دو apostle desires for the Christians at Rome: that gift of the Holy Spirit to the heart, when he "beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God : and we learn by experience, what can never be understood till the heart itself interprets it, the reality of that "peace of God which passeth all understanding.” LXV. HARDNESS OF HEART. MARK iv. 11, 12. 11. And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: 12. 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. THERE must be a reason for this difference, which at first sight appears contrary to the usual dealings of God with man. There seems here to be "respect of persons." To those who were about him with the twelve apostles, our Lord says, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God; but to others, to them that are without, all these things are done in parables: they see, but they do not perceive the meaning of what they see: they hear, but they do not understand: so that the effect of hearing and understanding does not take place; they are not converted or healed. St. Matthew, in his report of this same discourse, adds the reason. "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 have they closed; lest at any time 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." 1 The different treatment, therefore, of them that were without, and of the apostles and others who were about him, corresponded with the difference of their conduct. Each party reaped as they had sown: were dealt with according to their spirit and behaviour. Of those that were about him with the twelve, that account was true, which Peter afterwards gave of himself and his brethren, "Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee." 2 They acknowledged Jesus as the "Christ, the Son of the living God." They sat around him, and heard his words; believing that they were "the words of eternal life." They repelled all proud imaginations, and high 1 Matt. xiii. 14, 15; Isa. vi. 9, 10. 2 Matt. xix. 27. 4 John vi. 68. thoughts which exalt themselves against the knowledge of God, and became as "little children," who look to their teachers for instruction, without dispute or cavil. Very different was the case of those without, as related in the preceding chapters of this gospel. A man was brought to Jesus, sick of the palsy, "and he said unto him, Man, thy sins be forgiven thee. And immediately he arose and went forth before them all. But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, who said in their hearts, Why doth this man speak blasphemies?"5 Again, the Lord had called the publican Matthew from his occupation, and was entertained by him at his house, where many publicans and sinners were assembled. They seize the occasion of reviling him. "Behold a gluttonous man and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners!" 6 Again, in passing through the corn fields on the sabbath day, his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn. Here too was found cause of accusation; "Why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful?" 7 Even his miracles of mercy were censured. "They watched him, whether he would heal on the sabbath, that they might accuse him."8 Can we wonder, that to men of this temper, all things were done in parables? But only done in parables, as long as this temper remained. No sooner did the heart show willingness to learn, and the ear become ready to hear, than the mysteries of the kingdom were disclosed. "He that hath 5 Mark ii. 7, &c. 7 Mark ii. 24. 6 Mark ii. 15, 16. 8 Mark iii. 2. ears to hear, let him hear." Nicodemus, for instance, instead of following the example of his brethren, came to consult Jesus, and acknowledged that God was with him. Immediately the Lord opened to him that important truth, the leading doctrine of the Gospel, "Except a man be born again, born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot see the kingdom of God." Another came to inquire of him, not as many, "tempting him," but with good intentions, and asked, "Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? " 1 "All things pertaining to life and godliness" were immediately placed at his command. "If thou wilt be perfect, come, follow me, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven.' It was the constant complaint and grief of the Redeemer, "Ye will not come unto me, that ye might have life.” 2 "If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.”3 "Him that cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out." "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and would not!" 5 4 ye There is a time when the heart, which has hardened itself against the word, becomes as the rock which no power can penetrate. No man can ever tell, when that time has arrived. God has often been pleased to smite the hearts of those who seemed most obdurate, and the waters of humiliation and penitence have flowed forth, as when Moses struck the rock in the desert. But we 9 John iii. 1, 2. 3 John vii. 37. 1 Matt. xix. 20, &c. + John vi. 37. 5 Luke xiii. 34. 6 2 John v. 40. 6 Numb. xx. 11. are warned by the example of the Jewish nation, that advantages, "great every way," may be neglected, till they are no longer left us to be abused. As it is written, "To-day, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts:"7 lest the only power that can soften them, be never exerted in your cause. Many of the same This is the first, but not the only inference. As there were eyes too blind to see, and too firmly closed to be enlightened; so there were eyes which seeing did see, and hearing did understand. There were minds. instructed to "know all parables." people, concerning whom Isaiah wrote the prophecy which said, "hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand, and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive :" many of these came to "know of the doctrine that it was of God:"8 understood with their heart, and were converted, and their sins were forgiven them. They saw what concerned them, that God had opened to mankind a door of salvation, by which, "whoever would," might enter: as the Lord himself described it, might "go in and out, and find pasture:" find that which would supply his spiritual wants, and lead him in the way everlasting. The apostles and the company around Jesus had chosen this good path; and of those, and of all who "through their word" are following the same road, it may be truly said, "Blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear." "God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in their hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.' "1 |