a gathering up in short and condensed form of all that the
parable contained.

[37] While in some cases the application of the parable which the
Lord himself makes at the moment is full and perspicuous, it is in
other cases like the parables themselves, and doubtless for good
reasons, short, sententious, and partially veiled. In some cases the
subjoined doctrine must be read in the light of the parable itself
ere it can be understood. "Majus vero et certius auxilium interpreti
paratur in illis locis, in quibus ipse Jesus sensum parabolarum
explicat, quod quidem modo luculentius, ut in orationibus Mat. XIII.
modo paucis tantum verbis fit. Saepe enim praemittitur vel
subjungitur ab eo doctrina per parabolam prolata, quae tamen ipsa
interdum paulo obscurius exprimitur, ita ut nisi per parabolam ipsam
intelligi non possit."--_Schultze de par._ 86.

The exposition suggested by Bengel is simple, consistent, and clear; and
it is, I think, correct. Taking the term "called" as signifying not all
to whom the call of the Gospel is addressed, but those only who are
effectually called,--not those who only hear, but those who also obey
the call,--taking the term in this sense, which is a sober and
scriptural view, he finds that this is not a distinction between saved
and lost, but between two classes of the saved. The called and the
chosen are both true disciples of Christ, and heirs of eternal life, and
yet there is some distinction between them. Chosen must here therefore
mean, what it did sometimes mean in ancient times, and does often mean
still, the best of their kind. We constantly speak of choice or select
articles, meaning the most excellent. The phrase, whether used
proverbially before Christ's time or not, is in nature and structure
proverbial. He either found it a proverb and used it, or he made it a
proverb there and then, for such it essentially is. It seems to have
been employed by the Lord on more than one occasion, and differently
applied at different times. As we might say among a great number of
manufactured articles, all true and genuine, "few are first-rate;" so,
among a great number of real disciples, few stand out unselfish,
unworldly, and Christ-like, honouring their Lord, and making the world
wonder. Most, even of those who are disciples indeed, and shall inherit
eternal life, are so marred by self-righteous admixtures, and
unsanctified temper, and conformity to the world, that their