Bible Study: Secrets of the Parables

The Gospels indicate that Jesus was an extraordinary teacher. Without the use of modern technology, he captivated his audiences. On one occasion, Jesus retreated to a boat because the crowd had grown so large around him (Mk 4:1). Another time, people were so mesmerized by his teachings that they forgot about eating lunch
(Mk 6:30-44).

Were the Parables Meant to be

Understood? Four Views

When addressing the crowds, Jesus skillfully employed numerous literary devices. For example, in the Gospels we possess over 200 examples of poetic parallelism
(Mt 7:7-8), hyperbole (Mt 5:29-30), puns (Mt 16:18), similes (Luke 113:34), metaphors (Mt 5:13), proverbs (Mt 26:52), riddles (Mt 11:11) and counterquestions (Mk 3:1-4).

The most famous literary form associated with the teaching ministry of Jesus is the parable. The content of Jesus’ parabolic teachings centered on the coming of the kingdom of God (Matt 13:10-13). However, despite their charm and simplicity, the parables have "suffered a fate of misinterpretation in the church second only to the Revelation." (Fee & Stuart) Following are four approaches to interpretation.

1. The Parables as Allegories

During the first eighteen centuries of the church, parables were interpreted as allegories in which individual details of the parable were to be searched for meaning. Quoted from Fee & Stuart's How to Read the Bible for All It’s Worth below is a portion of Augustine’s interpretation of the Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37):

● A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho = Adam
● Jerusalem = heavenly city of peace, from which Adam fell
● Jericho = the moon, and thereby signifies Adam’s mortality
● Robbers = the devil and his angels
● Stripped him = of his immortality
● Beat him = by persuading him to sin
● Leaving him half dead = as a man he lives, but he died spiritually

Today, the parables are more correctly recognized as extended metaphors, which tend to teach a basic point. At times, however, the details of a parable may bear allegorical significance (Mt. 13:24-30; 36;43;22:2-10; Mk 12:1-12). The key for detecting valid allegorical details is to ask whether Jesus’ original audience would have interpreted these details in such a manner.

2. Understandable Only to "The Elect"

Protestant reformed Christians take a different view. When asked about the purpose of the parables (Mark 4:10-12; Matt 13:10-13; Luke 8:9-10) Jesus seems to have suggested that they contained mysteries for those on the "outside." The parables were considered to be simple stories but for those on the outside, the real meanings were hidden.

In his book, Confessions of a Reformission Rev. reformed emerging pastor Mark Driscoll says, "A very large crowd, numbering thousands of people, came to see Jesus perform miracles and hear him preach… Jesus then fed the entire crowd by miraculously multiplying a little boy's lunch, which would only have increased the crowds that thronged to see him.

But Jesus then preached that he was the bread of life, which drove many people away from him in confusion and disagreement. We see that Jesus not only gathered a crowd but also intentionally drove many people away because they were not among the elect chosen for salvation (John 6:37)."

3. Understandable Only to the Open-hearted

A third perspective on their purpose says that Jesus taught in parables so that only those who really care will come to know the truth. In his article, "Introduction to the Parables" at Bible.org Hampton Keathley IV Th.M. says, "they care enough to ask what it means after the story is finished and hang around long enough to have it explained to them. The others don’t really care and leave.

Remember, the disciples didn’t understand the parables, but they asked what Jesus meant after the crowds left. They had a soft open heart. Understanding is an issue of the heart. Those who have a hard heart, also have closed eyes and closed ears and they don’t understand" (Matt 13:13-16; Is 6:9-10).

4. Understandable to All, But Must be Acted Upon

Our final view argues that Jesus was not trying to be obtuse; he fully intended to be understood. Rather than speaking hidden mysteries designed for his inner circle of disciples, Jesus’ use of parables with the crowds expressed his urgency to call forth a response in obedience to them (eg. The Parable of the Sower).

In their book, How to read the Bible For All It’s Worth, authors Fee & Stuart state, "It is extremely doubtful whether most of the parables were intended for an inner circle at all.

In at least three instances Luke specifically says that Jesus told parables to people (15:3; 18:9; 19:11) with clear implication that the parables were to be understood
(vv. 36-37). Moreover, the 'expert of the law' to whom Jesus told the Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) clearly understood it (vv. 36-37), as did the chief priests and the Pharisees the Parable of the Tenants in Matthew 21:45. Their problem was not with understanding but with letting the parables alter their behavior!"

Fee & Stuart point out that just as a good joke elicits laughter based on a serious of reference points, the Jesus' parables are constructed similarly. The task is to reconstruct those original points of reference—designed to disarm the listener—which end with a strong motivational punch. An excellent OT example is found in Nathan’s parable to David (2 Sam 12:1-4). Jesus parables of the Lost Sheep, the Lost Coin, and the Prodigal Son are good examples from the Gospels (Luke 15:1-31).

So What Did Jesus Mean by the Mystery of the Kingdom?

What then, did Jesus mean in Mark 4:10-12? Listen to Fee & Stuart: "Most likely the clue to this saying lies in a play on words in Jesus' native Aramaic. The word methal, which was translated parabole in Greek, was used for a whole range of figures of speech in the riddle/puzzle/parable category, not just of the story variety called 'parables' in English.

Probably verse 11 meant that the meaning of Jesus' ministry (the secret of the kingdom) could not be perceived by those on the outside; it was a methal, a riddle to them. Hence his speaking in mathelin (parables) was part of the methal (riddle) of his whole ministry to them. They saw, but failed to see; they heard—and even understood the parables, but they failed to hear in a way that led to obedience."

For this information, I am indebted to Robert H. Stein’s Jesus the Messiah, plus the other books cited above.

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Photos: sbhland (Flickr)

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