That this was his systematic procedure, I believe, because, in spite of the great contrast of the fourth gospel to the others, it has this peculiarity in common with them.

Christian divines are used to tell us that this mode was _peculiarly instructive_ to the vulgar of Judaea; and they insist on the great wisdom displayed in his choice of the lucid parabolical style.

But in Matth.xiii.

10-15, Jesus is made confidentially to avow precisely the opposite reason, viz.

that he desires the vulgar _not_ to understand him, but only the select few to whom he gives private explanations.