is not limited to the preaching of the great doctrine of the
Atonement, but it refers to the general purpose for which Christ came;
which was, to gather all the world into His Kingdom of grace and
salvation. See Bishop How's Commentary on the Gospels, under S. Luke
viii. 1. (Publ. by S. P. C. K.)

[4] See this very skilfully drawn out in a little devotional
Commentary on "Five Psalms of the Kingdom," by Rev. G. F. Saxby.
Published by J. T. Hayes, London.

[5] See below, notes on pp. 50 and 83.

CHAPTER III.

THE PARABLES OF THE KINGDOM.

"What is earth but God's own field,
Fruit unto His praise to yield?
Wheat and tares therein are sown,
Unto joy or sorrow grown;
* * * * *
Grant, O Lord of Life, that we
Holy grain and pure may be."

What appeared to be the death-blow of "The Kingdom of Heaven" was but
a necessary step in its formation. The King was crucified in weakness,
only to be "declared to be the Son of God with power by the
resurrection from the dead" (Rom. i. 4). And the reason for His
humiliation has become clear to us, as expressed in the familiar
proverb, "No cross, no crown." The way to His exaltation upon the
throne of His Kingdom led by the cross. His Kingdom must be "purchased
with His own Blood" (Acts xx. 28). He must "suffer for sins, that He
might bring us to God" (1 Pet. iii. 18).

But the question now arises, What sort of Kingdom was it that He
offered unto men when He preached to them the Gospel of the Kingdom?
Has He enabled us to form, from His own recorded words, a definite
idea of the nature and character of "The Kingdom of Heaven"?

For the answer we turn naturally to His Parables; because the form of
teaching which He most commonly employed was that which is known by
the name of Parable. And we find that fully half of them were Parables
of the Kingdom; that is to say, they either begin with the words "The
Kingdom of Heaven is like unto" such and such things; or they contain
some distinct reference to it. And as the first two of these Parables
were interpreted to the disciples, we are left in no doubt as to the
general meaning of them all.

The Parables of "The Kingdom of Heaven"[6] may be divided into two
divisions. Those of the first division relate in a general manner to
"The Kingdom of Heaven" or "The Kingdom of God," under its various
aspects, which will be set forth more fully in subsequent chapters;
some parables describing