XXIX

THE KINGDOM OF GOD ILLUSTRATED IN PARABLES BY JESUS, AND SPECIAL PROMISES TO HIS APOSTLES CONCERNING THE KINGDOM

Jesus was most intensely absorbed with the establishment of the Kingdom of God on the earth. He not only preached and taught wherever He went that this kingdom was at hand, but sent out His twelve chosen disciples and other seventy disciples with explicit instructions to do the same. That was the one special message that He and they proclaimed at all times and in all places. The minds of the people everywhere were absorbed in earthly matters, including their governments, in those things which pertain to their temporal and physical needs.

Besides this barrier, the multitudes which thronged about Him were largely made up of the common people and uneducated, who would not be able to understand abstract teaching, or even the more simple preaching. Accordingly, almost everywhere, and on almost all occasions, Jesus made use of the best and simplest parables to illustrate the principles, the characteristics and the workings of the Kingdom of God.

And in any case when His disciples failed to understand the lesson of the parable, He explained it to them fully that there might be no doubt in their minds about the matters of the Kingdom of God, for which they were chosen as His representatives to found and extend on the earth.

Many of these parables, as presented by Him, are to be found in the four Gospels, and are exceedingly interesting and explicit in what they were used to illustrate. They should be read and reread in the connection where they are used, by all who are interested in the Kingdom of God, and its extension on the earth.

There is no space here to copy any of them and it is not necessary that there should be, as it would be more interesting and instructive to read them in their historical settings.

In this connection it may be well to consider several most notable instances in the life of Jesus with His disciples, in which He imparted to them in a most significant manner very important and never to be forgotten instruction relative to His kingdom and the part they were to have in it.

First:

13. "When Jesus came into the coasts of Cæsarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?

14. And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist; some, Elias; and others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.

15. He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? 16. And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

17. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

18. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

19. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom. of heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth

shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

20. Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.

21. From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day" (Matt. 16:13-21).

Second:

27. "Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?

28. And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

29. And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundred fold, and shall inherit everlasting life.

30. But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first" (Matt. 19:27-30).

Third:

24. "And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest.

25. And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors.

26. But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.

27. For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.

28. Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations.

29. And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me;

30. That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel" (Luke 22: 24-30).

Fourth:

3. "To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:

4. And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.

5. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence" (Acts 1:3-5).

XXX

THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT TO THE APOSTLES OF JESUS WOULD BE OF INESTIMABLE VALUE TO THEM IN THREE MOST IMPORTANT WAYS

First:

15. "If ye love me, keep my commandments.

16. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

17. Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be

in you.

18. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. 19. Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.

20. At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you" (John 14:15-20).

Second:

25. "These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.

26. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you" (John 14:25, 26).

Third:

26. "But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: