(1). "From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, `Repent, for the kingdom of

heaven is at hand" (4: 17).

(2). 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" (16: 21).

We can now see clearly that the parables of Matt. 13: comes within the first section of

Matthew's Gospel, which has for its subject exclusively "the kingdom."

In examining the book still further, we find that it reveals three main discourses, and a

due appreciation of their place and teaching is of utmost importance. They are as

A | Matt.5:-7:

| On a mountain.  | Precept.  | The kingdom explained.

(Past).

B | Matt.13:

| Out of the house. | Parable.  | The kingdom rejected.

(Past & Future).

A | Matt.24:-25: | On a mountain.  | Prophecy. | The kingdom set up.

(Future).

In the Sermon on the Mount the Lord Jesus, as King, sat upon the mountain, and gave

His laws and describes the character of the subjects of His kingdom. In the prophetic

chapters of Matt. 24: and 25: the Lord Jesus looks forward to the day when His

kingdom shall be set up with power and great glory. The interval between the two

"mountain" discourses is filled in by the rejection of the Lord by Israel, and the parables

of the secrets of the kingdom. We may expect, therefore, to find something to teach us

the character and course of the "kingdom of the heavens" during the period of the

rejection of the King. One thing we must be quite clear about, and that is, we shall not

find depicted a history of events which were to take place after the kingdom of the

heavens became in abeyance.

These parables trace the progress of the gospel of the kingdom along its course

through the period while the Lord was on the earth, and during the Acts of the Apostles.

The present interval of the dispensation of the mystery must of necessity be omitted, and

the history of the kingdom be resumed again when God once more takes up His ancient

people, for the interpretation of some of these parables takes us to the "end of the age."

Before we examine the parables in detail, we must examine them together. Some

of

our readers may be surprised to find us speaking of the eight parables of Matt. 13:

It

has become almost sacred to prophetic students to speak of the seven parables

of

Matt. 13:, so that we shall have to set out the complete arrangement in order

to

demonstrate the fact that the Lord gave eight parabolic or figurative utterances

in

connection with the "mysteries (or secrets) of the kingdom."