The facts may be none the less true, though from their transcendental character it may have been necessary to put them down in mysterious, possibly even in merely allegorical, language.  Another instance of this might be given in the account of Satan in the presence of the Lord as described in the Book of Job, or of the lying Spirit described by Micaiah when prophesying before Ahab.  It maybe that these narratives describe to us transactions in a world beyond our own, which could only be conveyed to us in figures or in imperfect form.  When St. Paul was caught up into the third heaven, he “heard unspeakable things” which it was not possible for him to utter—­the medium of expression was wanting.  Divine or mysterious things have, then, to be described in peculiar language which is not always easy to understand.  Nor, having respect to the varying requirements of the different ages, or the circumstances of the time and of the inspired writer, is it easy to understand why any particular form of communication was selected, though doubtless if we knew more we should see a good reason for it.  This gives us one class of Scripture passages—­of methods of revelation.  On the other hand, there are in Scripture many facts of the highest import, and in themselves of transcendent magnitude, which are yet capable of being stated without any possibility of our interpreting or understanding the narrative in more ways than one.  When it is stated that Christ Jesus rose from the dead, we know beyond all reasonable doubt what is meant.  The fact may be true or false, but the narrative of the fact needs no explanation; there are no terms which need expansion—­which could bear more than one possible meaning, and which could be used accordingly in one sense or another.  This instances a second class.  Again, we can bring forward yet another class of Scripture revelations, namely, passages which are necessarily understood with reference to certain other matters which are unexpressed but are taken for granted, or in which the words used may bear more than one meaning, or a meaning which is uncertain or obscure.  If the unexpressed matter can be supplied without doubt, then all ages will agree in the interpretation; and if the terms can (by reference to context or otherwise) be explained, the same result follows:  if not, then in interpreting the narrative, each age will make its own assumption regarding the terms used, on the basis of such knowledge as it possesses.  It follows, then, inevitably, that if the state of knowledge varies, the interpretation will be different according to the different standard of knowledge, according to which the necessary assumptions are made.  And yet all the while the authority of the passage itself is not touched.  As it is unquestionable that such different classes of passage do occur in Scripture, it is merely a question of criticism whether any given passage is of this class or that, and whether its terms do admit of or require explanation.