By H. Spurgeon.
For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out
in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. . . . And he went out about the
hour, and saw others standing idle in the market-place. . . . Again he went out, about
the ninth hour, and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour he went out, and
others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day
—Matthew 20: 1, 3, 5, 6.
We have frequently observed that we do not think it right to neglect
connection of Scripture. We have no right to tear passages of Scrip-
from their context and make them to mean what they were not in-
tended to teach; and therefore I have in the reading given you, according
to my ability, what I think to be the immediate design of the present
parable. It is a rebuke to those who fall into a legal spirit and begin
calculating as to what their reward ought to be in a kingdom where the
spirit is entirely out of place, since its reward is not of debt but of
free. I think I may now, without any violation of propriety, dwell
on one very distinct fact in connection with the parable. It is not right
to violate the drift of the parable, but having already observed it and
made it as clear as we can, we believe that we are now authorized to make
one of the main circumstances mentioned in it.
J. McL.
Book Review
“Jehovah Shepherding His Sheep,” Sermons on the Twenty-third Psalm by Rev. J. R. Beeke. Price, \$13-50, discount price \$7-50. Netherlands Reformed Book and Publishing Committee, 1020, N. Main Avenue, Sioux Centre, Iowa 51250.