abbinical writings of the Jews are full of them.
But the Jewish parable was only an illustration of a truth which had
already been made known. The parables of our Lord are often means of
conveying truths which were not known. They must be distinguished from
(a) fables, (b) allegories, (c) myths. A fable teaches worldly wisdom
and prudence, not spiritual wisdom, and it is put into somewhat
childish forms in which foxes and birds converse together. An allegory
puts the story and its interpretation side by side, and each part of
the story usually has some special significance. A myth takes the form
of history, but it relates things which happened before the dawn of
history, as they appear to the child-mind of primitive men.

The parables of our Lord were intended to teach the secrets of the
kingdom of God (see p. 44). They unfold these secrets and at the same
time veil them in the illustrations which are employed. These
illustrations attract the attention and inquiry of those who are
spiritually receptive. On the other hand, those who are unworthy or
hardened do not recognize the truth. Nevertheless, the parables were
such miracles of simplicity and power, were so easy to remember, and so
closely connected with everyday objects, that even the dullest man
would awake to the truth if he retained a spark of life. It is
difficult to divide the parables into separate groups. But they may
perhaps be divided into two groups. The first group is drawn from
man's relations with the world of nature and from his simpler
experiences, and the second is drawn from man's relations with his
fellow-men, relations which involve more complicated experiences. The
parables of the second group were sometimes spoken in answer to
questions addressed to our Lord in private; such is the parable of the
good Samaritan, and that of the rich fool. If we desire to study the
parables in special relation to the kingdom of God, {76} we can divide
them into three groups. The first consists of those collected in Matt.
xiii., delivered in and near Capernaum, and referring to the kingdom of
God as a whole. The second consists of those collected in Luke
x.-xviii., delivered on Christ's journeys from Galilee to Jerusalem,
and referring to the character of the individual members of the
kingdom. The third consists of parables spoken during our Lord's last
days at Jerusalem, and referring to the judgment of members of the
kingdom.

It is difficult