Encyclopedic Dictionary of Bible and Theology

Paracelsus, Theophrastus Catholic chemist , physician, and reformer of therapeutics. Born December 1493 at Sihlbrcke, Switzerland; died 24 September 1541 at Salzburg, Austria. His family, named Bombast (humanized Paracelsus), belonged to Wrtemberg. After studying alchemy under Joannes Trithemius, Abbot of Sponheim, and metallurgy under Sigmund Fugger at Schwaz, he was named city physician of Basel, … Continue reading “Paracelsus, Theophrastus”

Paracelsus, Philippus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombastus an eccentric character of the 16th century, who as physician, magician, and theosophist exercised no inconsiderable influence on certain branches of science and theology. His father was a physician, a native of the Swiss canton of Appenzell, and bore the name William Hechener, but his more ambitious son claimed descent … Continue reading “Paracelsus, Philippus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombastus”

Parabrahma a term often used to denote Brahm (q.v.), the supreme divinity of the Hinds. Fuente: Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

Parabolani (Greek: pairabolos, reckless) Members of a brotherhood who in the early Church voluntarily undertook the care of the sick and the burial of the dead, and constituted a bodyguard for the bishop. Probably organized during the great plague in Alexandria under Dionysius the Great, they received their name from the fact that they risked … Continue reading “Parabolani”

Parabola; or, Parable: i.e., Continued Simile Comparison by continued Resemblance Par-ab-o-la. Greek, (pa-rab-o-lee), a placing beside for the purpose of comparison, from (para), beside, and (ballein), to throw or cast. The classical use of the word was for one of the subdivisions of (paradeigma), an example, viz., a presentation of an analogous case by way … Continue reading “Parabola; or, Parable: i.e., Continued Simile”

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 … Continue reading “PARABOLA”

Parables The word parable (Hebrew mashal; Syrian mathla, Greek parabole) signifies in general a comparison, or a parallel, by which one thing is used to illustrate another. It is a likeness taken from the sphere of real, or sensible, or earthly incidents, in order to convey an ideal, or spiritual, or heavenly meaning. As uttering … Continue reading “PARABLES”

Parable of the Two Sons Parable in Saint Matthew’s Gospel, 21. It was spoken on Tuesday of Holy Week, and addressed to a deputation from the Sanhedrin. It is the story of a father who asked his two sons to go to work in his vineyard. The first son defiantly said he would not; but … Continue reading “Parable of the Two Sons”

Parable of the Sower Title applied to one of the few parables recorded concurrently by all three Synoptists (Matthew 13; Mark 4; Luke 8). It belongs to that group of parables dealing with the Kingdom of Heaven. The discourse was addressed to a “great multitude” by the shore of Lake Tiberias. Christ was teaching them … Continue reading “Parable of the Sower”

Parable of the Seed Growing Secretly A natural fact in the vegetable world to which Christ, in a short four verse parable, likens the Kingdom of Heaven. When a man has sown his seed whether he is asleep or awake, night or day, germination will go on without his knowing how, and the earth will … Continue reading “Parable of the Seed Growing Secretly”