We have looked at the various parables in the New Testament. It will be seen that they embrace a wide range, even from Christ seeking fruit in His vineyard (Israel), until He comes again, and receives those waiting for Him, and calls His servants around Him, to hear how they have been engaged for Him while away. We have also seen there are some fundamental truths taught in the parables, such as Christ becoming “a sower,” because man is too bad to be able to render any acceptable fruit to God. And also life after death of the wicked, in the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, and an impassable gulf which prevents escape. Also the wonderful grace of God, in the way in which He seeks the lost, and receives the prodigal to His bosom; but nothing more, or different, is to be expected from God as good news. In the Old Testament there were Moses and the prophets; now there is the gospel of the grace of God, If men reject this., neither would they believe though one rose from the dead.
We have also the wonderfully true pictures of the professing church — not its glory and beauty, for, as a whole, here it has none; but of the evil mixed with it — evil in doctrine, and evil in person, true pictures indeed, which could only have been drawn by the finger of God.
All this throws light upon what our Lord said to His disciples, after He had been relating some of His parables. He said, “Have you understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea, Lord. Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven, is like unto a man which is a householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.” (Matt. 13:51, 5251Jesus saith unto them, Have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea, Lord. 52Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old. (Matthew 13:51‑52).) Thus, the parables embrace things of the old dispensation, and things of the new: and a man instructed in these has a treasure from which he can draw. And, as we have seen, in several of the parables are the very truths Christians need in this day, that they may see things as God sees them, and be looking for only that which He has said is to be expected. But every truth taught in the parables is confirmed, again and again, by other parts of scripture, so that none can say, “It is only in a parable.” No, all God’s truth is one. But God Himself has stamped an importance upon the parables, so that a man instructed in them shall have a treasure out of which he can bring things new and old.
May God enable us, each and all, to do this, to our own blessing; and to Him be all the praise.