Mark 4:33-34 — Principles of Parables

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Mark 4:33-34
“                              "With many such parables 
he spoke the word to them, 
                              as they were able to hear it. 
He did  not  speak to them without a parable, 
       but privately to his own disciples 
he explained everything.”

Comments:

Jesus spoke and taught the people about the Kingdom of God in parables “as they were able to hear it." How wonderful it is that our Lord doesn't force-feed his followers! Neither did he pressure those who were just seekers or spectators. However, to the degree that they desired (i.e., "were able") to hear he spoke the truth clearly. There is a differentiation here however between “the people” and “his own disciples”. Jesus explained everything to his disciples. He was teaching faithful men who would then be able to teach others also as later Paul would instruct a young pastor named Timothy (2 Timothy 2:2).

I thought that this would be a great time to work in a bit of teaching about parables in general. If you have heard me present this material in person I hope it is not tedious but serves as a pleasant reminder.

Why did Jesus speak in parables?

“He did this in order to help them understand by means of a veiled confrontation with the truth. It was his gracious means to stimulate their thinking and awaken their spiritual perception. The crowd was not ready for a direct revelation of the truth.” (Expositors Bible Commentary, Volume 7, p. 654)

What is a parable?

There are several different kinds. In addition to Similitude which I mentioned in my previous post there are:

• Metaphors & Similies— “You are the salt of the earth.” (Metaphor) and “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves.” (Simile in Matt 10:16)

• Epigram—short pithy statements like, “Do people pick grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?” (Matt. 7:16)
• Proverbs: instructive and often contrastive statements. Very much like the Old Testament Book of Proverbs. 
• True Parable, story pure and simple, with beginning and ending; it has something of a “plot.”—Examples: Good Samaritan, Lost sheep, Prodigal son, the Great Supper, Laborers in the Vineyard, Rich Man & Lazarus, 10 Virgins. (F&S, p. 137) Story parables call for a response on the part of the hearer. . . identification points, like what makes a joke funny (e.g., “Dilbert” comic strips).

In a general sense the word “Parable” means the placing of one thing by the side of another. No other mode of teaching was so common among Jews, only in their case, they were almost entirely illustrations of what had been said or taught; while in the case of Christ, they served as the foundation for His teaching… to convey spiritual teaching in a form adapted to the standpoint of the hearers. (Edersheim, LTJM, p. 400-401)

“Here also the illustrations used may have been at hand. Close by the fields, covered with the fresh green or growing corn, to which Jesus had pointed, may have been the garden with its growing herbs, bushes and plants, and the home of the householder, whose wife may at that moment have been in sight, busy preparing the weekly provision of bread. At any rate, it is necessary to keep in mind the homeliness of these illustrations. The very idea of parable implies, not strict scientific accuracy, but popular pictorialness. It is characteristic of them to present vivid sketches that appeal to the popular mind, and exhibit such analogies of higher truths as can be readily perceived by all. Those addressed were not to weigh every detail, either logically or scientifically, but at once to recognize the aptness of the illustration as presented to the popular mind.” (Edersheim, LTJM, p. 408)

Are Parables allegories?

No, not usually. Story parables function as a means of calling forth a response on the part of the hearers. A parable may approach something close to allegory where many of the details are intended to represent something else (e.g., the wicked tenants). But the parables are generally not allegories, for they have a different function. These parables tended to need to be explained. Kenneth E. Bailey draws attention to the importance of theological metaphor as used by Jesus in parables:

     “Theologians often use illustrations to infuse energy and clarification into their abstract reasonings. Illustrations are frequently “the sugar coating on the theological pill,” as T.W. Manson so aptly stated. A metaphor, however, is not an illustration of an idea; it is a mode of theological discourse. The metaphor does more than explain meaning, it creates meaning. A parable is an extended metaphor and as such it is not a delivery system for an idea but a house in which the reader/listener is invited to take up residence . . . then that person is urged by the parable to look at the world through the windows of that residence.

     If theology is built on logic and reasoning, then all one needs to understand that theology is a clear mind and a will to work hard. But if, for Jesus, stories and dramatic actions are the language of theology, then the culture of the storyteller is crucial. Our task includes the responsibility of trying to understand the metaphors and stories from and about Jesus in the light of the culture of which he was a part … Historical interpretation is the key to unlocking the vault that contains the gold of theological meaning. . .

     All readers of Jesus’ parables are challenged to do the best they can with what they have and not despair at the ignorance or achievements of others.

     Simply stated, our task is to stand at the back of the audience around Jesus and listen to what he is saying to them. Only through that discipline can we discover what he is saying to any age, including our own.” (Kenneth E. Bailey, Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes, p. 280-283)

Some Practical Guidelines for Parable Interpretation

• Read repeatedly— Let the Word work its way into our hearts by “listening long.” Read the parable again. Find the reference points where it would have connected with the audience. Where are the “windows” from which we can view the kingdom?
• Read horizontally— like the rest of the gospels, it helps to read parallel passages to find clues as to context and meaning. However, the same story might have been told more than once in more than one context.
• Read culturally— Do your best to discover the cultural/historical context for the parable. Ask what options the characters have available to them at any given point in the story? How would the original audience have heard it spoken to them? Parable often had more than one audience and the impact/invitation is different depending on which audience you consider —marginalized people, the Pharisees, the disciples, etc. 
• Read prayerfully— Ask the Lord to show you how you need to personally respond to these Kingdom messages.

·    So read eagerly with your eyes, ears, and heart wide open. Keep asking good questions like—What did Jesus mean? Who would have heard it? What is the point of understanding? What response was called for? 

I hope these few “parable principles” prove helpful to you in your own study of Jesus’ teachings in the Bible! May his words bear much fruit in your life!