William Arnot

Lesser Parables of Our Lord William Arnot

The title of this book does not tell the whole lovely story. For besides the ten chapters on the lesser parables, there are a number of different theological concepts. Then there are 24 chapters on 1 Peter. And he concludes with a discussion of the life of Christ. It has been said that the comments on The Life in Christ are worth the price of the book. It is sorrowful that his first book on The Parables of Our Lord is currently out of print. If you find it, get it. Two chapters cover Matthew 9:37, 38; one each on John 4:35; John 8:36; Mark 9:50; John 4:34; 6:51-53; Luke 8:19-21; Matt. 12:33. Then follows what Arnot terms LESSONS OF GRACE. He said this about Phil. 2:15, 16 (''That you may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding forth the word of life'') and Matt. 5:14-16 (''You are the light of the world . . . Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in Heaven'') ? ''The Lord alone is the light of the world, but He has been pleased to arrange His covenant so that those who receive His beams also spread them. It is so arranged also in the material world. Not much of the light which guides us in life comes in direct lines from the sun; most of it reaches us at second hand, reflected from surrounding objects. Thus, in the spiritual sphere, the glory of he Lord arises and shines on Israel; then and therefore the Israelis were expected to rise and reflect the light around to attract the Gentiles. The Philippian converts, walking in the light of God, are expected to shine among the heathen as lights. They are not rays, but reflectors; they give out, with more or less of truth and fullness, the light which they receive from the Sun of Righteousness after He has risen upon them'' (p. 176). This is illustrated in 2 Cor. 4:3, 4, ''if our gospel is hidden, it is hidden to those being lost, in whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving ones, so that the light of the glorious gospel of Christ (who is the image of God) should not dawn on them'' (MKJV). As was said before, the consummate wisdom displayed in the section entitled Life in Christ alone is worth the price of this book.