disciples, on the other hand, had already grasped something of the supernatural character of their Master and of the kingdom he came to inaugurate. To them therefore he could explain the truth embodied in these parables, as in fact he did in the interpretations here recorded of the parables of the sower and the tares. The result was that their powers of spiritual understanding developed and the mysteries of the kingdom became clearer to them. In their case there was another illustration of the proverbial
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