Reference: Fable
American
An idle, groundless, and worthless story, like the mythological legends of the heathen and the vain traditions of the Jews. These were often not only false and weak, but also pernicious, 1Ti 4:7; Tit 1:14; 2Pe 1:16.
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Do not have anything to do with godless myths and fables of old women. Instead, train yourself to be godly.
and not pay attention to Jewish myths or commands given by people who reject the truth.
Easton
applied in the New Testament to the traditions and speculations, "cunningly devised fables", of the Jews on religious questions (1Ti 1:4; 4:7; 2Ti 4:4; Tit 1:14; 2Pe 1:16). In such passages the word means anything false and unreal. But the word is used as almost equivalent to parable. Thus we have (1) the fable of Jotham, in which the trees are spoken of as choosing a king (Jg 9:8-15); and (2) that of the cedars of Lebanon and the thistle as Jehoash's answer to Amaziah (2Ki 14:9).
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"Once upon a time the trees went out to consecrate a king for themselves. "So they told the olive tree, "Reign over us!' But the olive tree asked them, "Should I stop producing my rich oils by which both God and men are honored and go take dominion over trees?' read more. "So the trees told the fig tree, "Hey you! Come and reign over us!' But the fig tree asked them, "Should I leave my sweet, good fruit and go take dominion over trees?' "So the trees told the grape vine, "Hey you! Come and reign over us!' But the grape vine asked them, "Should I leave my new wine, which cheers God and man, and go take dominion over trees?' "So all the trees told the bramble bush, "Hey you! Come and reign over us!' Then the bramble bush replied to the trees, "If you really are consecrating me to rule you, come and put your confidence in my shade; but if not, may fire spring out from the bramble bush and burn up the cedars of Lebanon"'
But King Jehoash of Israel sent this message to King Amaziah of Judah: "The thorn bush in Lebanon sent this message to the cedar of Lebanon: "Give your daughter to my son in marriage.' But just then a wild beast from Lebanon wandered by and trampled down the thorn bush.
and occupying themselves with myths and endless genealogies. These things promote controversies rather than God's ongoing purpose, which involves faith.
Do not have anything to do with godless myths and fables of old women. Instead, train yourself to be godly.
and not pay attention to Jewish myths or commands given by people who reject the truth.
Fausets
It represents man's relations to his fellow man; but the PARABLE rises higher, it represents the relations between man and God. The parable's framework is drawn from the dealings of men with one another; or if from the natural world, not a grotesque parody of it, but real analogies. The fable rests on what man has in common with the lower creatures; the parable on the fact that man is made in the image of God, and that the natural world reflects outwardly the unseen realities of the spiritual world. The MYTH is distinct from both in being the spontaneous symbolic expression of some religious notion of the apostate natural mind. In the fable qualities of men are attributed to brutes. In the parable the lower sphere is kept distinct from the higher which it illustrates; the lower beings follow the law of their nature, but herein represent the acts of the higher beings; the relations of brutes to each other are not used, as these would be inappropriate to represent man's relation to God.
Two fables occur in Scripture: (1) Jotham's sarcastic fable to the men of Shechem, the trees choosing their king (Jg 9:8-15). (2) Joash's sarcastic answer to Amaziah's challenge, by a fable, the sarcasm being the sharper for the covert form it assumes, namely, the cedar of Lebanon and the thistle (2Ki 14:9). Eze 17:1-10 differs from the fable in not attributing human attributes to lower creatures, and in symbolizing allegorically prophetical truths concerning the world monarchies; it is called chidah, "a riddle," from chaadad "to be sharp", as requiring acumen to solve the continued enigmatical allegory.
The fable of Jotham (1209 B.C.) is the oldest in existence; the Hebrew mind had a special power of perceiving analogies to man in the lower world; this power is a relic of the primeval intuition given to Adam by God who "brought every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air, unto Adam to see what he would call them." Other nations were much later in this style of thought, the earliest prose fables in Greece being those of the legendary Aesop, about 550 B.C. Many of the proverbs are "condensed fables" (Pr 26:11; 30:15,25,28).
The analogies in the lower creatures are to man's lower virtues or defects, his worldly prudence, or his pride, indolence, cunning (compare Mt 10:16). "Fables" mean falsehoods in 1Ti 1:4; 4:7, "old wives' fables"; Tit 1:14, "Jewish fables," the transition stage to gnosticism; 2Pe 1:16, "cunningly devised (Greek text: sophisticated) fables," devised by man's wisdom, not what the Holy Spirit teacheth (1Co 2:13); incipient gnostic legends about the genealogies, origin, and propagation of angels (Col 2:18-23).
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"Once upon a time the trees went out to consecrate a king for themselves. "So they told the olive tree, "Reign over us!' But the olive tree asked them, "Should I stop producing my rich oils by which both God and men are honored and go take dominion over trees?' read more. "So the trees told the fig tree, "Hey you! Come and reign over us!' But the fig tree asked them, "Should I leave my sweet, good fruit and go take dominion over trees?' "So the trees told the grape vine, "Hey you! Come and reign over us!' But the grape vine asked them, "Should I leave my new wine, which cheers God and man, and go take dominion over trees?' "So all the trees told the bramble bush, "Hey you! Come and reign over us!' Then the bramble bush replied to the trees, "If you really are consecrating me to rule you, come and put your confidence in my shade; but if not, may fire spring out from the bramble bush and burn up the cedars of Lebanon"'
But King Jehoash of Israel sent this message to King Amaziah of Judah: "The thorn bush in Lebanon sent this message to the cedar of Lebanon: "Give your daughter to my son in marriage.' But just then a wild beast from Lebanon wandered by and trampled down the thorn bush.
A dog that returns to its vomit is like a fool who reverts to his folly.
The leech has two daughters: "Give" and "Give". Three things will never be satisfied; four will never say "Enough" -
Ants aren't a strong species, yet they prepare their food in the summer.
Spiders can be caught by the hand, yet they're found in kings' palaces.
This message came to me from the LORD: "Son of Man, compose a riddle and relate a parable to Israel's house. read more. Tell them, "This is what the Lord GOD says, "A massive eagle with gigantic wings, long pinions, and full, multi-colored plumage came to Lebanon and took away the top of the cedar. He plucked off the top of its shoot, brought it to a land of merchants, and set it down in a city full of traders. Then the eagle took a seed from the land and planted it in fertile ground. He planted it like a willow tree next to abundant waters. It flourished and became a low, spreading vine. Its branches turned toward him, and its roots spread under him to become a vine that put out shoots and spread out its branches. """All of a sudden, there was another eagle with gigantic wings and thick plumage. The vine stretched its roots hungrily toward him and spread its branches out to him in order to be watered on the terraces where it was planted. It was transplanted into good soil near abundant water, and it produced branches and bore fruit, becoming a magnificent vine."' "Tell them, "This is what the Lord GOD says, "Will it prosper? Won't he pull up its roots, and strip it bare so all its fresh foliage dries up? It won't be by great strength or by a great army that it will be uprooted. Look! Because it's a transplanted vine, won't it wither when the east wind hits it? It will surely wither in the terraces where it had started to sprout."'"
"Pay attention, now! I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. So be as cunning as serpents and as innocent as doves.
We don't speak about these things with words taught us by human wisdom, but with words taught by the Spirit, as we explain spiritual things to spiritual people.
Let no one who delights in humility and the worship of angels cheat you out of the prize by rejoicing about what he has seen. Such a person is puffed up for no reason by his carnal mind. He does not hold on to the head, from whom the whole body, which is nourished and held together by its joints and ligaments, grows as God enables it. read more. If you have died with the Messiah to the basic principles of the world, why are you submitting to its decrees as though you still lived in the world? "Don't handle this! Don't taste or touch that!" All of these things will be destroyed as they are used, because they are based on human commands and teachings. These things have the appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion, humility, and harsh treatment of the body, but they have no value against self-indulgence.
and occupying themselves with myths and endless genealogies. These things promote controversies rather than God's ongoing purpose, which involves faith.
Do not have anything to do with godless myths and fables of old women. Instead, train yourself to be godly.
and not pay attention to Jewish myths or commands given by people who reject the truth.
When we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah, we did not follow any clever myths. Rather, we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
Hastings
For the definition of a fable, as distinct from parable, allegory, etc., see Trench, Parables, p. 2 ff. Its main feature is the introduction of beasts or plants as speaking and reasoning, and its object is moral instruction. As it moves on ground common to man and lower creatures, its teaching can never rise to a high spiritual level. Worldly prudence in some form is its usual note, or it attacks human folly and frailty, sometimes in a spirit of bitter cynicism. Hence it has only a small place in the Bible. See Parable.
1. In OT.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
"Once upon a time the trees went out to consecrate a king for themselves. "So they told the olive tree, "Reign over us!'
But King Jehoash of Israel sent this message to King Amaziah of Judah: "The thorn bush in Lebanon sent this message to the cedar of Lebanon: "Give your daughter to my son in marriage.' But just then a wild beast from Lebanon wandered by and trampled down the thorn bush.
Tell them, "This is what the Lord GOD says, "A massive eagle with gigantic wings, long pinions, and full, multi-colored plumage came to Lebanon and took away the top of the cedar. He plucked off the top of its shoot, brought it to a land of merchants, and set it down in a city full of traders. read more. Then the eagle took a seed from the land and planted it in fertile ground. He planted it like a willow tree next to abundant waters. It flourished and became a low, spreading vine. Its branches turned toward him, and its roots spread under him to become a vine that put out shoots and spread out its branches. """All of a sudden, there was another eagle with gigantic wings and thick plumage. The vine stretched its roots hungrily toward him and spread its branches out to him in order to be watered on the terraces where it was planted. It was transplanted into good soil near abundant water, and it produced branches and bore fruit, becoming a magnificent vine."' "Tell them, "This is what the Lord GOD says, "Will it prosper? Won't he pull up its roots, and strip it bare so all its fresh foliage dries up? It won't be by great strength or by a great army that it will be uprooted. Look! Because it's a transplanted vine, won't it wither when the east wind hits it? It will surely wither in the terraces where it had started to sprout."'"
"Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are savage wolves.
and occupying themselves with myths and endless genealogies. These things promote controversies rather than God's ongoing purpose, which involves faith.
They will try to stop people from marrying and from eating certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.
Do not have anything to do with godless myths and fables of old women. Instead, train yourself to be godly.
They will refuse to listen to the truth and will turn to myths.
and not pay attention to Jewish myths or commands given by people who reject the truth. Everything is clean to those who are clean, but nothing is clean to those who are corrupt and unbelieving. Indeed, their very way of thinking and their consciences have been corrupted. read more. They claim to know God, but they deny him by their actions. They are detestable, disobedient, and disqualified to do anything good.
But avoid foolish controversies, arguments about genealogies, quarrels, and fights about the Law. These things are useless and worthless.
When we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah, we did not follow any clever myths. Rather, we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
Morish
?????, lit. 'a word, a speech.' The English word is not used in the N.T. in the sense in which it is now often employed, signifying a supposed incident to teach some moral truth; but has the sense rather of myths, false stories (as the Greek word was used by later writers), which in one passage are called "profane and old wives' fables." 1Ti 1:4; 4:7; 2Ti 4:4; Tit 1:14; 2Pe 1:16.
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and occupying themselves with myths and endless genealogies. These things promote controversies rather than God's ongoing purpose, which involves faith.
Do not have anything to do with godless myths and fables of old women. Instead, train yourself to be godly.
and not pay attention to Jewish myths or commands given by people who reject the truth.
Smith
Fable.
A fable is a narrative in which being irrational, and sometimes inanimate, are, for the purpose of moral instruction, feigned to act and speak with human interests and passions. --Encyc. Brit. The fable differs from the parable in that --
1. The parable always relates what actually takes place, and is true to fact, which the fable is not; and
2. The parable teaches the higher heavenly and spiritual truths, but the fable only earthly moralities. Of the fable, as distinguished from the parable [PARABLE], we have but two examples in the Bible:
See Parable
1. That of the trees choosing their king, addressed by Jotham to the men of Shechem,
2. That of the cedar of Lebanon and the thistle, as the answer of Jehoash to the challenge of Amaziah.
The fables of false teachers claiming to belong to the Christian Church, alluded to by writers of the New Testament,
1Ti 1:4; 4:7; Tit 1:14; 2Pe 1:16
do not appear to have had the character of fables, properly so called.
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"Once upon a time the trees went out to consecrate a king for themselves. "So they told the olive tree, "Reign over us!' But the olive tree asked them, "Should I stop producing my rich oils by which both God and men are honored and go take dominion over trees?' read more. "So the trees told the fig tree, "Hey you! Come and reign over us!' But the fig tree asked them, "Should I leave my sweet, good fruit and go take dominion over trees?' "So the trees told the grape vine, "Hey you! Come and reign over us!' But the grape vine asked them, "Should I leave my new wine, which cheers God and man, and go take dominion over trees?' "So all the trees told the bramble bush, "Hey you! Come and reign over us!' Then the bramble bush replied to the trees, "If you really are consecrating me to rule you, come and put your confidence in my shade; but if not, may fire spring out from the bramble bush and burn up the cedars of Lebanon"'
But King Jehoash of Israel sent this message to King Amaziah of Judah: "The thorn bush in Lebanon sent this message to the cedar of Lebanon: "Give your daughter to my son in marriage.' But just then a wild beast from Lebanon wandered by and trampled down the thorn bush.
and occupying themselves with myths and endless genealogies. These things promote controversies rather than God's ongoing purpose, which involves faith.
Do not have anything to do with godless myths and fables of old women. Instead, train yourself to be godly.
and not pay attention to Jewish myths or commands given by people who reject the truth.
Watsons
FABLE, a fiction destitute of truth. St. Paul exhorts Timothy and Titus to shun profane and Jewish fables, 1Ti 4:7; Tit 1:14; as having a tendency to seduce men from the truth. By these fables some understand the reveries of the Gnostics; but the fathers generally, and after them most of the modern commentators, interpret them of the vain traditions of the Jews; especially concerning meats, and other things, to be abstained from as unclean, which our Lord also styles "the doctrines of men," Mt 15:9. This sense of the passages is confirmed by their contexts. In another sense, the word is taken to signify an apologue, or instructive tale, intended to convey truth under the concealment of fiction; as Jotham's fable of the trees, Jg 9:7-15, no doubt by far the oldest fable extant.
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When Jotham was informed about this, he went out, took his stand on top of Mount Gerizim, and cried out loudly, "Listen to me, you "lords" of Shechem, and God will listen to you. "Once upon a time the trees went out to consecrate a king for themselves. "So they told the olive tree, "Reign over us!' read more. But the olive tree asked them, "Should I stop producing my rich oils by which both God and men are honored and go take dominion over trees?' "So the trees told the fig tree, "Hey you! Come and reign over us!' But the fig tree asked them, "Should I leave my sweet, good fruit and go take dominion over trees?' "So the trees told the grape vine, "Hey you! Come and reign over us!' But the grape vine asked them, "Should I leave my new wine, which cheers God and man, and go take dominion over trees?' "So all the trees told the bramble bush, "Hey you! Come and reign over us!' Then the bramble bush replied to the trees, "If you really are consecrating me to rule you, come and put your confidence in my shade; but if not, may fire spring out from the bramble bush and burn up the cedars of Lebanon"'
Their worship of me is empty, because they teach human rules as doctrines.'"
Do not have anything to do with godless myths and fables of old women. Instead, train yourself to be godly.
and not pay attention to Jewish myths or commands given by people who reject the truth.