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THE K I N G ’ S BUS I NESS
unconverted people allying themselves with Christendom for the benefits con ferred by such association.-—Evans. The birds are no part of the tree itself. They are foreign to it and ready to fly away at the least alarm. They cannot represent converts as some have as sumed. Branches, not birds, more fitly stand fop converts (Jn. 15:5).—Need ham. The birds snatch away from the hearts Of men the seeds of truth, some times by denial, sometimes by subter fuge, sometimes by skilfully removing the kernel while leaving the verbal husk of sound doctrine.—Mauro. v. 33. Kingdom of heaven. The whole parable should be taken into con sideration. The kingdom is likened not merely to leaven but to a woman hiding leaven in meal. The woman’s action Suggests a-secret introduction of a for eign substance which affects that into which it is put, and in view of Lev. 2:11 which prohibits leaven with the meal offerings, it seems clear that the para ble represents the woman as introduc ing a substance which renders the offer ing unacceptable to God.—Thomas. Like unto leaven.. Leaven was to the Jews a symbol of evil. There could be no two opinions amongst them as to its signifying evil.—Habershon. 1 Cor. 5: 6-8 is an inspirèd commentary on this word. Our Lord Himself fixed the meaning of leaven (Matt. 16:6-12; Mk. 8:15). It is invariably used in a bad sense. It constitutes a warning that the true doctrine given for the nourish ment of the children of the kingdom, would be mixed with corrupting false doctrine and that officially, by the apos tate church itself ( 1 Tim. 4:1-3 ; 2 Tim, 2:17, 18; 4:3, 4; 2 Pet. 2:1-3).—Sco field. If leaven signified the diffusive power of Christianity, the tares would be eradicated before the harvest (v. 20). —Sel. Leaven is a piece of dough in a state of decomposition caused £y the presence in it of tiny organisms which produce rapid corruption.—MaurO. The Gospel does not work like leaven. It must be propagated with'great vigon in order to make progress. Evil left to itself, works like leaven, quietly, and subtly permeating.—Gurney. The wo man took. The woman under Satanic influence corrupts the doctrine of Christ, a prophecy abundantly fulfilled. (See Rev. 2:20; Rev. 16, 17, referring to the Romish apostasy). Rome speaks of “Mother Church” and she is the cor- ruptress of true Christianity. Note also
more firmly rooted.-—Cole. Went his way. The devil seemed to have no doubt as to the result of his sowing. Have we as much confidence in the good seed which is ours to sow?-—Farr. v. 28. The servants said. Note that the servants were anxious to improve the world, but are told it is not accord ing to Christ’s purpose.—Sel. Wilt thou? There are those who in haste long to extirpate the sons of the evil one at once from the world, but the Master says, “Let them both grow to gether until the harvest.” Premature separation by religious persecution would mean injury to wheat as well as destruction to tares. This history has abundantly proven. This pa»able does not forbid church discipline. (1 Cor. 5: 3-5; Rom. 16:17; 2 Thess. 3:6, 14), for the field is not the church but the world.—Torrey. v. 29. He said, Nay. The separa tion of false from true will be made by unerring hands. The Master’s objec tion to human weeders was that they could not be trusted to discern. How true has that been found.—Dykes. - v. 30. Let both grow. The evil will grow in intensity, in bitterness, in poi sonousness (2 Thess. 2:6-10). Evil may not grow in bulk by the multipli cation of bad men but it will grow in intensity. The good will continue to grow better.—J. C, Jones. The devil’s plan is to be accorded a fair trial. God does not seem to interfere much as yet (Matt. 5:45). Satan never can charge that sufficient time was not allowed for the crops to ripen (Rev.. 14:15)—Garry. Bind them in bundles. Intimation that in eternity sinners shall congregate to gether according to their sinful pro pensities. Misers will be gathered to misers, drunkards to drunkards, adul terers to adulterers, etc.—Horn. Com. v. 31. Grain of mustard seed. Shows the marvelous but abnormal and un substantial growth of the professing church.—-K. B. v. 32. Greatest among herbs. This tree whose roots are stuck deep in the soil of this corrupt world from which it draws its nourishment and whose top aspires to the place of supreme import ance, has no trace whatever of the heavenly kingdom which the Lord brought into the world,- but has decked itself with all the trappings of earthly greatness. Birds of the air. Repre senting worldly powers of evil (Ezek. 17:20-24; Dan. 4:20-22), a picture of
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