PARABOLA
PARABOLA
PARABOLA.-The PARABLE is a Discourse, which, in the form of a fiction, But one resembling a true story, taken from the things of everyday life, vividly represents unknown or moral Truths. It closely approaches to Allegory; but differs from FABLE, which is the narrative of something imaginary, such as has never happened, and is not possible, and therefore is not like a true history. Therefore, that I may suggest this in passing, the noble character and province of Sacred Parables ought not to have been lowered to the petty notion of the latter (the Fable) by C. F. BARTH, in his Germ. Vers. of the New Testament, entitled, die neueste Offenbarungen Gottes in Briefen und Erzhlungen, who for the most part has followed Lowth in this respect [Academic Lectures on the Sacred Poetry of the Hebrews, P. 1, PrAEl. x. p. 213]. The Parables of out gracious Lord, even in this respect, carry off the palm of superiority from other (not to say Fables, but even) Parables, in that the things which they represent are divine and spiritual, appertaining to the kingdom of God, its economy, and the salvation of souls. See e.g.-Mat 13:18; Mat 13:20-22; Mat 13:25, etc., for it is not necessary to recount particular instances; nor is there any occasion that I should quote passages of the Gnomon. But as yet there remains a suggestion which it seems well to make. Whereas a TYPE is a certain thing actually performed or done, not invented or imagined, whereby some other thing which is future is prefigured, nor can the Parable be said not to differ from the Type, yet it is to be observed, that the Word, Parable, taken in a broader sense, sustains even the notion of a Type.-Heb 11:19 (Abraham received back Isaac from the dead ). It is also used in the New Testament either for any acute or figurative expression; e.g.-Mat 15:15 [Comp. the Gnom.]; or for any comparison or simile, Mar 3:23; or, for a Proverb, , Luk 4:23. See Gnom.