“Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you . . . “
These words in the 4th chapter of Mark, verse 24, were spoken by Jesus after he had interpreted the parable of “The Sower and The Seed” for his disciples. Of course Jesus spoke these words on other occasions as he went through the Holy Land preaching and teaching. Both Matthew and Luke record the same thought “with what measure YE mete, in like manner it shall be returned” in their accounts of “The Sermon on the Mount”. Luke elaborates in his account, which is found in Luke chapter 6, verse 38: “give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.”
We invite your attention to an interesting description of the strange scene which may have formed the background of these words of our Lord Jesus Christ. The description is given by a man named James Neil, who resided in Jerusalem for 3 years from 1871 to 1874. We quote:
“Another sight that arrested my attention in Jerusalem was the measuring of grain. Each year in July or August all the dwellers in Eastern cities have to buy sufficient grain to last them twelve months. When the grain is brought to the purchaser’s door, a professional measurer invariably attends to find out and certify the true contents of each sack—he acts as a kind of impartial umpire between the buyer and the seller. He uses a wooden measure, like our own bushel measure, but not so deep, called a Timneh. He seats himself cross-legged on the ground, and, upon the grain being turned out in a heap before him, he begins to scoop into the Timneh with his hands.
Next, he seizes the Timneh, when it is partly full, and gives it two or three swift half-turns as it stands on the ground — thus shaking the contents together and so making them occupy a smaller space. He again scoops in more grain and repeats the shaking as before ; and does so again and again until the measure is filled up to the brim. This done, he presses upon it with the outstretched palm of his hands, using the whole weight of his body so as to pack it still more closely.
“Then, out of the center of the pressed surface, he removes some of its contents, and makes a small hollow. He is about to erect a building on the top, and very naturally digs a foundation. With more handfuls of grain he now raises a cone about the Timneh. With much skillfulness he carries this cone up to a great height, until no more grain can possibly be piled on its steep sides and that which he adds begins to run down and flow over. When this happens, the interesting and elaborate process is complete ; the measure is regarded as of full weight, and is handed over to the buyer.
“Wheat is always meted out this way, and is quoted in the market at so much per Timneh. I have been at great pains to find out the exact contents, by weight, of the Palestinian measure. The experiment I caused to be made was with wheat of the best quality. I found that a Timneh of such quality filled up to the brim, unshaken, and unpressed, and without the cone—weighs just 37 pounds ; and with the cone, just 44 pounds.
However, when shaken together, pressed down, and flowing over in the manner I have just described—it holds 48 pounds !
“Give”, said our blessed Lord (in graphic and vivid allusion to this professional measuring). “Give, and it shall be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, shall they give into your bosom—for with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again”. The word “bosom” refers to the breast-pocket, formed by that part of the loose Eastern dress which is above the girdle.
“Now observe—there is no less than 11 pounds difference in weight between a measure filled to the brim, as we fill it in this country—and one such as I have described, filled according to the bountiful method of Bible lands, when it is “pressed down, shaken together, and running over”.
“In this way 30 percent is added to its value !”
Mr. Neil used this description of the Eastern “full measure” to illustrate the act of generous giving of money and referred to it as a “divine art”; pointing to the Lord God and to His Only Begotten Son as supreme examples in giving. There is probably a need for an exhortation on generous giving of money—but we would like to dwell upon a different aspect of giving: namely, the full measure of Service, which we owe, and which we should render to our Heavenly Father, through His Son.
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His Only Begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world ; but that the world through him might be saved”. John 3:16,17
The apostle Paul wrote in his various letters :
“God commendeth His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us . . . Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace through our Lord Jesus Christ : by Whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” Romans 5:8,1,2
“And all things are of God, Who hath reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation”. 2 Cor. 5:18
“But this I say, ‘He which soweth sparingly shall also reap sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully’.” 2 Cor. 9:6
“Be not deceived ; God is not mocked : for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.” Gal. 6:7,8
In Mark’s account of The Gospel, the words “with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you” are prefaced by the phrase “If any man have ears to hear, let him hear”—and are followed by the words “unto you that hear shall more be given. For he that hath. to him shall be given : and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath”. Mark 4:23-25
As Jesus talked in parables to the multitudes, there were those who were sufficiently interested to inquire further into the half-hidden meanings, and to reflect upon their lessons, and to respond to their influence — such people were an example of having “ears to hear”, and of giving heed to what they heard ; these would be given more, and still more. The Lord God’s Spoken Word is now The Written Word; and in His Written Word are all the Parables, the Prophecies, the Promises of God needful for our salvation.
If the measure of “applying our hearts unto Wisdom” is meager—our increase in the Wisdom of God will be slight. If we reject the getting of Wisdom for our convenience — there comes a time when Wisdom rejects us, in a varying degree in this life, but completely in the day of Judgment. It is too late for a man to hurry up and be spiritually-minded, when he finds himself in the grasp of death. But what a wealth of blessings will be ours if we seek first the Kingdom of God, and His Righteousness !
If the measure of our service to the Lord is lacking—only a limited measure of His Goodness shall be ours in this life. If we sow sparingly in His Vineyard, He may cast us into outer darkness which ends in death, when we could have enjoyed life forever in the Kingdom! Each will reap as he has sown. Moses told the nation of Israel: ” . . . what doth the Lord thy God require of thee ? but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all His ways, and to love Him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul.” Deut. 10:12
“Serving God” means a rendering of spiritual obedience, a conforming to, and being duly reverent of, the laws of God. And when we occupy our hearts and hands in fear and in love, serving Him wholeheartedly—God’s Commandments regarding our fellow-man all into line as a matter of course. This truth we all know: recognizing at the same time that it is “easier said than done”. Our success with our fellow-man depends upon how well we love our Heavenly Father.
We always think we have to judge our fellow-man ; especially if we feel that he is doing wrong to us. “Judging” can also mean a critical attitude, a frame of mind that is always finding fault with things that are done. The Scriptures teach us that we should not be this way. If only we could leave the judging of our fellow-man to Christ, who has been “ordained by God to be the Judge of the (wick and the dead”. The prophet Micah wrote : “He hath showed thee, 0 man, what is good : And what doth the Lord require of thee ? but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God”. Micah 6:8. The margin says “humble thyself to walk with thy God”. It is a good thought. For without humbleness of mind and spirit it is impossible to walk with God. As Paul said to the Thessalonians : “As ye know how we exhorted every one of you . . . That ye would walk worthy of God, Who hath called you unto His Kingdom and Glory.” 1 Thess. 2:11,12
Justice is that virtue which consists in giving every one what is his due. Mercy is that benevolence, or kindness of heart, or disposition which induces a person to overlook injuries, or to treat an offender with greater forbearance and clemency than he deserves ; it is pity, compassion. “Vengeance belongs to the Lord . . . He will repay”. We know this to be so, brethren, but is it not hard to “heed” ? Here again, the Lord God our example. For Luke says in chapter 6 verse 35 that our Heavenly Father is “kind unto the unthankful, and to the evil” and admonishes: “Be ye therefore merciful as your Father also is merciful”. Then Luke adds : “Judge not, and ye shall not be judged : Condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned : Forgive, and ye shall be forgiven ; Give, and it shall be given you ; Good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal, it shall be measured to you again.” Luke 6:35-38
Webster says that “giving” means to surrender into the power of another ; to convey to another ; to bestow ; usually implying that the action expressed is done freely.
Let us therefore, GIVE to the Lord a FULL measure of our devotion. Let us sow to ourselves in righteousness, that we may reap in mercy.
It has been well said :
“Sow a thought, reap an act ;
Sow an act ; reap a habit ;
Sow a habit, reap a character ;
Sow a character, reap a destiny”.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One