Parables - Introduction
Of all the 'divers manners' [1] that God has revealed himself to man, parables [2] are one of the most misunderstood. Theologians have been unable to agree on the interpretation of them. Parables of confusion demonstrates the problem where the meanings imposed by various pastors and theologians are compared. [3]
Many teachings about interpreting parables mistakenly assume that parables of scripture are similar to the parables in secular writings. They are not. A secular parable is intended to teach a single lesson. It uses images and circumstances familiar to the audience to help illustrate the point being made. Jesus taught in parables so that his audience would not understand, belief or get saved. He his his teaching is an mystery. His parables were prophetic riddle. This was not new to him. He did what he saw his Father do. The history of Israel, the living breathing actions of real people, were used to teach a parable about the promises made to all men through Eve, Noah, and Abraham. ▸ ± De 28:37
In the exegesis of the parables, the methods used will be unfamiliar. This work is not intended to go into the proofs of such methods. The methods will simply be used as the apostles used them. Other works explain them in detail.
The interpretation of parables follow the same rules as the exegesis of the 'mystery' which has been hidden from the beginning. [4] They can be seen in the chapter on Rules for interpretation .
Two rules are critical to eliminating free-for-all allegory: 1. Rule - Christocentric - It must speak of Christ in agreement with the testimony of the New Testament authors. 2. Rule - Divine meaning - This rule makes it impossible to invent meaning. A symbol used in one place, must be the same as in every other instance. A symbol is not a symbol if it doesn't. Imagine if an American flag represented Spain sometimes. It would be chaos. This is why Bible types have been confusing. If you read of dictionary of types, sometimes it means one thing, and other times it means another.
- ↑ Heb 1:1 ¶ God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
- ↑ משל
- ↑ Parables of confusion
- ↑ Eph 3:9 And to make all [men] see what [is] the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
