Expositions of the Parables of Christ

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The Life & Times of Jesus Christ

New Testament Commentaries

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Order of Contents  12+

The Best Expositions  3
Expositions  11

Matt ch. 13  1
Luke ch. 15  6

The Metaphors of the Gospels  1
Liberal  3
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The Best Expositions of the Parables

1800’s

Arnot, William

The Parables of our Lord  1893  530 pp.

Arnot was a minister of the Free Church of Scotland.

***  “We do not consider this to be up to our lamented friend’s usual high mark of excellence, but it is of great value.” – Spurgeon

“These devotional studies are rewarding.” – Cyril J. Barber

The Lesser Parables of our Lord, and Lessons of Grace in the Language of Nature  1884  115 pp.

“Contains only ten chapters on the lesser parables of our Lord…  valuable in spite of its vintage.”  – Cyril J. Barber

Edersheim, Alfred – The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, vol. 1 (Prolegomena up to the end of John the Baptist), 2 (From the death of John the Baptist to the Ascension)

Edersheim (1825-1889) was raised an orthodox Jew, became converted to Christ partially through the influence of John ‘Rabbi’ Duncan and entered into the ministry of the Free Church of Scotland.  Later he would join the Church of England, becoming one of the premier scholars of his time on 1st century studies.

Edershiem spent 7 years in seclusion writing this work; it is by far and away the best orthodox ‘Life and Times of Christ’ that there is.  Read it cover to cover!  

Use the Table of Contents, vol. 1, 2 to see what he has to say on a passage of interest to you.

Trench, R.C. – Notes on the Parables  †1886

***  “We do not like Trench’s theology in many places, but he is a capital writer.  The student will find a very complete list of expositions on the Parables in the appendix at the close of Trench’s work.” – Spurgeon

“A standard work.  The preacher should consult Jeremias, Morgan, and other more recent writers to update Trench’s treatment.”  – Cyril J. Barber

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Expositions of the Parables

1600’s

Keach, Benjamin – An Exposition of the Parables  †1704

Keach (1640-1704) was a reformed Baptist who ministered in the church that Spurgeon would later pastor.

**  “Although our honored predecessor makes metaphors run on as many legs as a centipede, he has been useful to thousands.  His work is old-fashioned, but it is not to be sneered at.” – Spurgeon

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1800’s

Cumming, John – Foreshadows; or Lectures on our Lord’s Parables as Earnests of the World to Come  1852

**  “The Doctor evidently prints his sermons without much revision.  They are pleasing, popular, and (of course) rather prophetic.” – Spurgeon

Dabney, Robert – Of Expounding the Parables  in Discussions, vol. 5, p. 159 ff.

Davidson, William – Sermons on the Parables  1876  450 pp.

Davidson was a minister in the United Presbyterian Church in Ohio.  The volume was edited by David MacDill, who was a conservative.

Greswell, E.B.D. – Exposition of the Parables, etc. vols. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 pt 1, pt 2  1834

**  “A vast heap of learning and language.  The work, though padded out, stilted in style, and often fanciful, is a mine for other writers.” – Spurgeon

Guthrie, Thomas – The Parables Read in the Light of the Present Day  1874

Guthrie was of the Free Church of Scotland.

**  “Twelve Parables treated in Dr. Guthrie’s lively, sparkling manner.  Flowers in abundance.” – Spurgeon

Lisco, Frederick Gustav – The Parables of Jesus Explained and Illustrated  1840

**  “Largely composed of citations from Luther and Calvin.  The remarks will assist in elucidating the design of the parables.”

Upjohn, W. – Discourses on the Parables, vols. 1, 2, 3

**  “Earnestly Calvinistic sermons, full of old-fashioned Gospel.  Not very original.” – Spurgeon

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1900’s

Habershon, Ada – The Study of the Parables  Buy  1905

Habershon was premillennial, which is not recommended (and is contrary to the Westminster Confession of Faith), especially on the parables seeing as they deal directly with the nature of the Kingdom of God.

“A perceptive treatment by a capable Hebrew Christian writer.”  – Cyril J. Barber

Lang, Cosmo Gordon – The Parables of Jesus  1918  280 pp.

Lang was an Archbishop in the Anglican Church.

“Expository messages by the Bishop of Stephney.” – Cyril J. Barber

Whyte, Alexander – Our Lord’s Characters in Bible Characters  d. 1921

Morgan, G.C. – The Parables and Metaphors of our Lord  Buy  1943

“A provocative, stimulating work.”  – Cyril J. Barber

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Matthew ch. 13

Morgan, G.C. – The Parables of the Kingdom  1907  210 pp.

Morgan was the predecessor to Martyn Lloyd-Jones at Westminster Chapel in London and was reformed.

“Good preaching values may be gleaned from a study of these expository messages on the parables of Matthew 13.”  – Cyril J. Barber

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Luke ch. 15  including the Prodigal Son

Luke Ch. 15

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Metaphors in the Gospels

Fraser, Donald – The Metaphors in the Gospels, a Series of Short Studies  Buy  1885  394 pp.  Reprinted by Klock & Klock

Fraser (1826-92) was a Free Church of Scotland minister, first in Montreal Canada, then in Inverness, Scotland, then he moved to London where he played a leading role in the Presbyterian Church of England.  His work, Synoptical Lectures on the Books of Holy Scripture, received Charles Spurgeon’s highest recommendation.

“Thirty-six chapters which illuminate the metaphors and figures of speech found in the Gospels.  Ideal for preachers.”  – Cyril J. Barber

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Liberal

Bruce, A.B. – The Parabolic Teaching of Christ: a Systematic and Critical Study of the Parables  Buy  1904  550 pp.  Reprinted by Klock & Klock

Though A.B. Bruce was a liberal, this was an important work and reprinted by Cyril J. Barber.

“A systematic, critical study of the parables of Christ which includes in its treatment similies and other forms of speech.  Will richly reward the careful reader.” – Cyril J. Barber

Dods, Marcus – The Parables of our Lord  1904  440 pp.

“Limited to the parables found in Matthew’s Gospel.  Experiences difficulty in the parable of the ten virgins, but provides helpful material on the “laborers in the vineyard,” and “the unforgiving debtor”.” – Cyril J. Barber

Swete, Henry Barclay – The Parables of the Kingdom: a Course of Lectures  1921  220 pp.   

“A scholarly study including the Greek text with exegesis and notes.  Amillennial.”  – Cyril J. Barber

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More

Commentaries on the Gospels will also have much exposition of the parables in their respective locations:

Whole Bible Commentaries

New Testament Commentaries

Commentaries on All the Four Gospels

The Life & Times of Jesus Christ

Commentaries on Matthew

Commentaries on Mark

Commentaries on Luke

Commentaries on John

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Related Pages

The Miracles of Christ

The Life & Times of Jesus Christ

New Testament Commentaries

Whole Bible Commentaries