Hermeneutics of Old Russian Literature Hermeneutics of Old Russian Literature 1607-6192 2713-2226 IWL RAS https://doi.org/10.22455/HORL.1607-6192-2024-23-139-159 Research Article Articles GOSPEL PARABLES OF ESCHATOLOGICAL CHARACTER IN THE LADDER OF JOHN CLIMACUS Popova Tatiana G. old-rus@imli.ru 2024 23 139 159 Copyright © 2026, IWL RAS 2026 The article analyzes 6 out of 22 Gospel parables of Jesus Christ, which are reflected in the text of monument of early Byzantine didactical literature — the Ladder of John Climacus. The material for the analysis was the Greek text of the Ladder, published by J.-P. Migne (Patrologia Graeca. T. 88) and unpublished Byzantine codices of the 10th–11th centuries, and text of the first Slavic translation of the Ladder according to the oldest Russian manuscript (middle of 12th century), as well as other Slavic manuscripts of the 14th century. One of the main motives of the Ladder as a literary monument is the memory of death. Gospel parables of eschatological character are the most important symbolic keys that help to understand the meaning of many fragments of the Ladder. The total number of explicit and implicit references to the Gospel parables of eschatological character is 41, including parables: of the Faithful Servant — 11, of Narrow Gate — 10, of the Great Banquet — 8, of the Ten Virgins — 5, of the Barren Fig Tree — 4, of the Workers in the Vineyard — 3. The article indicates examples of the use of these parables in the text of the Ladder, analyzes their connections with each other and with the general content of the book. Particular attention is paid to the symbolism of Narrow Path, which is genetically related to the parable of Narrow Gate.