Fables.  The word translated `fable' in the A.V. is the Greek muthos, and the

five occurrences are as follows:

1 Tim. 1:4  Neither give heed to fables.

1 Tim. 4:7  Refuse profane and old wives' fables.

2 Tim. 4:4  Shall be turned unto fables.

Tit. 1:14

Not giving heed to Jewish fables.

2 Pet. 1:16 Not followed cunningly devised fables.

Most of us have been influenced at some time or another by the wisdom and

the instruction of Aesop's fables.  He so persistently inculcated morality that

the people of Delphos took his life by throwing him from the top of the rock!

Aesop's fables fall under the heading of parables, and have no other purpose to

serve but instruction.  Fables, however, are never spoken of with approbation

in the New Testament, and Peter's description `cunningly devised' (sophizo)

could be applied to the four occurrences in Paul's epistles.  Some of the

fables mentioned by Paul appear to refer to the Cabalistical interpretation of

the Scriptures favoured by the Gnostics.  In no passage is the fable considered

as an innocent and useful mode of conveying truth, but as the weapon of the

In 1 Timothy 1:3,4 it is opposed to sound doctrine,

it ministers questions and is contrary to `a dispensation

of God'.  The A.V. reads `godly edifying', the R.V., however, reads `a

dispensation of God', the Greek reading oikonomian, `dispensation', instead of

oikodomian, `edifying'.  In 1 Timothy 4:6-8 the fable is put over against

`words of faith and sound doctrine', and to godliness which is profitable both

for the life that now is, and of that which is to come.  Titus 1:13,14 places

the fable in antagonism to the soundness in the faith, and declares that these

fables `turn away from the truth'.  It is this `turning away' from the truth

that is the deadly result of the fable, and which alas will be the character of

the closing days of this dispensation.  If the reader opens a modern commentary

on the Bible, he is more than likely to meet the word `myth' before he has read

many pages, and the word myth is the word translated fable in 2 Timothy 4:4.

`They shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto

fables (or myths)'.

When it is realized that the two words mystery and myth are derived from

the same source, it will be seen that when the truth of the Mystery is

withstood, there may be a judicial turning of the mind to myth.  This `turning

away' of 2 Timothy 4:4 is but the consequence of an earlier movement.  `All

they which are in Asia be turned away from me', said Paul in chapter 1, and

that fatal turning away from Paul that is so characteristic of much teaching

today, can but lead to the apostasy of which Paul prophesied.  Let us hold fast

the faithful testimony of the Mystery, even though all around us are seen to be

turning to their myths.  The one is of God and of the truth, the other is of

the Devil and of the lie.  We shall need the whole armour of God for the evil

day that is drawing near.  The Mystery is `truth for the times'.  (See the

article Mystery, The3 for fuller expansion of this theme).

Since writing these notes, a letter from a clergyman dealing with

the interpretation of Job 19:26 has come to hand.  In it he makes the following