 |
| Book Recommendation |
Interpreting the Parables of Jesus -- Some Helpful Notes
First, look at some Figures of Speech used in the Parables
1. Simile – a stated likeness.
Example: “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves, therefore be as shrewd as snakes ad as innocent as doves.” Matt 10:16
2. Metaphor – an unstated or implied likeness.
“I am the gate for the sheep,” John 10:7
3. Proverbs – a short powerful statement used to communicate a specific truth.
“Man was not made for the Sabbath, but the Sabbath was made for man.” Mark 2
4. Parable – a story transferring truth through a specific known realm to an specific unknown realm. OT Example: 2 Sam 12:1-4 where Nathan reconstructs David’s sin in the form of a parable.
5. Allegory – a story not based on reality to communicate an unknown truth. OT Example: Judges 9
Amount of use: Approximately 1/3 of His teaching is in the form of parables.
Reason He used Parables:
“The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. This is why I speak to them in parables: Though seeking, they do not see; though hearing they do not understand. In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.” Matt 13:11-14.
Point: Jesus used the parables to reveal truth to some, but to hide it from others. He did this because he did not want to add more responsibility to unbelievers by imparting truth to them for which they would be held responsible.
Background to His use of Parables
1. John the Baptist calls the people to repent and thus prepare themselves to meet the Messiah and be received into His kingdom.
2. Jesus publicly offered himself as the Messiah to a waiting nation, Matt 4:17.
3. Jesus authenticates His message by the miracles He performed, Matt 8—9.
4. The people express willingness to accept Him as Savior and Sovereign, but ask their leadership, “Could this be the Son of David? Matt 12:23.
5. The leaders ascribe Christ’s miracles to the power of Satan, and therefore state that He could not be the Messiah.
6. Christ in turn indicates that He was setting the nation aside and withdrawing from that generation the offer of the kingdom. The Davidic Theocracy would be postponed until some future time of His return.
7. Christ teaches in parables certain truths of God’s program in view of the postponement of the Kingdom.
How to Interpret the Parables
In a parable no attempt is made to transfer from an unknown realm to another unknown realm. The transference is always from a known realm to an unknown realm.
First Principle: The focus is the Sovereign Rule of God in view of the Kingdom of Heaven / God.
Second Principle: The information given is previously “unknown” (described as “mysteries of the kingdom”). It is information which is unknown because of the rejection and postponement of the Kingdom until Christ’s second advent.
Third Principle: Observe the context. Each parable was designed to solve a question or problem His hearers were or would be facing. Example: Luke 11:5-7 stems from the request from verse 1, “Lord, teach us to pray.”
Fourth Principle: Study the parable itself to determine what point is at issue. Focus on the point, and not on other features not at issue.
Fifth Principle: Study the allusion made---the reality or known realm upon which the parable and its point is based. The interpreter must therefore be thoroughly conversant with the history, geography, culture and customs of Biblical times.
