(h) Traits which, if interpreted, would lead to con- clusions contrary to the analog}^ of faith belong only to the coloring. In the parable of the unmerciful servant we read, " But, forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife and children, and all that he had, and pa^nnent to be made" (^latt. xviii, 25). Shall we infer that wives are to suffer for their husbands', children for their fathers' sins? The analogy of faith answers, No. Such a lesson, then, cannot be associated with the particulars referred to. They spring only from the fact that, after the manner of Eastern nations, the wife and children were considered to be the husband's and father's property. Again we have simply a part of the filling out of the narrative (comp. Scholten, quoted in Lisco, On the Parables [Clark's translation], p. 105).
(c) Traits which, if interpreted, would teach doc- trines not elsewhere taught in Scripture belong onlj' to the coloring. In the parable of the ten virgins, we are informed that " five of them were wise, and five were foolish" (Jlatt. xxv, 2). Give a meaning to this, and we must infer that the numl)er of the saved and of the lost will be the same. Such a doctrine is no- where taught us in the Bible, and again we conclude that the circumstance mentioned only fills out the nar- rative.
(d) Traits to which an interpretation cannot be giv- en without indulging in fancies and conceits belong onh' to the coloring. In the parable of the prodigal son, "the father said to his servants. Bring forth the best robe and put it on him ; and put a ring on his
hand and shoes on his feet" (Luke xv, 22). To see in this the general tokens of restoration to all the privileges of a son in his fiither's house is evidently required. But to understand by the "best robe" the robe of the Saviour's righteousness, by the "ring" the gift of the Spirit whereby we are sealed unto the daj' of redemption, and by the " shoes" those works of our calling whereby "the penitent shall be equipped for holy obedience" (Trench, On the Parables, p. 412), seems to be pushing interpretation to a fanciful ex- tent. The same thing may be said of Trench's inter- pretation of Matt, xiii, 33,"" The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal," where he makes tlie three measures of meal represent the three parts of the then known world, or the three sons of Noah, or the three elements, spirit, soul, and body, which together make up the man (On the Parables, p. 114, 115).
Bearing these cautions in mind, the more minute our interpretation of a parable is, the more do we con- form to the example of Him whose parables we inter- pret. Our great guide, however, must be a spiritual tact and discernment cultivated by close communion with Christ himself, an intelligent perception of Chris- tian principles, a rich experience of the practical pow- er of the divine life as it works in ourselves, and a knowledge of the world and its working there. We must constantly bear in mind that the parables of Christ teach directl)' neither history nor doctrine nor morals nor prophec}'. They express directly only certain great principles of the Saviour's divine king- dom, of the kingdom of heaven or of God, when that kingdom comes into contact with the human heart. Histor}', doctrine, morals, prophecj% may be deduced from them, because the truth of God and the human heart are essentially the same in all ages. But it is with principles alone that the parables deal ; with prin- ciples which impl}^ doctrines, which result in morals, which appear in the history of the past, and will re- appear in the future. To set forth these principles in a sphere which is wider than that of either individuals or churches, in the sphere of divine truth in contact with the heart of man, is the object of the New Testa- ment parables. See Interpretation.
V. Literature. — The following are strictly exegetical works on all the parables of our Lord exclusivel}' ; we designate a few of the most important by prefixing an asterisk : Roger, Parables (Lond. 1690, 4to ; in Germ. Hafn. 1C48, 4to) ; Keach, Exposition (Lond. 1701, fol. ; 1856, 8vo); Bragge, Z)i.<;coM>'ses(ibid. 1711,2 vols. 8vo); Lyncken, Parahelen (Utrecht, 1712, 8vo); Vitringa, Parahelen (Amst. 1715, 4to ; in Germ. Leips. 1717, 4to) ; Dodd, Discourses (Lond. 1751, 2 vols. 8vo); Bulkier, Discourses (ibid. 1771, 4 vols. 8vo) ; Gray, Delineation (ibid. 1777, 1818; in Germ. Hanov. 1781, 8vo) ; Bauer, Parabeln (Leips. 1781, 8vo) ; Eylert, Ilomilien (Halle, 1806, 1818, 8vo); Farrer, Sermons (Lond. 1809, 8vo); Collyer, Lectures (ibid. 1815, 8vo) ; Grinfield, Sermons (ibid. 1819, 8vo) ; Kromm, Parabeln (Fulda, 1823, 8vo) ; Upjohn, Discourses (Wells, 1824, 3 vols. 8vo) ; Mount, Z,ec^«/-es(Lond. 1824, 12mo); Lonsdale, Exposition {ibid. 1825, 12mo) ; Baily, Exposition (ibid. 1828, 8vo) ; Knight, Discourses (ibid. 1830, 8vo) ; *Lisco, Parabeln (Berlin,
1832, and often later, 8vo ; in Engl. [Clark's Bibl. Cab.] Edinb.l840,12mo); Mackenzie (M&ry). Lectures (Lond.
1833, 2 vols. 8vo) ; *Greswell, Exposition (Oxf. 1834, 5 vols. 8vo) ; Cubitt, Conversations (Lond. 1840, 18mo) ; Zimmenniinn,Gleichnisse (Darmst. 1840-42. 2 vols. 8vo); *Trench, Notes (Lond. 1841, and often later; N. Y. 1801, 8vo) ; Mrs. Best, Tracts (Lond. 1841, 12mo) ; De Valenti, Parabeln (Basle, 1841, 2 vols. 8vo) ; Close, Discourses (London, 12mo); *Arndt, Ghichnissreden (Magdeb. 1842-47, 1846-60, 6 vols. 8vo); Horlock, £'a-. position (vol. i, Lond. 1844, 12nio) ; Burns, Sermons (ibid. 1847, 12mo) ; Krummacher, Parables (from the Germ. ibid. 1849, 12mo ; 1853, 4to) ; Lord Stanley (Earl of Derby), Conversations (ihid.l^i^, 18mo); Cumming,