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Husbandman.
The second symbol of service that we are to consider is that of the husbandman.
There are at least three features that we may profitably consider under this head, although
obviously there is scope in the subject for a much more extensive study. An occupation
such as this--with all its associations of seed-time and harvest, ploughing, sowing,
reaping, wheat and tares and fowls of the air, and all the interesting and typical operations
of farming--would not only fill a long article, but could itself be taken as the subject of a
lengthy series of articles. We have restricted ourselves to these three aspects of the
subject by reason of the three separate references to service as husbandry that occur in the
N.T.
(1) Husbandry calls for the exercise of much patience.
"Be patient, therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the
husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until
he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts; for the
coming of the Lord draweth nigh" (James 5: 7, 8).
(2) Husbandry calls for patient labour, if the fruits are to be enjoyed.
"The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits." Or, according
to the margin: "The husbandman labouring first, must be partaker of the fruits"
(II Tim. 2: 6).
(3) Husbandry implies a responsibility.--The parable of the wicked husbandmen
makes this point clear. Instead of rendering to their Lord the fruits that were His, they
conspire against His servants and His Son that they may keep them for themselves (see
Matt. 21: 33-41, Mark 12: 1-9 and Luke 20: 9-16).
There is a reward for faithful service--both James and II Timothy quoted above
make this clear--but service for the sake of reward is another matter, and is fatal. This is
a thing that should exercise us all, for the flesh is the same all the world over.
Helpers and husbandmen; these two symbols of service include us all, from the
lowest to the highest, and both are titles of the Lord Himself (Heb. 13: 6; John 15: 1;
I Cor. 3: 9).