a sovereign may, this Teacher seizes a proverb which was
current as an exponent of the adversaries' successful stratagems, and
stamps the metal with the image and superscription of the rightful King.
The evil spreads like leaven; you tremble before its stealthy advance
and relentless grasp: but be of good cheer, disciples of Jesus, greater
is He that is for you than all that are against you; the word of life
which has been hidden in the world, hidden in believing hearts, is a
leaven too. The unction of the Holy One is more subtle and penetrating
and subduing than sin and Satan. Where sin abounded grace shall much
more abound.

The appropriation by Christ and to his kingdom of a similitude which had
previously been applied in an opposite sense may be illustrated by many
parallel examples in the Scriptures.[20] Of these, as far as I know, the
different and opposite figurative significations of the serpent are the
most striking and appropriate. The conception of secret motion, followed
in due time by a surely planted effectual stroke, which is associated
with the faculties and habits of a serpent, Christ found appropriated as
a type to express the power of evil: but he did not permit it to remain
so appropriated; he spoiled the Egyptian of this jewel, and in as far as
it possessed value, enriched with it his own Israel. The serpent, as a
metaphor, was in practice as completely thirled to the indication of
evil as leaven had been, but Jesus counselled his disciples to "be wise
as serpents." A similar example occurs in the parable of the unjust
steward: it teaches that the skill of the wicked in doing evil should be
imitated by Christians in doing good. Christ acts as king and conqueror.
He strips the slain enemy of his sharpest weapons, and therewith girds
his own faithful followers. Whatever wisdom and power may have been
employed against them, wisdom and power inconceivably greater are
wielded on their side.

[20] "Thus in different passages the lion is used as a figure of
Satan, but also of Christ; the serpent as a figure of the enemy, but
also of the wisdom needful to the apostles; birds as a figure of
believing trustfulness, but also of the devil catching away the
word."--_Lange_ in loc.

We shall be better prepared to appreciate for practical purposes the
peculiar meaning which the symbol bears in this parable if we advert, in
the first place, to its ordinary meaning in other parts of Scripture.
Both in