Note 56 — XV. THE SEED GROWING SECRETLY.

Bengel’s suggestion is ingenious and interesting, but contributes nothing towards the solution. “Sermo concisus. Mittet falce preditos, nam αποστελλεσθαι est viventis cujuspiam.” He would understand the phrase “he putteth in the sickle” as a curt form of expression, intended to intimate that he sends out reapers with sickles to reap the grain; fortifying his opinion by the remark that the term “putteth in,” (αποστελλει, “sends out,”) refers to a living person, and not an inanimate instrument. Countenance for this view might be found in Matt. ix. 37 where εκβαλειν equivalent to αποστελλεσθαι is employed to indicate the sending forth of reapers. On the other hand, however, the passage, Rev. xiv. 15, 16, goes decidedly against it; for there both πεμμτειν and βαλλειν, “thrust in” (the sickle) are certainly applied to the instrument itself, and not to the men who wield it.[56]