ALIAN or ALVAN (a-li'an or &I'van). (lleb.
.
ci-yawn', tall), a son of Shohal, a descendant of Levi (Gen. xxxvi:23; 1 Citron. i.4o), B. C. about 1927.
ALLEGORY (Gr. 'AX)oryopico. al lay-gor-eh'o), occurs only once in Scripture (Gal. iv: 21), where the apostle, referring to the story of Ha gar and Ishmael, Sarah and Isaac, says, "Which things are to be allegorized" (Gr. drat( &rip Woryopolipepa); a figurative form of teaching, in which front certain facts, real or imaginary, in struction is conveyed through some other applica tion of the facts themselves. For examples of pure and mixed allegory, see Ps. lxxx; Luke xv: 1-32; John xv:t-S.
"The allegory of Melchizedek, based not on the historical personage so much as on the nature of the two passing allusions to him, combined with the significance of the great silence elsewhere in the Old Testament as to his birth and descent, as well as of the two names, Melchizedek and Salem, all these together being made the founda tion of a logical construction of the person and work of Christ as an embodiment of the precon ceived idea. can hardly be considered without
regard to Philo's treatment of Melchizedek as an allegory of his apparently impersonal Logos. And yet, with the expression in the t loth Psalm be fore us, 'Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek,' we must allow Dr. NVestcott a certain margin of justification when he maintains that the treatment of Melchizedek is typical rather than allegorical, though he appears to be too sweeping when he affirms, 'There is no allegory in this epistle.' " J. Massie, Hastings' Bib. Dict.) (See MELCHIZEDEK.) ALLELUIA (6.11e-lii'ya). See HALLELUJAH.