1.1 WHAT IS A PARABLE?

Bible uses many parables. Out of this we are interested in the seven parables that are given in Matthew 13 which are called Kingdom parables.

What is a parable?

The Hebrew word for parable is Mashal, a similitude. Examples of these are found in Num 23:7. 18; 24:3.20.21.23. These are translated in the new bibles as Oracles. It is a discourse expressed in figurative language in highly poetic verses whose meanings are not always direct. Another translation of the word mashal is "proverb". As we can see, a proverb is a similitude or ornate method of saying something. This type of parables are found in Ps. 49:4. Parables are often stories with hidden meanings. The meanings of these are discernible only by those who are able to decode it. There are other fable like stories as in II Sam. 12:2 (Nathan’s reproach to David) and in Jud. 9:7-15 (Jotham’s exposure of the folly of Schechmites) and in II Kings 14:9-10 ( address of Jehoash to Amaziah) These are commonly translated as fables.

In the Greek language we have however two different words:

Parabole: a placing of one beside another or a parallel by which a doctrine or a precept is illustrated. These are taken directly from common day life examples and usually taken from immediate vicinity so that it becomes a powerful tool for instruction. It usually starts by "For example......"

The other word Paoimia is usually a mystery saying- dark saying which can yield on meditation some inner truth. These are figurative teaching and are symbolic in nature.

We have therefore several meanings of the parables to consider: The terms to consider are

1. Fable - A fable is a story in which one can violate the laws of nature. So in fables the trees and birds and the beasts will talk. They can do feats that are not actually possible. Fables were extensively used in ancient cultures as a means of instructions. In India the Panchthantra Stories and in Germany the Aesop fables are famous fables. They are normally used to teach a single moral principle. Usually the stories end as "The moral of the story is .............."

2. Proverb - A proverb is a wise gem of a saying usually handed down through generation giving a single advise to follow in a given situation.

3. Myth - Myth is a made up story similar to a fable. But they need not have a reason - a cause effect relation. It is essentially used to convey a spiritual truth. Here the form and the content are joined together.

4. Allegory - Allegory is a story in which every element in the story corresponds to every element in the reality. There is a one to one relation between the story elements and the reality.

5. Parable. A parable on the other hand does not have a one to one relation. There is a kernel principle that is emphasized. Any attempt to press further to show a one to one relation can lead to unusual teachings. It is meant only to drive home one fact.

Thus in general the biblical parables have a threefold purpose depending on the parable under consideration.

1. To reveal and to explain. It becomes a tool for instruction

2. To conceal. When under certain occasion if the truth is to be hidden from common eyes a parable can be employed. It becomes decipherable only if the code is known.

3. To perpetuate to future generations. It then becomes a storehouse of knowledge and can be opened with the key if given. Most religions employ this form of transmission of knowledge.

Chrysostom of the early church had enjoined that in interpreting parables one should not push matter too much. Our aim should be to find the meaning. We have such allegoric teachings on the parable of the Good Samaritan by none other than St. Augustine which stretches the imagination beyond reason.

Until the late 1800's the allegorical method dominated parable interpretation.

For an example here is the parable of Good Samaritan as allegorized by St. Augustine.

A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho = Adam
Jerusalem = the heavenly city of peace, from which Adam fell
Jericho = the moon, and thereby signifies Adam's mortality
thieves = the devil and his angels
stripped him = namely, of his immortality
beat him = by persuading him to sin
and left him half-dead = as a man he lives, but he died spiritually,
therefore he is half-dead
The priest and Levite = the priesthood and ministry of the Old Testament
The Samaritan = is said to mean Guardian; therefore Christ himself is meant
bound his wounds = means binding the restraint of sin
oil = comfort of good hope
wine = exhortation to work with a fervent spirit
beast = the flesh of Christ's incarnation
inn = the church
innkeeper = Paul
the morrow = after the Resurrection
two-pence = promise of this life and the life to come

Brilliant as it may be and also interesting, we can be sure that this is not what Jesus meant when he told the parable. In this context the parable was given to explain who is a Good Neighbor and not to conceal the truth. This was a teaching tool and not a coded message.

The problem with the allegorical method is that it is highly subjective in identifying what each thing in the parable really means. As a result the same parable could be interpreted in different ways with widely different meanings. This then becomes a good tool in the hands of the cults to hang on a doctrine very easily. This is exactly what a hidden message wants. Unless the code is given it will go astray in interpretation - a perfect way of concealing while transmitting.

While spiritually such allegorical interpretation may give us some inspiration and insight, it is a dangerous procedure and is highly subjective. This is because symbols have meaning only in a cultural context. Taken out of context it will be disastrous.

1.2. WHY DO YOU SPEAK TO THE PEOPLE IN PARABLES?

While we acknowledge the basic principles of interpretation of central theme as standard, the kingdom parables stand separate. The simple reason is that it is not meant to be a simple teaching tool. Let us hear the Master himself.

Matthew 13: 10 The disciples came to him (Jesus) and asked, "Why do you speak to the people in parables?"

11 Jesus replied, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them.

Evidently these parables then contain the knowledge of the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven. We cannot circum navigate the statement.

12 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 seems to imply that these parables are more than what their eyes meet. There is something to dig into. This is unlike the general parable interpretation where there is nothing to dig into.

13 This is why I speak to them in parables: "Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.

14 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: "'You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.

15 For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.'

16 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.

17 For I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.

Jesus is saying here that these parables conceal the mysteries of the Kingdom. It is not written for the novice but only for the disciples.

34 Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable.

35 So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet: "I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world."

This evidently is a quotation from Psalms.

Then at the end of the session Jesus asks them

51 "Have you understood all these things?" Jesus asked. "Yes," they replied.

The next statement is particularly important to see that Jesus meant these parables to yield greater meaning in the later ages.

52 He said to them, "Therefore every teacher of the law who has been instructed about the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his store room new treasures as well as old."

The parables are like a storehouse. Its meaning will be clear only to the teacher of the law who is instructed in the kingdom of heaven. Then with the key of code he will bring out new meanings. There evidently is an old meaning - the direct meaning. But there are also new meanings. In other words these parables will have a greater depth of meaning to us than to the disciples.

1.3. HOW DO WE INTERPRET THE PARABLES?

Now the question is how do we interpret the parables. If the parables are coded messages what are the codes. To uncode this we need to interpret the symbolism used in the parables in the context of the culture. We need to take particular care on the statement of Jesus

52 He said to them, "Therefore every teacher of the law who has been instructed about the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his store room new treasures as well as old."

The code is found them in the teaching of the Law i.e. in the Bible. The teacher must be instructed in the Kingdom of Heaven -i.e. he should be a believing Christian.

Therefore to instruct the parables we need to look into the symbolism used in the Bible in the context of the teachings of Christianity. Fortunately we have several parables interpreted by Our Lord himself.

1.4. THE STRUCTURE OF THE SEVEN KINGDOM PARABLES.

We have seven parables of the Kingdom given by Jesus in a series on the same day. Though some Bible critics teach that these are not given on the same day, but are collections of parables from various days in Jesus’ ministry Matthew gives a totally different answer.

13:1 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake.

2 Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore.

3 Then he told them many things in parables,

Then he tells them the parable of the sower.

The disciples came to them asking for an interpretation. Is not it strange that they ask him about it unless they understood that there was something more than a simple teaching parable?

24 Jesus told them another parable: The Parable of the Tares and the Wheat.

31 He told them another parable: - The Parable of the Mustard Seed.

33 He told them still another parable: - The Parable of Leaven and the Woman.

34 Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables.

So we have the first four parables given to the crowd.

Then there was a break and he explains the Parable of Tares to his disciples.

Now the remaining three parables are told only to the disciples. They are:

The Parable of the Hidden Treasure,

The Parable of the Pearl of Great Price,

and the Parable of the Dragnet.

53 When Jesus had finished these parables, he moved on from there.

54 Coming to his hometown,

Thus Matthew gives all the seven parables in the context of the Kingdom parables in one day, consecutively in that order.

It is true that some of the parables are found elsewhere as shown below:

Here we see that three parables were given by Jesus elsewhere in different contexts. Like a true teacher he used his parables at different times may be for different meanings. However in the Matthew 13 we are given them as a series of parables with the start:

"The Kingdom of Heaven is like.........."

In the following chapters we will try to see how we can interpret the parables using biblical symbolism’s. Our code is the Bible at the time of Jesus as Jesus knew it.