PARABLES OF THE TARES AND MUSTARD-SEED. ness of earth: and when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away, because it lacked moisture. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred fold. And when He had said these things, He cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. And the disciples came, and said unto Him, Why speakest Thou unto them in parables? He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. 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. Therefore speak I to them in parables because they seeing tee not; and 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 they have closed; lest at anytime 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. But blessed are your eyes, for they see and your ears, for they hear. 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. : Another parable put He forth unto them, saying, The 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 when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, 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 him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them but gather the wheat into my barn. And He said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; and should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should JESUS TEACHES HIS DISCIPLES IN PRIVATE. 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 ear. But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come. Another parable put He forth unto them, saying, Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it? The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth: but when 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. Another parable spake He unto them: The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened. And with many 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 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. And when they were alone, He expounded all things to His disciples. 2.-Explanation of Parables of Sower and Tares, &c. ST MATT. 13. 36, 18-23, 36-52; ST MARK 4. 10-25; ST LUKE 8. 9-21. Capernaum. Then Jesus sent the multitude away and went into the house. And when He was alone, they that were about Him with the twelve disciples asked Him, saying, What might this parable be? And He said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables; that seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand: lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them. And He said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables? Hear ye thereore the parable of the sower. Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. The sower soweth the word. Those by the wayside, where the word is sown, are they that hear the word of the kingdom, but when they have heard, and understand it not, then Satan CONTINUES TO TEACH HIS DISCIPLES IN PRIVATE. cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. This is he which received seed by the wayside. And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; and have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, in time of temptation, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended, and fall away. And that which fell among thorns are they which, when they have heard the word, go forth; and the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and pleasures of this life, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. And these are they which are sown on good ground, such as in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience, some thirty-fold, some sixty, and some an hundred. : : And He said unto them, No man, when he hath lighted a candle, covereth it with a vessel, or putteth it under a bushel, or under a bed, but setteth it on a candlestick, that they which enter in may see the light for there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was anything kept secret that shall not be known and come abroad. If any man have ears to hear, let him hear. And He said unto them, Take heed what ye hear with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you and unto you that hear shall more be given. For he that hath, to him shall be given; and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have. And His disciples came unto Him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field. He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; the field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one. The enemy that sowed them is the devil: the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire: so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth His angels, and they shall gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; and shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. CONDITIONS OF FOLLOWING AND SERVING JESUS. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, and shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Jesus saith unto them, Have ye understood all these things? They say unto Him, Yea, Lord. Then said He unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old. Then came to Him His mother and His brethren, and could not come at Him for the press. And it was told Him by certain which said, Thy mother and Thy brethren stand without, desiring to see Thee. And He answered and said unto them, My mother and My brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it. 3.-Jesus Calms a Storm. ST MATT. 13. 53; 8. 18-27; ST MARK 4. 35-41; ST LUKE 8. 22-25. Capernaum-The Sea of Galilee. And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these parables, He departed thence. And the same day, when the even was come, when Jesus saw great multitudes about Him, He gave commandment to depart unto the other side. And a certain scribe came, and said unto Him, Master, I will follow Thee whithersoever Thou goest. And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay His head. And another of His disciples said unto Him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. But Jesus said unto him, Follow Me; and let the dead bury their dead. And when they had sent away the multitude, and when He was entered into a ship, His disciples followed Him and He said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake. And there were also with Him other little ships. And they launched forth. But as THE DEMONIAC OF GADARA HEALED. not they sailed He fell asleep. And, behold, there came down a great storm of wind on the lake; and the waves beat into the ship, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: and they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy. And He was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow. And His disciples came to Him, and awoke Him, saying, Lord, save us; Master, Master, carest Thou that we perish? And He saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then He arose, and rebuked the winds and the raging of the water; and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And He said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? But the men marvelled, and they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, Whac manner of man is this; for He commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey Him. 4.-Jesus in the Country of the Gadarenes. ST MATT. 8. 28-9. 1; ST MARK 5. 1-21; ST LUKE 8. 26-40. East of the Sea of Galilee-Capernaum. And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes, which is over against Galilee. And when He went forth to land, there met Him out of the city a certain man, which had devils long time, and ware no clothes, neither abode in any house, but in the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way. And no man could bind him, no, not with chains: because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could' any man tame him. And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones. But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and fell down before Him, and worshipped Him, and cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with Thee, Jesus, Thou Son of the most high God? art Thou come hither to torment us before the time? I adjure Thee by God, that Thou torment me not. For He said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit. (For oftentimes it had caught him and he was kept bound in chains and in fetters; and he brake the bands, and was driven of the devil into the wilderness). And Jesus asked him, saying, What is thy name? And he said, Legion: because many devils were entered into him. And they besought Him that He would not command them |