The Parables of Christ – Introduction
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Q. How many parables of Christ there are in the Bible and where they are found? What is a parable exactly? I know it would take a while, but would you be willing to discuss the main ones?
A parable is a short, simple story designed to communicate a spiritual truth, religious principle, or moral lesson; a figure of speech in which truth is illustrated by a comparison or example drawn from everyday experiences.
“A parable is a comparison between a familiar fact and a spiritual truth.” Used in Scripture, the parable, “. . . always involves the idea of comparison.” But, additionally: (Louis Rushmore)
The word “parable” is an anglicized form of the Greek term parabole. The word is a derivative of two roots — para meaning “beside” and ballo “to throw.” It thus literally suggests throwing (or placing) something beside something else for the ultimate purpose of making a comparison.
The parables of our Lord are found exclusively in Matthew, Mark and Luke. The Book of John does not use the Greek “parabole,” but employs a different Greek word which is once rendered in the King James Version by our word “parable” (John 10:6).
The other word used for “parable” is paroimia, meaning an “adage, dark saying, wayside saying, a proverb . . .” This word is almost peculiar to John, who uses it four times . . . John never uses the word parabole, the only one employed by Matthew, Mark and Luke.
Perhaps one of the most easily remembered definitions of the term “parable” is “an earthly story with a heavenly meaning.” “By the side of a familiar earthly story Jesus placed a spiritual lesson relative to the kingdom. By the eloquent employment of parables Jesus taught the unknown (Heavenly and spiritually-minded lessons) from the known (earthly narratives).” Jesus readily used common circumstances with which His audiences were immediately familiar to illustrate spiritual truths about which they knew little or nothing.
Therefore, a parable is a figurative method of teaching Divine Truth. The Bible employs primarily five different figures of speech of which the parable is one. Modern man, though, often further divides these figures into several additional subclasses.
In the Scriptures we have the parable, the proverb, the type, and the allegory named. We also have the fable used, but not named. . . . The parable is the oldest and most common of all the figures of speech. The Old Testament contains many of them, and the Saviour taught almost constantly by that medium of illustration.
Many writers have endeavored to distinguish between the parable and other figures of speech employed in God’s Word. B.W. Johnson said “The parable differs from the proverb in being a narrative, from the fable in being true to nature, from the myth in being undeceptive, from the allegory in that it veils the spiritual truth.”
A parable is draped in the background of possibility. The events in a parable around which is built a spiritual lesson either did occur or could have happened. “It has been supposed, indeed, that some of the parables uttered by our Saviour narrate real and not fictitious events; but whether this was the case or not is a point of little consequence.” Parables use realistic earthly vehicles to convey spiritual and eternal lessons. Fables, for instance, often resort to talking animals, trees, etc. Proverbs are pithy sayings; allegories are self-interpreting; and parables are stories which must be pondered.
Over fifty books are said to have been written which especially treat the parables of our Lord. Yet, there is no universal agreement as to the number of Christ’s parables because there is no commonly accepted definition of the parable.
It is difficult to say how many parables are present in the Gospels. The exact number depends on one’s definition of a parable. If the word parable is taken to include proverbs, riddles, and simple comparisons as well as those in story form, the number is about seventy in all. Not counting all of the parabolic statement, the number is usually estimated as being from thirty to thirty-five.
The summary definition of the parable as it pertains to the parables of Jesus need not be complicated nor difficult to remember. First, the parable must be understood in relationship to its etymology — the Greek word from which it comes and its corresponding root words. Second, the parable always involves a comparison between a familiar fact and a spiritual truth. Third, the most concise and frequently repeated definition of the parable remains: “an earthly story with a heavenly meaning.”
Interpreting Parables
Only two of the Lord’s parables are explained by Him — the first two, the parable of The Sower and the parable of The Tares. It would seem reasonable that having two parables explained by our Savior, by them man should possess sufficient insight into the proper understanding of the balance of Christ’s parables. It is imperative that Jesus’ explanation of those parables serve as “. . . the standard for the interpretation of all parables . . .”
Yet, there is sometimes disagreement even among brethren regarding the interpretation of some of the points of these first two parables. It is little wonder, then, that through the centuries men have often grossly perverted the parables of our Lord.
It is impossible to apply strict rules for the interpretation of the parables because the amount of comparison varies from parable to parable. For example, in the parable of the Sower, the small details in the story have great significance. The Birds and the sun are important to the interpretation of the parable. In the parable of the Prodigal Son, however, the details of the fatted calf and the music and the dancing do not have great significance to the meaning of the parable. When studying the parable of the Prodigal Son it would be a complete waste of time to ask, “What do the pigs stand for?”, or “What does the ring on the finger represent?”
Through the centuries men who have sought to interpret the parables have not always seen this distinction clearly. Many have not seen clearly the difference between an allegory and a parable. An allegory, like a parable, is a story told in order to make a comparison. In an allegory every detail of the story has some kind of meaning. The apostle Paul used an allegory of two women, Hagar and Sarah, to contrast the Old and New Covenants (Gal. 4:24-31). In this allegory Paul explained that Hagar represents Mount Siani or the Old Covenant while Sarah represents the spiritual Jerusalem or the New Covenant. Every detail in this allegory corresponds to something. But in a parable every detail is not necessarily significant. The details of a parable are often just to add color to the story, they are not the point of the story.
Origin, who lived in the third century, treated parables as allegories and thereby has lead to much confusion through the centuries since his writings have been read and repeated over and over by those who interpret the parables. In his interpretation of the Parable of the Good Samaritan, for example, he says that the man who fell among robbers is Adam. Jerusalem represents heaven, and Jericho, since it was away from Jerusalem, represents the world. The robbers are man’s enemies, the devil and his helpers. The priest stands for the Law of Moses, the Levite for the prophets, the Good Samaritan for Christ himself. The beast on which the wounded man was places is Christ’s body which bears the fallen Adam. The inn is the Church, the two denarii are the Father and the Son. The Good Samaritan promises that he will come back again, so Christ will come again at the end of the world. This is an interpretation without merit. It reads into the text what the interpreter has imagined as an explanation and illustrates Origins inability to see the difference between an allegory and a parable. This same mistake is made often among commentators today.
“There are two extremes to be avoided in the interpretation of parables. One is to make too much of them — The other to make too little of them.”
Some basic rules:
First, as with all passages in the Bible, we must study the context to determine if the language is literal or figurative. Different rules apply to literal or figurative language. If literal language is being used apply the rules governing a literal interpretation.
Second, find the central idea or truth in the parable. It is always important to ask, “What is the main lesson of this story?” When the main lesson is discovered then all of its related truths are evaluated with reference to the whole framework. If the Parable of the Sower mainly illustrates how the Word of God is received, all of the other details of the parable are to be understood in this light.
Third, it is absolutely essential that we remember the principle of “context, context, context” when we study the parables of Christ. It is important to understand something about the background of the teaching. What was taking place at the time of the teaching? What particular problem was Jesus addressing when he taught the parable under consideration? What imagery is Jesus using that was familiar to the 1st century listener and reader? What is the purpose of the parable, as see in the context of the teaching? All of these questions will help to see the point, the main point, of the parable. The interpretation of the parable should be limited by the original intent of the parable. Sometimes there are a number of lessons intended along with the main lesson. In the parable of the Sower (which is very close to an allegory) Jesus intends to get his listeners to think about a number of things related to the spiritual kingdom, and yet at the same time he gives his own interpretation and supplies meanings which would otherwise be lost to his readers/listeners.
Fourth, and this is not as simple as it sounds, apply common sense.
When studying a parable attention must be given to details. Details in the narrative of a parable need to be carefully handled to avoid teaching indefensible doctrines; it is also indefensible to teach truth from a passage which does not treat that axiom. “Incidental elements in these stories of the Savior must not be exploited to unjust ends.” “A failure to recognize that all of the details of a parable are not meaningful has led many astray in their interpretations. . . . The details of a parable are there most often just to add color to the story.”
Some of the parables are quite detailed, such as the sower and the tares, while others have very little detail. It is not necessary to make everything mean something unless the context warrants it. . . . In connection with this principle, the symbols used in different parables do not always represent the same thing.
Still another guideline for the proper interpretation of parables must be: “No point of doctrine, that is not elsewhere clearly affirmed, may be derived from an incidental parabolic reference.” That is, “Traits which, if interpreted, would teach doctrines not elsewhere taught in Scripture belong only to the coloring.” Also, “Traits which, if literally interpreted, would contradict Scripture, are coloring . . .” “The parables were given to illustrate doctrine, not to declare it. In other words, don’t try to build a case for some doctrine only on the basis of a parable.” And, akin to these principles is: “Traits which cannot be applied to the relation between God and man belong only to the coloring.”