THE KING’S BUSINESS
161
JESUS TEACHING BY PARABLES ( The Growth of the Kingdom.'),
FEBRUARY-24, 1918. LESSON VIII. Mark 4 :2-l'-34. G olden T e x t : ‘The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea,”—Isaiah 11 : 9 .
THE LESSON
2 1. And he said unto them, Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or Under a' bed? and not to be set on a candlestick? ' 22 . For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad. 23 . I f any man have ears to hear, let him hear. 24 . And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear . ' iVilh what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you; and unto you that hear shall more be given. 25 . For he that hath, to him shall be given; and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath. 26 . And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast 'seed into the ground; 27 . And should sleep and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knpweth not how. 28 . For the earth bringeth forth fruit Lesson Connection: The lesson is a part of the same discourse from which our last lesson was taken, and was probably meant to enforce the teaching of the parable. I. The Law of Use o r Lose, w . 21-25. Like the explanation of the parable just given, the things in’ today’s lesson were spoken to the disciples only, not to the mul titude. The candle existed not for it's own sake, but that it might enlighten others,. and if it was not being used to do this it was not fulfilling its mission. So the believer must be communicating that light
of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. 29 . But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come. 30 . And he said, Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it? 31 . It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is and shooteth out great branches; so less than all the seeds that be in the earth: 32 But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it. 33 . And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it. ■ 34 . But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples. of life to others, or he is a failure. “Ye are the light of the world” (Matt. 5:14, 16). A “secret disciple” is a contradiction.. The parable was 'spoken to the multitude but explained to the disciples only. Yet it was spoken to be explained—to those who were:interested enough to seek the explana tion, as were the disciples. He that seek- eth, findeth; and the door opens to him who knocks. God gave men ears 'for a purpose—to hear Him. Most peopled ears are pre empted by the world, the flesh and the
LESSON EXPOSITION B y J. H. Hunter.
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