ord's parables and miracles derive their significance.
When he spoke of external, natural things, he wanted his disciples to
learn internal, spiritual things. In the text he speaks of a hearing
ear. "He that hath an ear." Do not nearly all men have ears? In
several other places the Lord says: "He that hath ears to hear, let
him hear." It is plain that the natural ear is not meant; but the ear
of the soul (by which is meant an understanding mind) is the ear meant
in the text. But to hear means more than just to understand what is
said. People may understand what they hear or read, and still be none
the better off for it. To hear, in a divine sense, is to hearken; and
to hearken means to obey, or a willingness to obey. The text then
means about this: "He that understands what the Spirit saith to the
churches, let him obey." This brings up the question whether or not
people of ordinary intelligence are able to understand what the Spirit
says to the churches.

Let us turn to what the Spirit says to the church at Ephesus. After
reviewing the good qualities and characteristics of this church, much
to their praise and credit, he does not flatter their vanity, by
intimations or otherwise, to think themselves all right and in need of
nothing; but "I have this AGAINST thee, that thou didst leave thy
first love. Remember therefore, from whence thou art fallen, and
repent." It is truthfully said "our best friends are those who warn us
of danger." This is God's friendship for his churches. He shows his
people by his Word where they may go wrong, and, if they have ears to
hear and eyes to see, where they _are_ wrong. _Leaving their first
love_ is the charge brought against this church of Ephesus. And it is
the only charge. To what extent or degree they had departed is not
definitely said; but they had gone so far that repentance and
reformation, or the doing of their first works, was necessary that
they might be restored to the state they had once enjoyed.

Now it appears plain to my mind, from all the teachings I find
elsewhere in the Word, that love to the Lord their God with all the
heart, and love to the neighbor, which is the church, is, and forever
ought to be, the first and only love. The church is the good Samaritan
that lifts up the wounded brother who has fallen among the thieves of
temptation, and restores him. This love to the Lord and the church is
the love from which these Ephesian brethren had fallen. Departures
from