145.  THE EIGHT PARABLES OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IN MATT. 13.

There are eight Parables in Matt. 13, and not seven, as is usually held.

For the Structure of the whole chapter, see page 1336.

The Parables themselves, apart from their respective contexts, may be thus exhibited :--

Matt. 13:3-52.
 

A B       3-9. The Sower.  The seed sown broadcast in public.
    C     24-30. The Tares.  Good and bad together.  Separated at the end of the age.  To the multi-
      D   31, 32. The Mustard Seed.  One tree. tudes "out of
        E 33. The Leaven.  Hid in the meal. the house".
        E 44. The Treasure.  Hid in a field. To the Disci-
      D   45, 46. The Goodly Pearls.  One Pearl. ples within
    C     47-50. The Drag-net.  Good and bad together.  Separated at the end of the age. the house.
A B       52. The Scribe.  The treasures shown to those in the house of private.

The above Structures exhibits the eight Parables as a whole.  But without disturbing these correspondences, the four spoken outside the house and the four spoken "within the house" have their own separate Structures (Introversions, like the Structure of the whole), corresponding with the other :--

The first four, outside the house.  (Apparent failure.)
 

A F   The Sower.  Three kinds of bad ground.  
    G The Tares.  Grow till harvest. in the 
    G The Mustard Seed.  When it is grown earth.
  F   The Leaven. Three leavened measures.  

The last four, within the house.  (Hidden purpose.)
 

A H   The Treasure in the field.  
    J The Goodly Pearls.  in the
    J The Good and Bad Fish. sea.
  H   The Treasure in the house.  

The Four Parables outside the house, spoken to the multitudes, seem therefore to call for an exoteric interpretation; while the four spoken within the house call for an esoteric interpretation.

In this case, the first four would find their interpretation in the three proclamations of John the Baptist, the Lord Jesus, and "them that heard Him" (see Ap. 95); the Leaven and the Tares showing the secret cause of the failure which led to the postponement of the Kingdom, while the Mustard Tree would exhibit the external consequences.

The latter four would find their interpretation in "the secrets of the kingdom of heavens" (Ap. 114), showing that notwithstanding the apparent (outward) failure, God, all the while, has His hidden purpose concerning the Remnant, His peculiar treasure hidden :  the earthly calling, in the field (which is the world), and "the heavenly calling", "in the house"; and the end of the age would exhibit the one "pearl of great price" :  the Remnant, according to the Election of Grace, on the one hand, and the "good and bad" receiving their awards, on the other.