can bear
them." Wherefore of heretical doctrine it is written (Prov. 9:17):
"Stolen waters are sweeter." Now, Christ's doctrine is "not of error
nor of uncleanness" (1 Thess. 2:3). Wherefore our Lord says (Mk.
4:21): "Doth a candle," i.e. true and pure doctrine, "come in to be
put under a bushel?"

Secondly, doctrine is hidden because it is put before few. And thus,
again, did Christ teach nothing in secret: for He propounded His
entire doctrine either to the whole crowd or to His disciples
gathered together. Hence Augustine says on John 18:20: "How can it
be said that He speaks in secret when He speaks before so many
men? . . . especially if what He says to few He wishes through them
to be made known to many?"

Thirdly, doctrine is hidden, as to the manner in which it is
propounded. And thus Christ spoke certain things in secret to the
crowds, by employing parables in teaching them spiritual mysteries
which they were either unable or unworthy to grasp: and yet it was
better for them to be instructed in the knowledge of spiritual
things, albeit hidden under the garb of parables, than to be deprived
of it altogether. Nevertheless our Lord expounded the open and
unveiled truth of these parables to His disciples, so that they might
hand it down to others worthy of it; according to 2 Tim. 2:2: "The
things which thou hast heard of me by many witnesses, the same
command to faithful men, who shall be fit to teach others." This is
foreshadowed, Num. 4, where the sons of Aaron are commanded to wrap
up the sacred vessels that were to be carried by the Levites.

Reply Obj. 1: As Hilary says, commenting on the passage quoted, "we
do not read that our Lord was wont to preach at night, and expound
His doctrine in the dark: but He says this because His speech is
darkness to the carnal-minded, and His words are night to the
unbeliever. His meaning, therefore, is that whatever He said we also
should say in the midst of unbelievers, by openly believing and
professing it."

Or, according to Jerome, He speaks comparatively--that is to say,
because He was instructing them in Judea, which was a small place
compared with the whole world, where Christ's doctrine was to be
published by the preaching of the apostles.

Reply Obj. 2: By His doctrine our Lord did not make known all the
depths of His wisdom, neither to the multitudes, nor, indeed, to His
disciples, to whom He said (John 16:12): "I have yet many things to
say to you, but you