the Holy Spirit have us learn? Hagenbach, in speaking of the work of Ernesti in introducing a new and literal school of biblical interpretation, remarks that his "ground principle was simply this: to interpret the Bible according to its literal verbal sense, and to let the volume suffer neither at the hands of any assumed authority of the Church, nor of the feelings and wishes of individuals as to what they might choose to believe, nor of sportive and allegorizing fancy such as the mystics used to indulge in, nor of any philosophical system. He adopted in this the main principle of Hugo Grotius, who in the seventeenth century had similarly intrenched himself. Ernesti was a philologist. He had employed the same principles in the interpretation of the writers of Greece and Rome which he employed later in the interpretation of the Bible; and he was right in this. The reformers had aimed to do the same thing. But he overlooked too much, perhaps, this fact that in order to apprehend the religious truths of the Scriptures there is needed, not only a knowledge of their verbal and historical characteristics, but a spiritual appropriation of their truths, so that one can enter livingly into the very heart of the Bible. Who would deny that, in order to understand an epistle of Paul, there must be a very different manner of approaching and viewing it than would be needed with the letters of Cicero, since the whole circle of ideas is different in the two? Religious writings can only be truly apprehended by a penetrating spirit, which can strike through the whole web of grammar and logic to the fundamental truth." 28

28 German Rationalism, Clark's edition, page 76.

on spiritual interpretation.

Westcott happily remarks: "When the interpreter of Scripture has availed himself of every help which historical criticism can furnish for the elucidation of the text-when, by the exact investigation of every word, the most diligent attention to every variation of tense, and even of order, the clearest recollections of every phrase, he has obtained a Westcott up. sense of the whole, perfect in its finer shades and local coloring, no less than in its general outline and effect— his work is as yet only half done. The literal sense is but the source from which the spiritual sense is to be derived; but exactly in proportion as a clear view is gained of all that is special in the immediate object and position of each writer, it will be found that the simple record appears to be instinct with divine life, for the external circumstances and mental characteristics of the writer are not mere accidents; but inasmuch as they influence his apprehension and expression of the truth, they become a part of his divine message, and the typical specialty which springs from this is the condition at once of the usefulness and of the universality of Scripture. The existence of an abiding spiritual sense underlying the literal text of the Old Testament is sufficiently attested by the quotations in the New. Unless it be recognized, many of the interpretations of the evangelists and apostles must appear forced and arbitrary; but if we assume that it exists, their usage appears to furnish an adequate clew to the investigation of its most intricate mazes.

19 29

Horne remarks in his "Introduction," that the errors into which some have fallen in discovering fanciful rather than

29 Introduction to the Study of the Gospels.

spiritual revelations in the Scriptures is not a sufficient reason for rejecting a wholesome principle. It shouid not be cast away because it has been abused, "since human

Horne on the spiritual import of Scripture.

error can never invalidate the truth of God." "The literal sense," he goes on to say, "it has been well observed, is, undoubtedly, first in point of nature, as well as in order of signification; and consequently, when investigating the meaning of any passage, this must be ascertained before we proceed to search out its spiritual import; but the true and genuine, or spiritual, sense excels the literal in dignity, the latter being only the medium of conveying the former, which is more evidently designed by the Holy Spirit. For instance, in Num. xxi, 8, 9, compared with John iii, 14, the brazen serpent is said to have been lifted up in order to signify the lifting up of Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world; and, consequently, that the type might serve to designate the antitype."

We have fully illustrated this rule in the previous chapter, when speaking of the requisition which the discovery of the spiritual lessons of Holy Scripture makes upon the biblical student for careful study.

CHAPTER VII.

INTERPRETATION OF PARABLE, POETRY, AND PROPHECY.

PARABLE.

OME of the most interesting and instructive portions

SOME

The parable.

of the Gospels are embodied in the parables. It has been noticed that, while our Lord from the commencement of his public ministry was accustomed to speak in figurative language, as when he points to the lilies of the field, the fowls of the air, the new cloth upon an old garment, new wine in old bottles, yet his discourses in parables were confined to the last

Principal parables uttered during the last year of Christ's life.

year of his life. The parable has ever been a favorite channel among Eastern people, and especially among Jewish teachers, for the conveyance of truth. But the parables of Jesus are distinguished from all others in their great simplicity, in their wonderful truth to nature, and in the significant spiritual lessons which they teach.

Reasons for using parables.

Our Saviour may have adopted the parable to show the harmony between the laws of nature and the doctrines of the Gospel, thus presenting an indirect evidence that they both came from the same Author. Thus the sower of natural and spiritual seed labors under nearly the same general laws of success.

Tholuck remarks "that the Author of the spiritual kingdom is also the Author of the natural kingdom, and both

A

kingdoms develop themselves after the same laws. For this reason, the similitudes which the Redeemer drew from the kingdom of nature are not mere similitudes

on

Tholuck the unity of the kingdoms of nature and grace.

which serve the purpose of illustration, but are internal analogies, and nature is a witness for the kingdom of God. Hence was it long since announced as a principle, that 'whatever exists in the earthly is found also in the heavenly kingdom.’ Were it not so, those similitudes would not possess that power of conviction which they carry to every unsophisticated mind.” 1

Aid his hearers to remember his words.

1

By connecting religious truth with natural objects, our Lord would aid his hearers in holding his discourses in their memories. Every lily and bird and merchantman of goodly pearls, every marriage feast, every returning season of seed-sowing, would afresh remind his disciples of the words of Him “who spake as never man spake." But his parables served to illustrate and impress upon the minds of his disciples the truths that he presented. They were blinded by prejudices resulting from their educaIllustrated and tion and Jewish expectations in reference to the impressed the character of the Messiah's kingdom, and slow to believe and receive the spiritual nature of Christ's government. "By teaching in parables, and presenting the concerns of his kingdom under the image of familiar objects and earthly relations, he laid the groundwork of a most comprehensive and varied instruction. Many aspects of the kingdom were thus unfolded to them in a form they could casily grasp and distinctly comprehend, though for the time

truth.

1 Tholuck on John xv.