"The Parables. No. 10. Matt. xvi.-xxv." by Charles H. Welch in The Berean Expositor. Having considered the important parable which threw such a lurid light upon the cause of Israel's failure, we pass on to another series of parables which have a peculiar relation to the second section of the Gospel according to Matthew. It will be remembered that in Matthew the ministry of the Lord is divided into two sections by the words, "from that time":- "*From that time* Jesus began to preach and say, Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (iv. 17). "*From that time* forth began Jesus to shew unto His disciples how that He must go unto Jerusalem and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day" (xvi. 21). Just as the parables of Matt. xiii. are the mysteries of the kingdom of the heavens, and have very special reference to the aspect of the Lord's ministry commenced at Matt iv. 17, so the series of parables contained in the second division of the Gospel have a special relation to the new aspect of truth opened up by the Lord in His words concerning His sufferings and death at the hands of the rulers of the people at Jerusalem. These are divinely given keys, to ignore which is fatal to a true understanding. Now just as we saw that the eight parables of Matt. xiii. had a very definite structure, so we shall see that the parables now under consideration have an orderly and suggestive arrangement. The Parables of Matt. xvi.-xxv. A | xviii.23-35. The wicked servant ("The reckoning" sunairo*): "Delivered to tormentors." B | xx.1-16. The Householder and Vineyard; The call to labourers (many called but few chosen): 1. Early. 2. Third hour. 3. Sixth and ninth hours. 4. Eleventh hour. C | xxi.28-32. Two sons and Vineyard. Lesson, publicans and harlots enter the kingdom while many who claimed entrance were kept outside. C | xxi.33-46. Wicked husbandmen and Vineyard. Lesson, kingdom taken from them and given to a fruitful nation. B | xxii.1-14. The Marriage. The call to the guests (many called but few chosen): 1. Bid those who were bidden. 2. Again tell them. 3. Go therefore to highways. 4. The wedding garment. A | xxiv.32 - xxv.30. Two kinds of servants. | | a | xxiv.32-44. "Noah" -- Coming as a thief while the | goodman slept. | The Fig Tree. -- "Ye know not what hour | the Son of man cometh. | b | xxiv.45-51. The faithful and evil servant. -- The one | made ruler, the other has his portion with | the hypocrites. | "Weeping and gnashing of teeth." | a | xxv.1-13. The wise and foolish virgins. -- "Ye know | neither the day nor the hour." | b | xxv.14-30. The faithful and unprofitable servant | ("The reckoning" sunairo*). -- The one | made ruler, the other cast into outer | darkness. | "Weeping and gnashing of teeth." (*The only occurrences of sunairo in the New Testament) The imagery is derived from three classes of people, (1) servants (good and bad), (2) labourers and husbandmen in a vineyard, and (3) guests at a marriage. These were divinely chosen to set forth the state of the nation regarding their position before God, their failure, and the consequences. One of the features of these parables is that on the one hand they set forth the failure of the nation, whilst on the other they give a position to the outside publican and sinner which the exclusive ideas of the Jews would not allow. This is seen in the parable of the marriage feast (xxii.), the two sons (xxi.), and the wicked husbandmen (xxi.). Matt. xxiii. says in plain words what this set of parables had taught in figure. The nation had degenerated into a wicked people. Viewed as sons they were rebellious and disobedient, as husbandmen in charge of their Lord's vineyard they were envious, murderers, and thought only of themselves. Viewed as labourers they were discontented with their agreed wage. Viewed as servants the majority were unfaithful and unprofitable. To their charge was laid the death of both the Lord's servants and His Son (xxi. 38, xxiii. 34). The destruction of the city (Jerusalem) is plainly foretold, and the Gentile- ward movement of the Acts of the apostles is clearly shown. It is of the utmost importance that we keep the whole range of the parables before us. We must keep the series of Matt. xiii. in mind, and also the one parable in Matt. xv. which is both a link between the set of Matt. xiii. and the set of Matt. xx.-xxv., and a light which illuminates the character of the actors in this awful tragedy. In our next article we hope to commence a more detailed exposition of the first parable of this series.