PARABLE OF THE SOWER. "because they seeing see not; and 66 hearing they hear not, neither do they "understand. 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: for this "people's heart is waxed gross, and "their ears are dull of hearing, and "their eyes have they closed; lest at any time they should see with their 66 66 eyes, and hear with their ears, and "should understand with their heart, "and should be converted, and I should 29 103 "heal them, 28and their sins should be 28Mark iv. 12. "forgiven them. But blessed are your Mt.xiii.16,17 eyes, for they see: and your ears, for 66 66 they hear. For verily I say unto you, "That many prophets and righteous 66 men have desired to see those things "which ye see, and have not seen them; "and to hear those things which ye 66 hear, and have not heard them." 30 And when he was alone, they that 30Mark iv. 10. were about him with the twelve asked of him, "What might this parable be? Luke viii. 9. 32 And he said unto them, Know 32 Mark iv. 13. "not this parable? and how then will 66 33 ye ye ye know all parables? Hear "therefore the parable of the sower. 33 Mat. xiii. 18. "Now the parable is this: the seed is "Luke viii. 11. 104 JESUS EXPOUNDS THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER. 35 Mark iv. 14. "the word of God. 35The sower soweth 36 Mat. xiii. 19. the word. 36 When any one heareth 66 66 the word of the kingdom, and under"standeth it not, then cometh the 66 37 Mark iv. 15. "wicked one immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown 36in his heart, lest he should believe and be saved. 39This is he which received 38 Luke viii.12. 39 Mt.xiii 19-21 66 66 40 Luke viii.13... seed by the way side. But he that "received the seed into stony places, "the same is he that heareth the word, "and anon with joy receiveth it; yet "hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while, 40and for a while be"lieveth, and in time of temptation. Mark iv. 17. "falleth away: "for, "afterward, "when 42Mt.xiii.21,22 « tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is "offended. 66 among the 43 Luke viii.14. "the word, 66 66 He also that received seed thorns is he that heareth and goeth forth, and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches and pleasures of this "Mark iv. 19. "life, and the lusts of other things "entering in, "2choke the word, and he 45 Mat. xiii. 23. “ “bringeth no fruit to perfection. But "he that received seed into the good 46 Mark iv. 20. "ground is he that heareth the word, "46and receiveth it, and understandeth “Luke viii. 15. “it; which also "in an honest and good "heart keepeth it, and "beareth and JESUS EXPOUNDS THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER. 105 47bringeth forth fruit with patience, 45some an hundred fold, some sixty, "some thirty." 49Lk.viii. 16 17 48 And he said unto them, 49" No man, Mark iv. 21. "when he hath lighted a candle, cover"eth it with a vessel, or putteth it under "a bed; but setteth it on a candlestick, "that they which enter in may see the "light. For nothing is secret, that "shall not be made manifest; neither "any thing hid, that shall not be known "and come abroad. 50If any man have 50Mk.iv.23,24. ears to hear, let him hear." And he 66 "said unto them, 51" Take heed there- Luke viii.18. "fore how ye hear: 50with what measure 66 ye mete, it shall be measured to you: "and unto you that hear, shall more "be given. For whosoever hath, to "him shall be given; and whosoever "hath not, from him shall be taken 66 even that which he seemeth to have." 52And he said, "So is the kingdom of Mk.iv 26-29. 66 66 66 God, as if a man should cast seed into "the ground; and should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how. For the earth bringeth forth "fruit of herself; first the blade, then "the ear, after that the full corn in the 66 66 66 ear. But when the fruit is brought "forth, immediately he putteth in the "sickle, because the harvest is come." Р 106 PARABLES: THE GOOD SEED AND THE TARES; 55Mt.xiii 24-3255′ 5466 53 Mat. xiii. 24. 53 Another parable put he forth unto 54 Mark iv. 30. them, saying, Whereunto shall I "liken the kingdom of God? or with "what comparison shall we compare it? 55The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in "his field: but while men slept, his 'enemy came and sowed tares among "the wheat, and went his way. But 66 66 66 I when the blade was sprung up, and "brought forth fruit, then appeared the 66 tares also. So the servants of the householder came, and said unto him, 66 66 Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy "field? from whence then hath it tares? "He said unto them, An enemy hath "done this. The servants said unto 66 him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; "lest while ye gather up the tares, ye 66 root up also the wheat with them. "Let both grow together until the har"vest: and in the time of harvest I will "say to the reapers, Gather ye together "first the tares, and bind them in bun"dles to burn them but gather ye the "wheat into my barn." Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, "The kingdom of heaven "is like to a grain of mustard seed, "which a man took and sowed in his "field: which indeed is the least of all 66 66 66 THE MUSTARD SEED; THE LEAVEN. 107 seeds that be in the earth: but when Mk.iv.31,32. it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come "and lodge in the branches thereof, and "56under the shadow of it." "Another parable spake he unto them; 57 Mt.xiii.33,34 "The kingdom of heaven is like unto 'leaven, which a woman took and hid "in three measures of meal, till the "whole was leavened." 58 58 All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables. And with many Mk.iv.33, 34. such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it. But without a parable spake he not unto : them that it might be fulfilled which 59Mt.xiii.35,36 was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world. Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: 58and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples. And his disciples came unto him, Mt.xiii 36-53 saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field. He answered and said unto them, "He that soweth the 66 good seed is the Son of man; the field |