FABLE (fa'b'1), (Gr, uld3os, moo' lhos ; La t.fabula) parable.
Fable is a form of narrative in which plants and animals, or even lifeless objects, are repre sented as endowed with some of the attributes of man, as the gift of speech and rational action. Sometimes the fable is designed to teach moral and practical truths, and sometimes only to in terest and entertain. Neander, Life of Christ, thus distinguishes between the parable and fable: "The parable is distinguished from the fable by this, that in the latter qualities or acts of a higher class of beings may be attributed to a lower, c. g., those of men to brutes; while in the former the lower sphere is kept perfectly distinct froin that which it seems to illustrate. The beings and pow ers thus introduced always follow the law of their nature, but their acts, according to this law, are used to figure those of a higher race." To illustrate: What the fable relates is not real and cannot occur, as trees speaking (Judg. ix: 8) ; while that which the parable relates may and does take place, as the sower sowing seed in soil of various degrees of productiveness (Matt. xiii: 3). The fable was often used in ancient heathen as in modern Christian literature. In the Bible there is only one fable (Judg. ix :7-15), where Jotham represents the trees as seeking a king and asking, one by one, the olive and others to reign over them, till the bramble finally consents. This is often erroneously called a parable.
Fables are referred to in the New Testament as inventions, falsehoods (2 Pet. i:16) ; and in Tim. i :4, etc., as "cunningly devised " or foolish systems and opinions, etc.
FACE (fas),(Heb. fiaw-neem.).
(1) Face, in Scripture. is often used to denote presence in the general sense, and, when applied to the Almighty, denotes such a complete mani festation of the divine presence, by sound or sight, as was equivalent, in the vividness of the impression, to the seeing of a fellow-creature 'face to face.' The 'face of God' therefore denotes in Scripture any thing or manner by which God is wont to manifest himself to man. Thus, when it is said that Adam and Eve hid themselves from 'the face of Jehovah,' we understand that they hid themselves from his presence, however mani fested ; for pawneem not only signifies presence, as well as (literally) face, but is the very word for presence, however manifested. There is no other
word to denote presence in the Hebrew language. Whenever 'presence' occurs in our translation, the word in the original is the same which is ren dered 'face' in other places.
(2) It was a very ancient and common opinion that our mortal frame could not survive the more sensible manifestations of the Divine pres ence, or 'see God face to face and live' (Gen. xxxii :3o), hence, in this passage, the gratitude and astonishment of Jacob that he still lived after God had manifested himself to him more sensibly than by dreams and visions. This im pression was confirmed to Nfoses, who was told, 'Thou canst not see my face : no man can see my face and live' (Exod. xxxiii:2o) ; which clearly signifies that no one can in this present state of being endure the view of that glory which belongs to Him 0 Cor. xiii:12; l'et. iii:12; Rev.
(3) The physical manifestations of the Divine presence appear to have been made through the Angel of whoni it is said "My 11(1)11C IS in him" (Exod. XXIII :2I ; xiv :KO. We are to bear in mind that God is usually represented to us in Scripture under a human form ; and it is indeed difficult for even more spiritualized minds than those of the Hebrews to conceive of Him apart from the form and attributes of the highest na ture actually known to us. The Scripture sanc tions this concession to the weakness of our in tellect, and hence arise the anthropomorphous phrases which speak of the face, the eyes, the arm of God. The appearances of the angels in the Old Testament times were generally in the human form (Judg. xiii :6, etc) ; and from this cause alone it would have been natural, in the imagina tion, to transfer the form of the messengers to Him by whom they were sent. (See ANTHRO PONIORPH I S M.) (4) God's "face" is used to express his favor and love, and the gracious displays thereof : this is always meant when his face is said to "shine," or it is represented as a mercy to behold and enjoy it or a misery to be deprived of it (2 Citron. xxx :9; Ps. xxxi :16 ; lxxx :7; Dan. ix :17).
It is used also to denote wrath, and the prov idential display thereof (Ps. xxxiv :16).
(5) Christ's "face" denotes: (1) His person and office as the image of the invisible God (2 Cor iv:6). (2) His gracious, glorious, or terrible appearances (Rev. xx :it).