous, that though they have capacities proper

for

Ver. 12. But whosoever bath not, from him shall be taken away, even that be bath.] We have an expression in Juvenal parallel to the latter clause of this verse, at. iii. ver. 208, 209.

Nil habuit Codruset tamen illud
Perdidit infelix nil-

for understanding and receiving my doctrine, they will neither understand nor receive it, if I speak in plain terms. Here therefore our Lord declares, that the blindness of the Jews was the reason of his teaching them by parables, and not his teaching them by parables the reason of their blindness.

Having thus shewed his disciples what it was that made him give the people instruction in an indirect way by figures, he added, This needs not be a matter of surprise to you, for Isaiah has long ago predicted it, chap. vi. 9. 14. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive. Axon uxytuti, “ Ye shall hear with hearing" is a well known Hebraism, signifying the certainty of the matter to which it is applied. For this kind of repetition, according to the genius of the Jewish language, is the strongest manner of affirmation *. The prophet's meaning therefore is, that the Jews should certainly hear the doctrines of the gospel without understanding them, and see the miracles which confirmed these doctrines without perceiving the finger of God in them; not because the evidences of the gospel, whether external or internal, were insufficient to establish it, but because the corruption of their hearts hindered them from discerning those evidences. 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 eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. In the prophecy, this passage is somewhat differently worded. "Go and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not, and see ye indeed, but perceive not; make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes, lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and convert, and be healed." In the original language, a fat heart is a metaphorical expression, denoting a proud, sensual, stubborn disposition. Thus, Deut. xxxii. 15. "Jeshurun. waxed fat and kicked." Psal. cxix. 70. "Their heart is as fat as grease." In like manner, heavy ears and blind eyes signify the strongest aversion to hear or see what is contrary to one's inclination. But the difficulty lies principally in the form of the expression: "Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes, lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears," &c. This form is peculiar to the prophe

tical

Thus, Gen. ii. 17. In the day thou eatest thereof, dying thou shalt die, i. e. shalt surely die. See the marginal translation. Acts iv. 17. atuàn απειλησωμεθα, que suil! severely threaten them. Acts v. 28. 8 παραγγελία Tagnyyoshapes, did we not straitly charge you? Luke xxii. 15 With desire have I desired, 1. c. I have greatly desired to eat this passover with you, before I suffer.

295 tical writings, implying no more but an order to the prophet, simply to foretel that the Jews should make their own hearts hard, and their ears heavy, and shut their eyes, lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and be converted and healed. They would shut their eyes against the miracles, and their ears against the doctrines of the gospel, as if they were afraid of being converted and healed. I prove this to be the true solution, by Jer. i. 9. "Then the Lord put forth his hand and touched my mouth, and the Lord said unto me, Behold I have put my word in thy mouth; see I have this day set thee over the nations, and over the kingdoms, to root out and pull down, and to destroy and throw down, and to build, and to plant." That is, I have appointed thee to prophesy concerning nations and kingdoms, that they shall be rooted out, pulled down, destroyed, &c. Thus also, Ezek. xliii. 3. "According to the vision that I saw, when I came to destroy the city," i. e. came to prophesy that the city should be destroyed, as it is in the margin of the English Bible. And to mention no more examples, the chief butler giving Pharaoh an account of Joseph's interpretation of his dream, and of that of the chief baker, says, (Gen. xli. 13.) "Me he restored unto mine office, and him he hanged." This prophecy therefore, and its citation, are exactly the same; only the prophecy represents the thing as to happen, make the heart of this people fat, whereas the citation represents it as already come to pass, this people's heart is waxed gross, &c. This people have made themselves so wicked and proud, that they will neither hear nor see any thing opposite to their lusts, in so much, that they look as if they were resolved not to be converted *. But it must not be concealed, that Mark and

constitution

This interpretation of the prophecy, and of its application made by Matthew, is confirmed by the prophet himself. "Then said 1, Lord, how long?" How long am I to make the heart of this people fat? To what length of time shall I foretel that their blindless will continue?" And he answered, Till the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate." They are to continue from this time forth blind and hardened, till God's judgments destroy them as a nation. This happened about forty years after Christ's death, when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem, burnt the temple, and put an end to the And though in the prophecy it be foretold that the blindness of the Jews was to continue that period, the expression does not imply that it was then to end. See on Matt. i. 25. § 7. p. 33. Their blindness still continues as before, and it proceeds too from the same cause; namely, their obstinate attachinent to the institutions of Moses, which has ever filled their minds with unconquerable prejudices against the gospel. The interpretation of the prophecy offered above, is confirmed also by the subjects of the parables, to which our Lord applied this prophecy. For had he told the Jews plainly, what he told them in an obscure manner by the parable of the sower, namely, that a principal part of the Messiah's of fice was to instil the doctrines of true religion into the minds of men, and that the chief effect of his power on earth should be, to set them free from

the

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