CHAPTER III.
THE PARABLES OF THE KINGDOM.
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“What is earth but God’s own field, Fruit unto His praise to yield? Wheat and tares therein are sown, Unto joy or sorrow grown; Grant, O Lord of Life, that we Holy grain and pure may be.” |
What appeared to be the death-blow of “The Kingdom of Heaven” was but a necessary step in its formation. The King was crucified in weakness, only to be “declared to be the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead” (Rom. i. 4). And the reason for His humiliation has become clear to us, as expressed in the familiar proverb, “No cross, no crown.” The way to His exaltation upon the throne of His Kingdom led by the cross. His Kingdom must be “purchased with His own Blood” (Acts xx. 28). He must “suffer for sins, that He might bring us to God” (1 Pet. iii. 18).
But the question now arises, What sort of Kingdom was it that He offered unto men when He preached to them the Gospel of the Kingdom? Has He enabled us to form, from His own recorded words, a definite idea of the nature and character of “The Kingdom of Heaven”?
For the answer we turn naturally to His Parables; because the form of teaching which He most commonly employed was that which is known by the name of Parable. And we find that fully half of them were Parables of the Kingdom; that is to say, they either begin with the words “The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto” such and such things; or they contain some distinct reference to it. And as the first two of these Parables were interpreted to the disciples, we are left in no doubt as to the general meaning of them all.
The Parables of “The Kingdom of Heaven”[6] may be divided into two divisions. Those of the first division relate in a general manner to “The Kingdom of Heaven” or “The Kingdom of God,” under its various aspects, which will be set forth more fully in subsequent chapters; some parables describing the Kingdom as it may be seen on earth; some expressing the inward spiritual reign of the King over the hearts of men; and others teaching that those who fail to use their opportunities as subjects of it here, will lose the glory of sharing in its perfect state hereafter. And the Parables of the second division relate to certain special circumstances which affect the position of its subjects.
The first division consists of the seven Parables collected together in S. Matt. xiii; and begins with the Parable of “The Sower,” which was one of those which our Lord Himself explained. “Hear ye the Parable of the Sower. When any one heareth the Word of the Kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart” (S. Matt. xiii. 18, 19). The good news about “The Kingdom of Heaven” falls like seed. They who hear about it are like the different kinds of soil on which seed is sown. One pays no heed to what he hears, and the birds of folly and thoughtlessness carry off, at once, “that which was sown in his heart.” Others desire to live as subjects of the Kingdom here, and be prepared for its perfect state hereafter, only they are like stony ground, or as soil which is foul with weeds and thorns; they cannot stand against the scorching heat of temptations or petty persecutions, or else the cares and riches of this world choke the word and make them unfruitful. Whilst other men accept the good news of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, and bear fruit, by living as useful subjects of their King (S. Matt. xiii. 18-23).