did the `parable and dark saying' can be seen by referring to John 16:25 and

`These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh,

when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you

plainly of the Father'.

In the Old Testament we have `type'; in the Gospels we have `parable',

and in the epistles we have `doctrine', as the more prominent features.  The

parables lead us to contemplate the hidden causes of the failure of Israel in

relation to the kingdom that had been proclaimed and look forward to the time

when all will be put right at the Coming of the Lord in glory.

The first occurrence of a word very often suggests its fundamental

meaning.  The first occurrence of the word parable in the New Testament is

Matthew 13:3.  It follows that chapter wherein the rejection of the Messiah

by the people in the land became evident.  He had been heralded as their

Messiah and King.  He had vindicated His claims by the fulfilment of numerous

prophecies, both with regard to His person and His works, and in chapter

12:6,41 and 42, although greater than the temple, greater than the prophet

Jonah, and greater than king Solomon, He is `despised and rejected'.

`The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side ...

And He spake many things to them in parables ... And the disciples

came, and said unto Him, Why speakest Thou unto them in parables?  He

answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the

mysteries of the kingdom of the heavens ... Therefore speak I to them

in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not,

neither do they understand.  And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of

Isaiah, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not

understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: for this

people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and

their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with

their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their

heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.  But blessed

are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.  For verily

I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to

see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear

those things which ye hear, and have not heard them' (Matt. 13:1 -17).

The reader should observe that these parables of Matthew 13 are not

about `The Kingdom of Heaven' pure and simple, but about `The mysteries of

the Kingdom of Heaven', a very different aspect of truth.

Such is the setting of the first occurrence of the word parable in the

New Testament.  The parables were used when Israel manifested that the

prophecy of Isaiah 6:10 was fulfilled in them.  The parables veiled the

teaching from the majority whose eyes were judicially closed.  The parables

relate to `the secrets' of the kingdom.  They teach things hitherto `kept

secret since the overthrow of the world' (Matt. 13:35).  Prophets desired to

see and hear these things, as Matthew 13:17 and 1 Peter 1:10 -12 tell us:

`Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was

in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of

Christ, and the glory that should follow' (1 Pet. 1:11).