I recently wrote a piece on the parables of Jesus for the Logos Word by Word blog. It’s a pretty thorough look at what parables are, why Jesus used them, along with an exhaustive list of all of Jesus’ parables.
The final section offers strategies for overcoming four mistakes when reading the parables. The four mistakes are:
- Read them as abstract, universal stories for humanity.
- Read multiple versions of the same parable in the same way.
- Read them as stories for people today.
- Read them as though there was no Bible at the time.
Here is a taste:
In the act of persuasion, why not focus exclusively on logical argumentation, miracles, or Old Testament prophecy? Jesus uses all of those means, but what do parables contribute to the other forms of persuasion?
Jesus’s disciples ask this very question: “Why do you speak to them in parables?” (Matt 13:10). Jesus answers their question, but in a way that is sometimes wildly misunderstood. To grasp his two answers, we must grapple with the two Old Testament texts quoted by Matthew (13:10ff) and echoed by Mark (4:10ff).
Leave a Reply