THE SHADOW OF GOD. THEME [MUSTARD SEED].

IN AN ORIENTAL COUNTRY SCORCHED BY THE SUN, THE SHADE OF TREES IS PARTICULARLY SIGNIFICANT. ONE RESTS UNDER IT, ONE RECOVERS ONE STRENGTH, ONE IS SHELTERED THERE. SUCH AN IMAGE, THEN, RIGHTLY EXPRESSED THE SPECIAL PROTECTION OF GOD OVER HIS PEOPLE. THUS ALSO CERTAIN PHENOMENA WHICH REVEALED THE PRESENCE OF GOD WERE CONSIDERED TO GIVE A SACRED "SHADE": THE SHADOW OF GOD. IT IS THIS SENSE THAT THE SHADOW OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST IN THE  NEW TESTAMENT WAS SUFFICIENT TO HEAL THE SICK. THE RESTFUL SHADE OF TREES. THE PURPOSE OF JESUS TEACHING OF THIS PARABLE OF THE SEED.ON ANOTHER OCCASION BESIDE THE LAKE, A HUGE CROWD GATHERED AROUND HIM A CROWD INCLUDING MEMBERS OF HIS FAMILY, THAT HE WENT AND SAT IN A BOAT ON THE WATER, WHILE THE CROWD REMAINED ON THE SHORE NEARBY. HE BEGAN TO INSTRUCT THEM AT GREAT LENGTH, BY THE USE OF PARABLES, AND IN THE COURSE OF HIS TEACHING SAID: " LISTEN CAREFULLY TO THIS. A FARMER WENT OUT SOWING. SOME OF WHAT HE SOWED LANDED ON A  FOOTPATH, WHERE THE BIRDS CAME ALONG AND ATE IT. SOME OF THE SEED LANDED ON ROCKY GROUND WHERE IT HAD LITTLE SOIL: IT SPROUTED IMMEDIATELY BECAUSE THE SOIL HAD NO DEPTH. THEN, WHEN THE SUN ROSE AND SCORCHED IT, IT BEGAN TO WITHER FOR LACK OF ROOTS. AGAIN SOME LANDED AMONG THORNS, WHICH GREW UP AND CHOKED IT OFF. SOME SEED , FINALLY, LANDED ON GOOD SOIL AND YIELDED GRAIN THAT SPRANG UP TO PRODUCE AT A RATE OF THIRTY- SIXTY- AND A HUNDRED FOLD." LET THEM HIM WHO HAS EARS TO HEAR ME,HEAR!" NOW WHEN HE WAS AWAY FROM THE CROWD, THOSE PRESENT  WITH THE TWELVE QUESTIONED HIM ABOUT THE PARABLES. HE TOLD THEM: " TO YOU THE MYSTERY OF THE REIGN OF GOD HAS BEEN CONFIDED. TO THE OTHERS OUTSIDE IT IS ALL PRESENTED IN PARABLES. SO THEY WILL LOOK INTENTLY AND NOT SEE, LISTEN CAREFULLY AND NOT UNDERSTAND, LEST PERHAPS THEY REPENT
 AND BE FORGIVEN. HE SAID TO THEM: YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND THIS PARABLE?  HOW THEN ARE YOU GOING TO UNDERSTAND OTHER FIGURES LIKE IT?  WHAT THE SOWER IS SOWING IS THE WORD. THOSE ON THE PATH ARE THE ONES TO WHOM, AS SOON AS THEY HEAR THE WORD., SATAN COMES TO CARRY OFF WHAT WAS SOWN IN THEM. SIMILARLY, THOSE SOWN ON ROCKY GROUND ARE PEOPLE WHO ON LISTENING TO THE WORD ACCEPT IT JOYFULLY AT THE OUTSET BEING ROOTLESS, THEY LAST ONLY A WHILE. WHEN SOME PRESSURE OR PERSECUTION OVERTAKES THEM BECAUSE OF THE WORD, THEY FALTER. THOSE SOWN AMONG THORNS ARE ANOTHER CLASS.. THEY HAVE LISTENED TO THE WORD, BUT ANXIETIES OVER LIFE'S DEMANDS AND THE DESIRE OF WEALTH, AND CRAVINGS OF OTHER SORTS COME TO CHOKE IT OFF; IT BEARS NO YIELD. BUT THOSE SOWN ON GOOD SOIL ARE THE ONES WHO LISTEN TO THE WORD, TAKE IT TO HEART, AND YIELD AT THIRTY, SIXTY,- AND A HUNDREDFOLD. NOW THE REASON FOR THIS TEACHING( ARE PRESENTED AS COMMENTARIES ON THE REVELATION OF THE REIGN OF GOD). JESUS SAID TO THEM: " IS A LAMP ACQUIRED TO BE PUT UNDER A BUSHEL BASKET OR HIDDEN UNDER A BED? IS IT NOT MEANT TO BE PUT ON A STAND? THINGS ARE HIDDEN ONLY TO BE REVEALED AT A LATER TIME; THEY ARE COVERED SO AS TO BE BROUGHT OUT INTO THE OPEN. LET HIM WHO HAS EARS TO HEAR ME, HEAR!"  HE SAID TO THEM ANOTHER TIME: " LISTEN CAREFULLY TO WHAT YOU HEAR. ( FOR IN THIS TIME OF TROUBLE IN THE WORLD) SATAN HAS FOUND WEAKNESS  IN OUR FAITH;  IF CHRIST GOES DOWN, WE ALL GO DOWN. STAND STRONG.  IN THE MEASURE YOU GIVE YOU SHALL RECEIVE AND MORE BESIDES. TO  THOSE WHO HAVE NOT, WHAT LITTLE THEY HAVE  WILL BE TAKEN AWAY. HE WENT ON TO SAY: " WHAT COMPARISON SHALL WE USE FOR THE REIGN OF GOD?  WHAT IMAGE WILL HELP TO PRESENT IT?  IT IS LIKE A MUSTARD SEED WHICH, WHEN PLANTED IN THE SOIL, IS THE SMALLEST OF ALL EARTH'S SEEDS, YET ONCE IT IS SOWN SPRINGS UP TO BECOME THE LARGEST OF SHRUBS, WITH BRANCHES BIG ENOUGH FOR THE BIRDS OF THE SKY TO BUILD NESTS
IN ITS SHADE. BY MEANS OF MANY SUCH PARABLES HE TAUGHT THEM THE MESSAGE IN THE WAY THEY COULD UNDERSTAND. TO THEM HE SPOKE ONLY BY WAY OF PARABLE.