on all the parables in the Bible. We're on page 346 in all the parables in the Bible and we're studying the parables of Paul, the parables of Paul, the Pauline parables. 13 of the 13 of the epistles are known as Pauline epistles and the remaining 8, as the general epistles, seeing they come from James, Peter, John, and Jude. As a whole, all of the epistles offer the student a rich vein of illustrative material. Paul, in particular, seemed to prevail in the use of parabolic language in his presentations of the truth, while it is true that Jesus had the parabolic mind and thinking and speaking in terms of dramatic images and that his use of the parable is one of the finest incidental proofs we have of the historicity of Jesus of Nazareth. It is likewise true to say that Paul had a symbolic mind, a parabolic mind. While he did not create parables equal to those of his master, he dearly loved, his writings present many striking allegories, metaphors, similes, parables, and proverbs. Paul was grateful for the incomparable aid that Christ's parables gave, and with matchless skill, he wove their teaching into a texture of his own. Because of the many links between the parables of the Gospels and the epistles, it is essential to study the parables in the light of epistles. Study the parables in the light of the epistles. And also to note how the epistles should be read as sequels to the parables. The parables and the epistles deals in a most comprehensive way with the association between the two. The parables explain the writing of the epistles. They tell us how it was that the Greeks and the Romans were now addressed instead of only Jews. God had changed. God had handed the baton from the Jewish people to the Gentiles. In Genesis, the ninth chapter, Noah prophesied that Japheth would dwell in the tents of Shem, and this is the fulfillment of that prophecy. It is true that the parables do not fully reveal the position of the church in the dispensation, but they explain the causes which brought about a condition of privilege of the Gentiles. trace the steps which led up to it, and prepare the way for the revelation made to Paul. The church epistles are but the result of the broadcasting of the seed foretold by the parable of the sower by Jesus. And we see also the epistles are the sequels or supplements of the parables. The Lord told his disciples that he had yet many things to say unto them, but they were not able to bear them at that time. In many cases, As we shall see, the apostles use the same symbolism to teach further lessons. Another important fact to be learned, especially from the epistles, is that Israel's history is typical. It is Paul who so clearly opens to us a large field of study. With these practical observations in mind, let us examine some of the parabolic illustrations and instructions that Paul has for us in his precious epistles. Remember, there was a people in church history called the Paulicians, because they had all the writings of Paul. The Bible was hard to come by, but those Paulicians had all the writings of Paul, and they are the ones that went back and became the Waldenses, that became the Mennonites, and became the Amish in later times. The first figure, when Paul wrote Adam, who is the figure of him that was to come in Romans 5, 14-20, he gave us the earliest of all types. Types, typos, that means to strike. That means to carve out something to strike, a type. In time, this type comes first in position, it lies deepest. There is none before it and none beneath it. Bowing down from heaven in love, God the Spirit grasped the first fact of man's history and therewith points the lesson of man's redemption from Adam. From the first Adam, the one that sold us in the slavery of sin, into the second Adam that gave us eternal life. There was no delay, for the king's master required haste. The giver was prompt and eager, and the receivers have been indolent and slow. As with the seal and its impression, so with the type and its anti-types. This tabernacle is a type of Jesus Christ and a type of the church in the church age. There are at once likenesses and diversities. They are the same yet opposite. Adam and Christ were the true sources of federal heads of their respective families. The first Adam stood as a head and representative of the human race, and when he fell, he brought all of us down with him, and we would do the same thing that Adam did. The last Adam also stands at the head of a great multitude, which no man can number. As soon as the first head sinned, the second head was promised as a savior from sin. The seed of the first head derived from him sin and death, and the seed of the second head derived from him righteousness and eternal life. The first seed includes the whole of the human race. The seed of the second, although contained within the first, is a little flock. That little flock. The word Paul uses for figure is a type or likeness, having spoken. The actors, the action, the character of the action, were viewed in its revelation to the fall and salvation of persons afflicted by the action. Proximity effect of the action, the ulterior effect of the action. One man Adam, one man Christ. One act of trespass, one act of obedience. The great initial trespass, the great accomplished work of grace or the gift of righteousness. All of mankind and all of mankind. Those that are affected by both of these. The influx of many transgressions, the clearing away of many transgressions. The ulterior effect of the action, loss and death. Through Christ, gain and eternal life. The word Paul uses for figure is type or likeness, but having spoken of the similarity between Adam and Christ, Paul immediately proceeds to set forth the dissimilarity and proceeds to set forth between them the contrast and the points of difference are thrown into relief by the points of resemblance in this way. And that's what I just read for you. Paul graphically portrays sin and death and grace and life as opposing sovereigns. Sin and death. and grace and life as opposing opposites. He speaks of death reigning and grace reigning and righteousness reigning in Romans 15, 14 through 17. Man is controlled by the one sovereign or the other, either Satan through the flesh or God through the spirit. When God fashioned the heart of man, he made it as a throne capable of holding only one sovereign at a time. Who and what reigns in your life? Who reigns in your life? The Old Testament Scriptures were written with a view to the New Testament readers as proved that the Apostles 3, 4 asserted. Genesis was for us in Romans 4, 23 and 24. Deuteronomy was for us and for our sakes. And 1 Corinthians 9, 9 and 10. Exodus numbers were for our admonition. 1 Corinthians 10 and 10. The marriage bond that Paul talks about discussing the obligation to the true union with Christ and the precise nature of Christian freedom. Paul borrows an illustration from the estate of marriage to explain his teaching. That we are not under the law but under grace. Romans 6, 14 and 15. Having worked out the conclusion of the Christian to sin, so now he works out that his death to the law. In a marriage contract, the bond is dissolved by the death of one of the parties. In a marriage contract, the bond is dissolved by the death of one of the parties to it. In like manner, the identification of the Christian with Christ in his death releases him from his obligation to the law and brings him into a new and spiritual union with Christ. Romans 7, 1-6. Now married to him such as a mystical and eternal union with him is productive of fruit in holiness and service. Number two, the olive tree. The olive tree. The parable of the engrafted and wild olive branches contained in Romans 11 makes it one of the most important in Jewish history. Paul uses a familiar symbol of Israel to describe the change of dispensation. under the figure of the breaking off of the natural branches of the olive tree and grafting in Gentiles. This engrafting in Paul shows brought to the Gentiles in possession of many of the blessings and the privilege of Israel, including their responsibility as witness bearers. Roman or Genesis, the ninth chapter, verses 24 on. And thus the olive, The Old Testament changes to the Olive of the New, and with the setting aside of Israel, the mercy of God was extended to all men, and the symbolism Paul uses proves that believing Gentiles come by faith into a system of blessing indicated by God and Abraham, even unto Noah. As Israel, a branch was broken off so the Gentiles and grafted branches must take heed, lest through sin they are cast off as worthless branches in John the 15th chapter. If he spared not the natural branches, neither will he spare you. The builders, the builders, similes and our Lord used concerning himself and his parables are applied to his servants also. He is a builder of the temple. his church, Matthew 16, 18, for thou art Peter, a little rock, but upon this gigantic foundation stone I shall be building my church and the gates of hell shall not be able to wrestle her down. And we too are builders of the responsibility of using the right kind of materials in 1 Corinthians 3, 9-15. The other parable of the wise and the foolish builders, one house on rock and the other on sand, can be compared to Paul's parabolic teaching about building. Paul makes use of the same double symbolism which the gospel presents, and of God as the husband and as the builder. In both respects, we are labors together with God. Ye are God's husband and ye are God's building. Paul compares himself to the husband in planting and watering in 1 Corinthians 3 and 6. And to a master builder who lays a good foundation for another to build upon, 1 Corinthians 3 and 10. And in the Apostle's parable of the Bema seat, the judgment seat, in 1 Corinthians 3.10-15, the builders are all saved ones and are all on the foundation, but also build with different materials. In the parable of the two builders in Matthew 7.25-27 and Luke 6.48-49, both saved and lost are represented, and the difference being in the foundation of rock or sand. May our work stand the test of the fire. May our work stand the test of fire. The temple, on page 348. Jesus spoke of his physical body as a temple in Mark 14, 58. And Paul uses the same figure of speech to describe the church at Corinth in 1 Corinthians 3, 16 and 17. As punishment befell those who defiled the ancient temple in Exodus 25, 43 and Leviticus 16 and two. For it was made holy because of the indwelling divine presence, so believers indwelt by the Spirit are holy unto the Lord." That mitre on the high priest's head said holiness unto the Lord. And will not go unpunished if they defile the spiritual temple. Individual believers as well as the church or as a collective body are spoken of as the temple in 1 Corinthians 6 and 19 and 2 Corinthians 6 and 16. Other expressive figures of speech for the reader to develop are ministers, stewards, and kings in 1 Corinthians 4, 1 and 8, a theater in 1 Corinthians 4 and 9, tools in 1 Corinthians 4 and 10, and leaven, the leaven, the leaven. Now, leaven in the Bible is always bad. Slash over Paul uses the pregnant expression, a little leaven leavens a whole lump. In 1 Corinthians 5 and 6 and Galatians 5 and 9. In the first instance Paul is referring to evil deeds and in the second reference is he is speaking of evil doctrine contrary to nature and commands the purging out of the leaven. It's not possible in actual fact to take away leaven from a loaf or meal, wheat or barley. Matthew 13, 33. But in spiritual things, the only way of preventing the leaven of evil deeds and evil doctrines from spreading, to remove them. Paul told the church at Corinth that until the leaven, the sinning member of the church had been purged out, the church could not keep the feast with unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. Both the Corinthians and the Galatians had to learn that a holy God cannot tolerate evil, whether in deed or doctrine. The Sower. The Sower. The Broadcaster. The echo of the Master's parable of the Sower is heard again and again in these epistles. Both Pauline and in general epistles. The Lord and his servants are sowers of the seed of the Word. Paul, quoting Isaiah, said, how beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, Isaiah 52 and verse 7. Of all the heralds of the cross are sowers of the seed. All the heralds of the cross are sowers of the seed. In 2 Corinthians 6, 9, 6, and 10. While the narrative is taken up with the receiving and giving of temporal things, the same truth applies to the receiving and sowing of the Word of God. We must sow that which has already fed our own soul, and the harvest will be in proportion to the amount of seed sown. The sowing and the harvest correspond, 2 Corinthians 9 and 6. Paul also tells us that the harvest will not only depend on the quantity of the seed sown, but also on the quality of the seed. Not only the quantity, but the quality of the seed. Reweep what we sow, Galatians 6, 7-9. We can read the parable of the tares alongside Paul's solemn warning. The apostle also uses the figure of sowing and reaping in his great resurrection chapter in 1 Corinthians 15, the Magna Carta of the resurrection. The dead body placed in a grave is to take on a more glorious form when Jesus comes in 1 Corinthians 15. 37 and 38. As with the seed in our Lord's parable in Mark 4, we have the harvest is come, the seed will be found to have grown. We know not how. Closely linked to sowing and reaping is that of fruit bearing. Just as there is a vital connection between the sower and the vine, Paul, more than any other apostle, clearly defines the fruit-bearing branch in Galatians 5, 22 and 23. The cluster of precious fruit, which Paul describes, consists rather of life than of service. Living is not the same as service. Although both are associated with the fruit-bearing, and the two should always harmonize, we are to be fruitful in every good work. Sometimes, however, A believer because of physical disability cannot serve, although suffering may yet be a passive form of fruit bearing. The parable of the vine, the father is a husband and the new is glorified and the branches bear fruit, John 15. Paul re-echoes the same truth in his second chapter to young Timothy. The husband that labors must first be partaker of those fruits. 2 Timothy 2 and 6, which has a double application, the divine husband and his under-husband. The whole chapter offers several expressive similes. The key verse of the chapter is Remember Jesus Christ in 2 Timothy 2 and 8, around which the apostle gathers various figures of speech illustrating our relationship to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We are soldiers. He is our divine captain. We are athletes, he is the umpire with rewards. We are the workmen, he is the master we serve. We are vessels, and he is the owner of those vessels. We are the fruit, and he is the husband refreshed by the fruit. In his parabolic illustration, Paul often uses pears. Plants and buildings, for example, are coupled as similes of saints, rooted and built up in him. Rooted as a plant and built up as a building. Rooted and grounded in love, Ephesians 3, 17. Ye are God's husband, ye are God's building in 1 Corinthians 3 and 9. Double types, double parabolic teaching. The apostle thus followed the master in the use of the same double symbolism. The leaders of Israel were compared to husbandmen and to builders. Israel and the church are spoken of as the vine and a flock in Psalm 80 and John 10 and 15 and Psalm 23. The coming night, the coming night. Another connection between the parables of the Gospels and the parabolic illustrations of the epistles is that the Lord's second event. his second advent, his second coming. The Holy Spirit was promised as an enlightener of future events, and he shall show you things to come. And it is Paul who, by the Spirit, unfolds the truth of the Lord's return for his church. In his writings, Paul is prominent as the apostle of the rapture, employing many striking similes such as a blessed hope. As with our Lord, so with Paul, right watching is emphasized. Right watching is emphasized. Watch, wait, and watch for your Lord. This age is the world's dark night. but for the believer the day is at hand. We must not sleep, as did the virgin, but casting off the works of darkness, clad ourselves with the armor of light, even with him who is the light. Romans 3, 11, and 14. Because the dawn of the glorious morn is near. The glorious morning is near. We are not to sleep like those who belong to the world's night season. We must be alert and ready to hail Christ at his coming in 1 Thessalonians 4, 13 through 5 and 10. Lingering amid the gathering shadows, Paul reminds us in a graphic language of our responsibility to whom? Him who is returning for his own. Awaiting his coming, we are to function as ambassadors for Christ. and 1st, 2nd Corinthians 5 and 20, an ambassador being equivalent to the messenger sent forth in the gospel parables to invite guests to the feast. As the day of grace continues, we are to beseech men to be reconciled to God. Then Paul follows Christ in the simile of the steward to illustrate the kind of service we are to render as we await his return for the far away country. as his ministers and stewards of his mysteries. First Corinthians, the fourth chapter, Matthew 13, the mysteries of the kingdom. We're to be faithful in the use of the master's goods and not to waste them as the unjust steward did in Luke 16. If the service to which he appoints us seems to be hard and unattractive and not likely to yield results, we are not to be a rebel, not to rebel against God. Whatever your place is, whatever your service is, follow the Lord, no matter how hard the ground is. Under the figure of an ox, Paul stresses the necessity of obedience to the will of Him who called us. 1 Corinthians 9, 9 and 10. Paul talks of military and athletic metaphors. military and athletic metaphors. Writing to the Romans and Greeks, Paul used three illustrations with which the people were familiar. The figure of the soldier in complete armor, Ephesians, the sixth chapter. Soldiers who have Christ as their captain in 2 Timothy 2, 3 and 4 and 4 and 7 in Hebrews 2 and 10. Whoever the writer of the Hebrews was, probably Apollos. Warriors who must fight a good fight, Joshua 11, 18, and 2 Timothy 4. Victors who triumph over sin and Satan, 2 Corinthians 2, 14, and 10, and 5. Victors. Athletes who win and wear the crown, 1 Corinthians 9, 24, 227, and 2 Timothy 2, 5, and 4, and 7. and Hebrews 12, 1 through 3, that general epistle. The two women dealing with the typical significance of Israel's past history, Paul shows that the story of Hagar and Ishmael were allegorical and declares that all events in the wilderness journeys happened for the people for types and were written for our admonition as we journey from Egypt, this world, into the heavenly Canaan. John 3.14, 1 Corinthians 10 and 11, and in his allegory on slavery or liberty in Galatians 4, 25 through 5 and 1. Paul adopting the plain duality enumerates the opposite and opposing features. The two women, Hagar the slave and Sarah the freeborn. Now I want to tell you something about Hagar. Hagar became a slave, but she was a princess. Hagar was Pharaoh's daughter, and he gave her to Abraham for a political marriage. And Abraham did the most insulting thing that he could to the daughter of Pharaoh, and that's give her to his wife for a slave. Sarah the freeborn, the two sons Ishmael the son of the slave and Isaac the son of promise, the two mountains Sinai of divine law and Jerusalem the sphere of divine grace. The two covenants with Moses and with Abraham. Moshe, the covenant with Moses was what? It was a covenant that had conditions to it. The one with Abraham was unconditional. the unconditional and the conditional covenant. The two generating powers, the flesh of Ishmael was thus born and the promise Isaac was thus born. The two actions, the flesh persecuting the spiritual enduring by faith. The two results, flesh disinherited, grace inherited. The flesh was disinherited, grace was inherited. There are two sets of irreconcilable conditions and circumstances here before Paul, particularly in Romans and Galatians, in which the contrasts law with grace and clearly teaches that if we are children of God through faith in Christ's finished work, then we are free from the debate of the law. We are living epistles, another figure of speech, another parabolic teaching, another simile, another allegory. From the example of his Lord, Paul acquired the habit in his acquisition of the truth in gliding softly and quickly from one common object of nature to a deep things of grace. And as Jesus could take the water of Jacob's well as an illustration of the water of life, so Paul could make any common topic a stepping stone over which he carried his hearers into the more serious matters of the kingdom of God. The practice of carrying letters and commendation was introduced at an early period to those of doubtful character who had carried a letter signed by worthy names. Some of these recommended workers had been spoiling Paul's efforts at Corinth, and when he challenged them to produce his own letter of recommendation, Paul said to the elder, you are our letters. You are our epistles. 2 Corinthians 2, 3 and 2 and 3. The great results of labor were proof enough of the divine call of God and Paul. Paul was stopped on the road to Damascus. Paul was an apostle of God, one sent out with great authority. Believers then are open letters for all to read. Christ is the author and the writing is not by ink and pen but by the Holy Spirit of God. Paul speaks of himself as the scribe, and the material on which his writing was inscribed was not a wax tablet, but a living personality, but living personality. While it is a great privilege to carry Christ's message by lip and literature to others, it is much more important that the life should be his message, that the life should be his message. In a natural way, Paul goes from a written letter to an epistle. To Christians, that letter is to be known and read by all men. What an expressive figure of speech this is. The reeds, the leaves, the skins used by the ancients all needed preparation before they could be written upon. Just as rags today and the raw material of paper must be processed before the paper can be written upon. How illustrated this is of our new creation. Black because of our sin, and the precious blood made us white as wool. Further arbor against the legible writing on paper we have Christ written in our hearts. As a letter can be revealed, character as epistles are letters we must have conduct corresponding to the character. Conduct corresponding to the character. What we believe we must be reflected in behavior. What we believe we must do. Can those around read the life of Jesus in our actions? Writing on letters may be erased or fade, but the epistles of Christ have durable writing which time cannot erase or fade. The Holy Spirit is the divine penman, and what he writes abides. He also writes on the plainest letters for all to see. For those who are physically blind, we have the remarkable Braille system, the writer says, whereby dots and letters, instead of appealing to the eye, are raised from the surface so as to be sensible to the touch of the blind reader. It should be thus, with the writing of Christ's mind in our heart and life, the writing should be in characters raised with sharp and high, so that those who are still blinded by sin, as they read us day by day, may realize that Christ dwells in our hearts by faith. The shipwreck. The shipwreck. While it would be profitable to have a complete list of all the similes and metaphors, Paul uses his matchless epistles to conclude that this one, the shipwreck of faith in 1 Corinthians, or 1 Timothy 1 and 19, There is a vital connection between faith and good conscience. The former results in the latter, but when a man surrenders faith, he should soon beget a bad conscience and shipwrecked like follows. and a shipwrecked life follows. Without the anchor of faith which pleases God, we drift and sink as a ship does when it dashes against a rock that should have been avoided. Upon the sea of life there are many wrecks, many shipwrecks, many train wrecks, and there are many airplane wrecks. I think of a young man with simple faith and divine verities. who desiring to be well educated for the ministry went to the modernistic college and received their degrees but lost their conviction. We have too many of these theological wrecks floating around in the ministry. May grace be ours to remain anchored in Christ to the infallible Word of God. Space fails to dwell upon the multiple metaphors Paul uses in all of his epistles. How full of his pastoral prison of prophetic letters are the figures of speech taken from many realms of life? To dwell on these, with the aid of the list, E. W. Bullinger gives the index of his monumental work on figures of speech. and opens up a vast field of profitable exposition for the preacher. As an example, take Ephesians, where the illustrations of riches, inheritance, and seal, and earnest, and children, workmanship, and foreigners, and citizens, and household, temple, cornerstone, heirs, prisoner, body, saver, fruit, light, armor, and assemblies are used with great effect by this great apostle. such as they are windows for heavenly light to shine through. Windows for heavenly light to shine through. Our Heavenly Father would send this message out for those struggling in life in many ways. For those that are struggling to reach you and all they need to do is just trust in Jesus Christ. and believe in him. Believe that he gave his life for us. He lived the perfect life. And in that perfect life, he laid it down on the cross of Calvary. He was buried in a grave and rose again forevermore. Father, help us to repent each and every day. Help us to serve you with our lives and lay our lives down at your feet, at our hearts at your feet. Convict us of sin, righteous, and judgment to come always. as we walk each step of our daily life. I pray for all those out that hear these messages from Australia, Texas, New York, Alabama, Mississippi, all the different places all over the world, the Philippines, China, India, Canada, Even Great Britain and France, all the places, and even those behind the Iron Curtain of Islam. Father, I pray for those that they hear these words. I know they're listening. I see their downloads. I pray that they will come to you and faith in our Savior and Lord, that He is not just Isa of Muhammad, but the real Savior of the world that really did miracles to prove who He was. That in faith in him alone can we be saved and born again. In Jesus name, Father, forgive me where I fail you.