We shall next produce an instance, in which the sense of a tropical expression is illustrated by the consequents. When Jesus, (Matt. ix. 38,) exhorts his disciples to pray, that God would send labourers into his harvest, Degion, he immediately shews, by selecting twelve Apostles from among them, and commissioning them to preach the Gospel of the kingdom, x. 1-7, that by the harvest he means the propagation of this doctrine; and by the labourers, those who were ready to devote their life and strength to this most salutary work.*

We occasionally meet with passages in the New Testament, where the context throws no

imply that the person who wished to follow Christ, desired only to bid a friendly farewell to his relatives, a request which it must have appeared harsh to refuse. Beckhaus' rendering " ut maudata injungam," does not appear to be supported by any authorities. The best rendering is to dismiss with a farewell, or to dismiss simply, Mark vi. 46. compared with the parallel text, Matt. xiv. 23. He wished to arrange his temporal affairs, and might in doing so have incurred a strong temptation to give up his intention of following Jesus.]

[Dr. Beckhaus might here, with advantage, have applied his preceding rule. The antecedents shew, that it is not the propagation of the Gospel which is figured by Degioμós, in which figure, indeed, there would be no force nor resemblance; but the multitude of those who listened attentively to Jesus, and thereby gave a reasonable ground to hope that they were ripe for conversion.]

light upon the signification of the figure employed; and, in such cases, the interpretation is certainly more difficult and perplexed. In the remarkable discourse of John Baptist, Matth. iii. 12, when he says, respecting Messias who was about to appear, οὗ τὸ πτύον ἐν τῇ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ κ. τ. λ. there can be no doubt, but that by Tovorov are to be understood good and obedient men; by rò azugov the wicked and disobedient. Nor, is it difficult to see, that by the burning ugi doßiory is meant the severe punishment to be inflicted by Messias upon this latter class. But if we proceed to inquire what is meant by dλava, the threshing-floor which he was to cleanse; or rǹv åπoðý×ny, the barn into which the wheat was to be collected, the answer is not so easy. That by the threshing-floor is figured the Jewish nation,2 appears probable from the not dissimilar texts, Isaiah xxi. 10; xxv. 10. By rv ȧπon I τὴν ἀποθήκην would understand the whole body of believers in Christ, with a reference at the same time to the perfect happiness to be expected by them ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τῶν οὐξανῶν. We must treat much

Schott, Opuscula Exeg. Crit. Dogma. ii. 199.

So Jahn has explained the passage in Bengel's Archiv. für die Theologie, &c. vol. ii. § 83.

a J. Melchioris's Up. omnia, T. i. p. 278.

in the same way the text, Heb. vi. 7, 8. where the Apostle asserts, that the divine blessing rests upon that land which receives the falling rain, and brings forth useful herbage; while, on the contrary, that which brings forth only thorns and brambles, is described as useless, and as being in imminent danger of divine malediction and burning. It is clear, that by this elegant image is signified the different conditions of those, who, having received in common the offer of salvation, differ in the use or abuse of this inestimable benefit: and so far we may infer, both from the nature of the figure itself, and from the subject of the following verses 9, 10. But if we proceed to inquire more minutely what is meant by the rain, the seasonable fruits, the thorns and brambles, and the burning of the unfruitful ground, though the meaning of each of these expressions may perhaps be satisfactorily discovered, yet we ought to be very careful not to refine too far in the explanation of figures of this sort. The timely fruits, signify the virtuous actions of a good and pious man; the

See Dindorf ad J. A. Ernesti Lectiones Academ. in Ep. ad Hebræos, p. 477.

Selecta e Scholiis L. C. Valckenaerii in Lib. quosdam, N. T. T. ii. (Amst. 1817,) p. 502.

thorns and brambles signify useless, hurtful, or vicious actions: and the sense of the whole passage amounts to this, that a Christian who uses his religious convictions aright, makes rapid progress in holiness; but that he who neglects the practical application of his principles, goes on from bad to worse, and will at last be most certainly destroyed.a

Finally, in the interpretation of tropes, we must not neglect the use of parallel passages. For there are passages which are to be considered as really parallel, and which throw much light upon the sense of tropical expressions. Thus in our Lord's discourse, Matt. vi. 22, 23, it may be inquired what is figured by ὀφθαλμόν, and ὁ λύχνος τοῦ σώματος; of which terms no express interpretation is given in the context. But the parallel passage, Luke ix. 34, 35, by adding in the way of explanation, rò pãs rò èv coí, the light that is in thee, shews clearly that by these terms we are to understand human reason, and specifically that innate sense of right and truth which is implanted by God in our hearts.e

d Ernesti in Ep. ad Hebræos, p. 486.

e

Thus, in Mark x. 38, 39, the cup, Torngov which was to be drunk; and the immersion, Barrioμa, which was to be received by the Apostles John and James, signify the perse

There is also another class of texts, which, though they cannot be considered as strictly parallel, may still be advantageously used in discovering the sense of tropes. Thus the denunciation of St. Paul to the High Priest, Acts xxiii. 3, τύπτειν σε μέλλει ὁ Θεὸς, τοῖχε κεκονιαμένε, God will smite, that is, punish thee, thou whited wall, may have some light thrown upon it by the text above quoted, Matth. xxiii. 37, where our Saviour compares the Pharisees, generally, to whited sepulchres. Hence it appears, that the notion intended in both the passages, is that of the worst hypocrisy. In the same way, Noesselt has shown how the several images, in the beautiful parable, John xv. 1, may be explained by reference to similar passages in the New Testament; to which elucidation it may be sufficient to refer the reader.g

We now come to the third point of inquiry, namely, the similitude existing between the sign and the thing signified. The importance of accuracy in this most important matter, was

cutions which they were to undergo, as appears clearly from a comparison of the parallel texts, Matt. xxvi. 39; John xviii. 11; Luke xii. 50.

Selecta e Scholiis, L. C. Valckenaerii in lib. quosdam, N. T. i. p. 559. Riehm de fontibus Act. Apostol. p. 88. * Opuscula ad Interpretationum S. S. Fasc. ii. p. 31. seq.