Review and Herald Publishing Association

Great for Bible study. However, some of this book's teachings are wrong, such as the meaning of parables:

"Our Saviour's parables are distinguished above all others for clearness, purity, chasteness, intelligibility, importance of instruction, and simplicity. They are taken mostly from the affairs of common life, and are intelligible, therefore, to all men." --Dr. Albert Barnes

"Christ's object, therefore, in using parables was to teach the mysteries, or truths, of the kingdom of heaven--truths not necessarily difficult to understand, but which had long been hidden or obscured by sin, apostasy, and tradition--in such a way that the spiritually minded and those desirous of learning the truth, might understand them, and the worldly-minded and unwilling would not. When asked the meaning of any parable, Christ readily explained it to His disciples." (www.preparingforeternity.com/br1914/brhc35.htm)
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The Bible however says that Christ spoke to the people in parables to confuse them, not to teach them: "And when he was alone, those around him with the twelve asked him about the parables. And he said to them, “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables, so that 'they may indeed see but not perceive, and may indeed hear but not understand, lest they should turn and be forgiven'” (Mark 4).

"Then the disciples came and said to him, 'Why do you speak to them in parables?' And he [Jesus] answered them, 'To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.'" (Matthew 13)

Jesus had to explain the parables because they were obscure, "dark sayings".… (mais)