37. The Place and Province of Parables

The Place and Province of Parables

Chapter 36

Biblical Parables are narratives, either of fact or fiction, used to convey moral and spiritual truth and instruction. They may be historical, ethical and allegorical, all at the same time; but, if the higher meaning is lost or obscured in the lower, the spiritual in the literal, their main purpose and purport are missed. Commonly some hint of its true interpretation accompanies each parable. The central lesson is the main matter of interest; the rest may be non-essential and subordinate, like drapery and scenery in a drama.

It is difficult to express the exact idea, that there is in the word of God, a mystical element, a peculiar quality of suggesting a far deeper meaning than at first suspected. This finds illustration in the prophetic scriptures, especially the indirect forecasts of the future; and particularly in the Messianic element, pervading the entire Word of God, cropping out where at first thought it would be least expected. It also appears in the scientific department, where an elastic poetic phraseology, obscure and enigmatic, provides for an after accommodation to newly discovered facts. The same mystical element is susceptible of far wider illustration and is continually attracting new attention. As in the works of God, every enlargement of our powers of vision and observation through the lenses of telescope, microscope and spectroscope, brings to light new wonders of the creative hand, so every increase of real insight into the Word of God overwhelms us with evidence that the same Divine Hand has been at work; and, as the “Heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament showeth His handiwork,” so the Law of the Lord is seen to be perfect, in its adaptation to its purpose, converting the soul, making wise the simple, etc. (Psalms 19).

1. This mystical element conspicuously appears in parabolic form. Three prominent sorts of Parable are found in Scripture:

(a) Parabolic utterance, as in Luke 15 and John 15.

(b) Parabolic action, as in the miracles, all of which have a moral meaning.

(c) Parabolic picture or object, as in the Tabernacle and its furniture. Our Lord’s spoken parables are generally reckoned as, in number, about thirty-three; or counting some doubtful cases, may reach forty. To these, His parables in action, or miracles, singularly correspond in number and nature, and might almost be set side by side for comparison. His parables of speech were meant to set forth great leading truths, such as the Love of God, the nature of sin, the law of reward and retribution, the vital union of the believer with Himself, etc. His parables of action were on the other hand designed, as He declares, to show His power on earth to forgive sins and to remedy their consequences. So the Parabolic pictures or objects of the Word of God set forth in a remarkable way the leading facts and truths about Redemption, the Person of the Redeemer and the blessings of the Redeemed. These parables are found in two conspicuous forms, namely: The whole system of sacrifices, offerings and feasts; and the construction and furniture of the Tabernacle of Witness, so closely associated with that system. The whole New Testament, especially Hebrews 9, is the exposition of the Tabernacle, whose volume of suggestiveness grows more and more upon us. From one point of view it presents a grand picture of the whole work of Christ for the believer; from another, an unusually complete view of the whole life of the believer in Christ. The Tabernacle was in three courts—the outer, with the Brazen Altar of sacrifice and the Laver; the inner, with the Table of Shrew Bread, the Golden Candlestick, and the Altar of Incense; and the inmost, the Holiest of All, with the Ark of the Covenant surmounted by the Mercy Seat. It requires little imagination to see here the work of Christ set forth in order, from His vicarious sacrifice of Himself on the Cross, and the Sending of the Regeneration and Sanctifying Spirit, throughout His whole career, as the Light of the World, the Bread of Life, and the Intercessor, including His final entrance within the veil and in the presence of God for us. Or, regarded as teaching the believer how to draw near unto God in Christ, the outer court suggests two conditions: remission of sins through atoning blood and regeneration of spirit through the Word of God and the Holy Ghost—the terms of communion. Then the inner court suggests the three forms of communion: a living light of testimony, the systematic consecration of substance, and a habitual life of prayer. Then the inmost shrine may represent the final goal and ideal of communion, when perpetual obedience is like an unbroken tablet of law, the beauty of the Lord our God is upon us, and all His attributes and our affections and activities are in perfect harmony. No one can claim infallibility in interpreting these parabolic pictures and objects, the very beauty of this form of teaching being in part that it admits of ever increasing clearness of vision and accuracy of insight, as our life and character approach nearer to final perfection. But we are sure that there is here a wealth of meaning, yet unexplored and unsuspected by even the children of God, and which only the ages to come will fully unveil and reveal. A parable proper is, in scripture usage, a similitude usually put in narrative form, or used in connection with some incident. Parables are not altogether lacking in the Old Testament, and sometimes appear in the form of short proverbs, dark prophetic utterances, and enigmatic maxims, or metaphors expanded into a narrative form (comp.1 Samuel 10:12; 1 Samuel 24:13; 2 Chronicles 7:20; Numbers 23:7; Numbers 23:18; Numbers 24:3; Psalms 78:2; Proverbs 1:6; Ezekiel 12:22; Ezekiel 20:49). The word may be applied to a short proverb, like “Physician, heal thyself!” or to a mere comparison (Matthew 24:32) to the typical character of Levitical rites (Hebrews 9:9) or to single facts in patriarchial history (Hebrews 11:19). For our present purpose it is best to limit the use of the word to its common application, excluding the fable, the myth and the allegory, which demand separate treatment. Our Lord’s parables claim principal attention, as constituting a class by themselves and possibly meant as a complete system and series of parabolic teachings. They are generally introduced formally by the words, or their like: “He spake a parable,” etc. In a few cases the imagery of a parable is implied in a parabolic saying, not so called.

Several features are noticeable:

1. The recorded miracles and parables of our Lord closely correspond in number; we can trace from forty to fifty of each, and the miracles all have a hidden parabolic meaning, as the parables have all a deeper than their literal significance.

2. The miracles teach us the significance of the forces of creation; the Parables, of the forms of Creation (Rev. Dr. Hugh McMillan).

3. When a parable is predictive and prophetic, it is always in allegorical dress; when preceptive and didactic, actual and historical (Rev. Dr. W.G. Morehead). The Parables may be thus catalogued:

Beside these are minor Parables, of a second rank, not so prominent as such:

As to classification of the more important:

1. There are certain “Parables of the Kingdom” which are the most conspicuous, which we indicate by numbers in the first preceding list: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 17, 19, 20, 24, 28, 29, 31, 32, 34, 35, 36—about twenty.

2. A second group, illustrating duties to God and man: Nos. 1, 2, 3, 13, 15, 16, 18, 25, 30—about nine.

3. A third group, illustrating God’s attitude to men: Nos. 14, 21, 22, 23, 26, 27, 33—about seven. In the secondary series we discover various lessons:

Or classifying according to moral lessons enforced, out the whole number.

Five specially set forth the Divine character and attributes;

Eight, the history of the Kingdom in this present-age;

Nine, the responsibility of stewardship;

Nine more, the importance of obedience as a habit of heart;

Six, the beauty of forgiveness and unselfish love;

Four, the need of perpetual watchfulness;

Three, the importance of consistency in teaching and conduct;

Three others, of humility and importunity in prayer; And one, of humility in all relations to God.

If it be proper to select twelve that may be ranked as perhaps most important, we should unhesitatingly choose:

Three parables are connected with money or entrusted goods or property—the parable of the Talents, the Pounds, and the Pence (Matthew 25:14; Luke 19:12-27; Matthew 20:1-16). Together they present God’s method in distributing responsibility, and reward for service; but, in each case the teaching is somewhat different, all together giving the complete truth. The Parable of Talents shows that, so far as the distributions are unequal, if the improvement be equal, the reward will be equal. The parable of the Pounds that, where or so far as the distribution is equal, if the improvement is unequal, the measure of reward accords therewith. The parable of the Pence that, where the opportunity has been lacking, but, when offered, improved, the reward will be according to the fidelity in the use of such opportunity as was given. The willing mind is here recognized in those who would have worked longer, if any call to labor had come to them, and who therefore received the same penny as the others.

Trench and Arnot reckon some thirty parables of our Lord, as follows: The Sower, the Tares, the Mustard Seed, the Leaven, the Hid Treasure, the Pearl, the Dragnet, the Unmerciful Servant, the Vineyard Laborers, the Two Sons, the Wicked Husbandmen, the Royal Marriage Feast, the Ten Virgins, the Talents, the Seed, Blade and Ear; the Two Debtors, the Good Samaritan, the Importunate Friend, the Importunate Widow, the Rich Fool, the Barren Fig Tree, the Excuses, the Lost Sheep, the Lost Coin, the Lost Son, the Prudent Steward, the Rich Man and Lazarus, the Unprofitable Servants, the Pharisee and Publican, the Pounds.

Carefully examined, several striking particulars appear in this catalogue:

Just half of the whole number refer to the Judgment, and present various phases of that final assize.

Some of them regard and treat that Judgment as the time of the great ingathering of the final harvest, like the parables of the Sower, the Tares, and the Dragnet, with the separation of good and bad.

Others exhibit the judicial penalties and gracious rewards connected with the Judgment, like the parables of the unmerciful servant, wicked husbandmen, vineyard laborers, excuses; others magnify the duty of vigilance and diligence, as the parables of the Ten Virgins, Talents and Pounds.

Others show the penalty of wastefulness and fruitlessness, or the reward of unselfish service, like the parables of the Rich Fool, the Barren Fig Tree, Dives and Lazarus; or the Prudent Steward.

Two are meant to encourage perseverance in prayer, those of the Friend at Midnight and the Widow at Court.

If half of the whole number have to do with some aspect of judgment, the other half exhibit some aspect of Love and Grace.

Other facts will be seen as the classification is carried further into subordinate groupings; but this suffices to show that such arrangement compensates for much discriminating study.