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Parables |
"The
Greek word 'Parable,' is rendered in Latin 'Similitude,' by which truth
is explained; and an image or representation of the reality is set
forth." (Remigius)
"He rouses the minds of His hearers by a parable, pointing out
objects to the sight, to make His discourse more manifest."
(St. John Chrysostom, Doctor of the Church)
"Now
we must not take every thing contained in the parable literally, but
bringing out the meaning which the author had in view, search for
nothing farther." (St. John Chrysostom, Doctor of the Church)
"But
we ought not to pursue through every particular the circumstances of a
parable; but enter into its general scope, and seek nothing
further." (St. John Chrysostom, Doctor of the Church)
"Note
that this is the first parable that has been given with its
interpretation but we must beware where the Lord expounds His own
teachings, that we do not presume to understand any thing either more or
less, or any way otherwise than as so expounded by Him." (St.
Jerome, Doctor of the Church)
"For
though He had spoken many things not in parables, when not speaking
before the multitudes, yet at this time He spoke nothing without a
parable (Mt. 13:34)." (St. John Chrysostom, Doctor of the Church)
"Yet
He spoke not in parables to the disciples, but to the multitude; and
even to this day the multitude hears in parables; and therefore it is
said, And without a parable He did not speak to them." (St. Jerome,
Doctor of the Church)
"It
is certain that the Lord spoke the things which the Evangelist has
recorded; but what the Lord spoke was a parable, in which it is never
required that the things contained should have actually taken
place." (St. Augustine, Doctor of the Church)
"And
it should be noted, that not only what He spoke but also what He did,
were parables, that is, signs of things spiritual, which He clearly
shows when He says, 'That seeing they may not see; but words are heard
and not seen'." (Remigius)
"As
though He had said, I who spoke before by the Prophets, now in My own
person will open My mouth in parables, and will bring forth out of My
secret store mysteries which have been hidden ever since the foundation
of the world." (Early Gloss)
"The
reason why He spoke in parables the Evangelist subjoins, saying, That it
might be fulfilled that was spoken by the Prophet, saying, I will open
my mouth in parables, I will utter things kept secret from the
foundation of the world (Mt. 13:35)." (St. Augustine, Doctor of the
Church)
"He
had not done thus on the mount; He had not framed His discourse by
parables. For there were the multitudes only, and a mixed crowd but here
the Scribes and Pharisees. But He speaks in parables not for this reason
only, but to make His sayings plainer, and fix them more fully in the
memory, by sayings things before the eyes." (St. John Chrysostom,
Doctor of the Church)
"['But
without a parable spoke he not to them: and when they were alone, he
expounded all things to his disciples' (Mt. 4:34).] For they were worthy
to hear mysteries apart, in the most secret haunt of wisdom, for they
were men, who, removed from the crowds of evil thoughts, remained in the
solitude of virtue; and wisdom is received in a time of quiet." ('Pseudo
Jerome', as quoted by St. Thomas Aquinas, Doctor of the Church)
"For since the multitude was unlearned, he instructs them from objects of
food and familiar names, and for this reason he adds, But without a
parable spoke he not to them, that is, in order that they might be
induced to approach and to ask Him. It goes on 'And when they were
alone, he expounded all things to his disciples', that is, all things
about which they were ignorant and asked Him, not simply all, whether
obscure or not." (St. Theophylact)
"And
so that which is spoken in the Lord's person, 'I will open my mouth in
parables', if considered attentively, will be found to be a description
of the departure of Israel out of Egypt, and a relation of all the
wonders contained in the history of Exodus. By which we learn, that all
that is there written may be taken in a figurative way, and contains
hidden sacraments; for this what the Savior is there made to preface by
the words, 'I will open my mouth in parables'." (St. Jerome, Doctor
of the Church)
"That
which David had foretold in the person of Christ, 'I will open my mouth
in parables', the Lord here fulfills; as it is said, And when much
people were gathered together, and were come to him out of every city,
he spoke by a parable. But the Lord speaks by a parable, first indeed
that He may make His hearers more attentive. For men were accustomed to
exercise their minds on dark sayings, and to despise what was plain; and
next, that the unworthy might not receive what was spoken
mystically." (St. Theophylact)
"But
to those who are unworthy of such mysteries, they are obscurely spoken.
Hence it follows, But to the rest in parables, that seeing they might
not see, and hearing they might not understand. For they think they see,
but see not, and hear indeed, but do not understand. For this reason
Christ hides this from them, lest they should beget a greater prejudice
against them, if after they had known the mysteries of Christ, they
despised them. For he who understands and afterwards despises, shall be
more severely punished." (St. Theophylact)
"A
parable is a comparison made between things discordant by nature, under
some similitude. For parable is the Greek for a similitude, when we
point out by some comparisons what we would have understood. In this way
we say an iron man, when we desire that he should be understood to be
hardy and strong; when to be swift, we compare him to winds and birds.
But He speaks to the multitudes in parables, with His usual providence,
that those who could not take in heavenly things, might conceive what
they heard by an earthly similitude." ('Pseudo Jerome', as quoted
by St. Thomas Aquinas, Doctor of the Church)
"And
it is to be noted, that He spoke not all things to them in parables, but
many things for had He spoken all things in parables, the people would
have departed without benefit. He mingles things plain with things dark,
that by those things which they understand they may be incited to get
knowledge of the things they understand not. The multitude also is not
of one opinion, but of divers wills in divers matters, whence He speaks
to them in many parables, that each according to their several
dispositions parables receive some portion of His teaching." (St.
Jerome, Doctor of the Church)
"But
His speaking to them only in parables, and yet not leaving off speaking
to them entirely, shows that to those who are placed near to what is
good, though they may have no good in themselves, still good is shown
disguised. But when a man approaches it with reverence and a right
heart, he wins for himself an abundant revelation of mysteries; when on
the contrary his thoughts are not sound, he will be neither made worthy
of those things which are easy to many men, nor even of hearing them.
There follows, And he said to them, Know you not this parable, how then
shall you know all parables?" (Pseudo
Chrys, as quoted by St. Thomas Aquinas, Doctor of the Church)
"As
if He said, As a lantern is lighted that it should give light, not that
it should be covered under a bushel or a bed, so also the secrets of the
kingdom of heaven when uttered in parables, although hid from those who
are strangers to the faith, will not however to all men appear obscure.
Hence he adds, For nothing is secret that shall not be made manifest,
neither any thing hid that shall not be known... As if He
said, Though many things are spoken in parables, that seeing they might
not see, and hearing they might not understand, because of their
unbelief, yet the whole matter shall be revealed." (Eusebius, as
quoted by St. Thomas Aquinas, Doctor of the Church)
"[O]ur
Lord spoke to the multitudes in parables, because they were neither able
nor worthy to receive the naked truth, which He revealed to His
disciples. And when it is said that 'without parables He did not speak
to them,' according to Chrysostom (Hom. 47 in Matthaeum), we are to
understand this of that particular sermon, since on other occasions He
said many things to the multitude without parables. Or, as Augustine
says (De Qq. Evangeliorum, Q17), this means, 'not that He spoke nothing
literally, but that He scarcely ever spoke without introducing a
parable, although He also spoke some things in the literal sense.'"
(St. Thomas Aquinas, Doctor of the Church and "greatest theologian
in the history of the Church")
"Christ
spoke certain things in secret to the crowds, by employing parables in
teaching them spiritual mysteries which they were either unable or
unworthy to grasp: and yet it was better for them to be instructed in
the knowledge of spiritual things, albeit hidden under the garb of
parables, than to be deprived of it altogether. Nevertheless our Lord
expounded the open and unveiled truth of these parables to His
disciples, so that they might hand it down to others worthy of it;
according to 2 Timothy 2:2: 'The things which thou hast heard of me by
many witnesses, the same command to faithful men, who shall be fit to
teach others.' This is foreshadowed, Numbers 4, where the sons of Aaron
are commanded to wrap up the sacred vessels that were to be carried by
the Levites." (St. Thomas Aquinas, Doctor of the Church and
"greatest theologian in the history of the Church")
"But
that what He had said might be made more manifest He adds, 'Therefore I
speak to them in parables: because seeing they see not, and hearing they
hear not, neither do they understand'. Had this been a natural
blindness, He ought to have opened their eyes; but forasmuch as it is
voluntary, therefore He said not simply, 'They see not,' but Seeing they
see not. For they had seen the demons going out, and they said, He casts
out demons by Beelzebub, they heard that He drew all men to God, and
they say, This man is not of God. Therefore because they spoke...contrary to what they saw and heard, to see and to hear is taken from
them; for they profit nothing, but rather fall under judgment. For this
reason He spoke to them at first not in parables, but with much
clearness; but because the perverted all they saw and heard, He now
speaks in parables" (St. John Chrysostom, Doctor of the Church)
"Just
in the same way as He speaks parables, so also His deeds are parables;
therefore He comes hungry to seek fruit off the fig tree, and though He
knew the time of figs was not yet, He condemns it to perpetual
barrenness, that He might show that the Jewish people could not be saved
through the leaves, that is, the words of righteousness which it had,
without fruit, that is, good works, but should be cut down and cast into
the fire. Hungering therefore, that is, desiring the salvation of
mankind, He saw the fig tree, which is, the Jewish people, having
leaves, or, the words of the Law and the Prophets, and He sought upon it
the fruit of good works, by teaching them, by rebuking them, by working
miracles, and He found it not, and therefore condemned it. Do you too,
unless you would be condemned by Christ in the judgment, beware of being
a barren tree, but rather offer to Christ the fruit of piety which He
requires." (St. Bede the Venerable, Doctor of the Church)
Also
See: Parables of Jesus
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