(4) Hidden Truth. .,The parabolic style was well adapted to conceal Christ's meaning from those who, through obstinacy and perverseness, were indisposed to receive it. This is the mean ing of Isaiah in the passage quoted in Matt. xiii: 13. Not that the truth was ever hidden from those who sincerely sought to know it ; but it was wrapped in just enough of obscurity to veil it from those who 'had pleasure in unrighteous ness,' and who would 'not come to the light lest their deeds should be reproved.' In accordance with strict justice, such were 'given up to strong delusions, that they might believe a lie."With the upright man thou wilt show tlzyself upright; with the froward thou wilt sltow thyself fro ward.' (1) Scope of Christ's Parables. The scope or design of Christ's parables is sometimes to be gathered from his own express declaration, as in Luke xii :16-2o; xiv:Ii ; xvi:.o. In other cases it must be sought by considering the context, the circumstances in which it was spoken, and the features of the narrative itself, i. e. the literal sense. For the right understanding of this, an acquaintance with the customs of the people, with the productions of their country, and with the events of their history, is often desirable. Most of our Lord's parables, however, admit of no doubt as to their main scope, and are so simple and perspicuous that who runs may read,"if there be first a willing mind.' To those more difficult of comprehension more thought and study should be given, agreeably to the admonition pre fixed to some of them by our Lord himself, 'Whoso heareth, let him understand.'
(2) The Number of Parables in the gospels differs according to the range given to the appli cation of the term. Greswell reckons 27; Trench, 3o; Plumtre, 31; others 5o.
Matthew and Luke give us most of the para bles. Mark dwells more on the acts than the discourses of Christ. John has no parables proper. He took them for granted from the earlier gospels, and gives us instead those higher dis courses of our Lord respecting his relation to the Father. For PARABLES OF jESUS CHRIST, see Appendix, p. 55.
The following are among the principal works on the parables : Gray, Delineation of the Parables, 1777; Bulkley, Discourses on the Parables, 177i; Collyer, Discourses on the Parables, 1815; Kromm, Homilien fiber die Parabeln Jesu, 1823; Unger, De Parabolis Jesu, 1828; Bailey, Exposi tion of the Parables, 1829; Schultze, De Parabolis Jesu Christi, 1827; Lisco, Die Parabeln Jesu, 1832; Stevens, Parables, 1855 • Kirk, Lectures, 1856; Oxenden, Parables, 18:56; Machlachan, Notes, 187o; De Teissier, Parables, 187o.
See also Greswell, Trench. Arndt, Arnot, Stier. Our Lord has himself explained the parable of the Sower and the parable of the Wheat and the Tares. His explanation must be the standard by which our interpretations are to be regulated and measured. L. P. H.