QUES. 9.-The Lord says to His disciples, "It is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven "(Matt. 13 :11); has that kingdom come in the mystery form ? Is the parable of the wheat and the tares primarily Jewish?

ANS.-What that kingdom is must first be clearly understood. Let us trace it.

It had been promised and much prophesied of in the O. T. (1) The place of the King's birth was given; (2) His descent from David foretold, as well as (3) the glory of His person ; (4) the manner of His coming, and (5) the character of His kingdom. As to all this, see (1) Micah 5:2 and Matt. 2:1-6; (2)2 Sam. 7 :16, Ps. 132 :11, and Matt. 1:1-16; (3) Isa. 7 :14 ; 9 :6, 7, and Matt. 1 :21-23 ; (4) Zech. 9 :9, and Matt. 21:4-14 ; (5) Isa. chaps. 11, 12. These scriptures, with many others, show what the godly in Israel were to expect. (See Luke 2 :26-32.)

Let us trace it now in Matthew's Gospel. John the Baptist (the King's forerunner) then came and began to preach :" Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand " (Matt. 3 :1-3), and the Lord afterward preached the same (ch. 4 :17). The king was from heaven, and His kingdom a kingdom of the heavens, in contrast to the kingdoms of the world.

Attracted by the works of power-the healings, the signs and wonders, and the teachings-multitudes came and followed Him (ch. 4:23-25), "and seeing the multitudes He (the King) went up into a mountain," and gave utterance to the rules, the ways and laws of His kingdom in chaps. 5-7. These three chapters are called "the Magna Charta, or Constitution of the kingdom," in Feb. Help and Food, page 49. (Read that page, and part of the next, carefully.)

But the rulers manifested deadly opposition (ch. 9 :34, 35), and the mass of the people soon showed no heart for the King, His kingdom, and His messengers (ch. 10 :16, 17) ; judgment then was pronounced upon those who had most seen His mighty works and had not repented (ch. 11 :20-24). Then the opposition grows ; the rulers ascribe to the devil the works of power, which they could not deny, yet resisted, and they seek to destroy Jesus (ch. 12).

The abandonment of Israel is typified by the Lord leaving the Jewish house (ch. 13) and going out to the sea-typical of the Gentiles-where the precious seed of the gospel is to be sowed, and the results are given in parables.

Why are they called "the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven " ? Because the rejected King was going away, and mysterious results would appear from the good and the evil seeds sown, and the work of opposing powers would produce a condition of things apparently great (as the mustard seed), but with the deceitful working of evil within (as the leaven in the meal). All these parables then show what the kingdom would become in the absence of Hie King.

If these things are apprehended, it becomes perfectly plain that the kingdom in this mystery form applies exclusively to Ike time of the King's absence. When the King returns in power and glory there shall be mystery no longer. He shall render to His servants as their work has been. He will judge the evil servant, and judge the world in righteousness, as fully set forth in Matt., chap. 25.