The Saviour, therefore, stood before the people in the threefold

capacity of Prophet, Priest and King, and as such was rejected.  Chapter 13

follows immediately with the parables of the mysteries of the kingdom of

heaven.  The parables speak of seed sown in places that either destroyed or

choked it, of an enemy who sowed tares among the wheat, of leaven that

leavened the whole of the good meal.  It is in such a context that we meet

the only reference to 'victory' in the synoptic Gospels.  Victory is there,

even in the parables of His rejection, for the fourth sowing produces a

glorious harvest, the tares are bound in bundles and burned, the leaven 'hid'

in three measures of meal is answered by the treasure 'hid' in the field.

Moreover, the spirit that leads to victory is discoverable in the close of

the eleventh chapter:

'At That Time (i.e. when Chorazin and Bethsaida had manifested that the

rejection of their Messiah was imminent) Jesus answered and said, I

thank Thee, O Father ... even so, Father: for so it seemed good in Thy

sight' (Matt. 11:25,26).

Here is the first essential to victory.  To stand in the

day of apparent defeat, to be able to look with a calm unflinching eye upon

the outward appearance of failure, yet, so to trust the all -wise and all -

powerful Father that one cannot only find 'rest' for one's self, but can

invite others to share the 'yoke' and find rest too.  This quality of 'rest',

the expression of perfect harmony with the Divine Will, the complete absence

of resentment, defeatism, anxiety or self -seeking, go to make such a

fortified heart and unmoveable spirit, that even in the day of calamity,

victory is assured.  The following set up of this well -known passage may be

useful to those that teach young people.

'Come unto Me, all ye that labour and

are  Heavy laden, and I will

give you Rest.  Take My yoke upon you, and learn

of  Me;  for  I  am  meek  and  lowly  in  heart:  and

ye

rest  unto  your  Souls.

For  My  yoke  is  easy,

and My burden is lighT' (Matt. 11:28 -30).

Let us now consider Matthew 12:18 -21:

'Behold My Servant, Whom I have chosen; My beloved, in Whom My soul is

well pleased: I will put My spirit upon Him, and He shall shew judgment

to the Gentiles.  He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man

hear His voice in the streets.  A bruised reed shall He not break, and

smoking flax shall He not quench, till He send forth judgment unto

victory.  And in His name shall the Gentiles trust'.

The word 'victory' it will be observed comes a long way through this

quotation.  No victory that is worth while is easily attained, and in the

passage before us there are many preparatory qualifications before the goal

can be reached.  We point out in the first place, that God says 'My', 'I',

before He says 'He':

'My Servant', 'I have chosen', 'My beloved', 'My soul is well pleased',

'I will put My spirit upon Him'.

We therefore are reminded as we contemplate the factors that make for

victory, that 'the battle is the Lord's'.  On the other hand, even God