Parables
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.
In English, we discern between a parable as a short story and a proverb. A parable illustrates a teaching and a proverb is a pithy statement used as a soft aphorism. But in Hebrew, they are the same word. 'Mashal' משל means 'the father's מ increase of the word ש through teaching ל.
▸ ± De 28:37 And thou shalt become an astonishment, a proverb [parable - mashal], and a byword, among all nations whither the LORD shall lead thee.
Israel became a living parable to teach all nations of the promises made to Eve, Noah, and Abraham. They became unwitting actors in a play. Paul would later call the play 'the mystery hidden from the beginning'. In fact, all the people before Israel were already in the play to make the invisible God known.
In this play, using the rules mentioned before, each symbol represents the same thing everywhere it occurs. This makes it easy to begin to unpack the hidden meaning. Every man represents Christ and every woman represents his bride. Even when there are four or six men in a story, they all represent various aspects, titles or roles of Christ.
Some think that Paul is merely talking about the church as the bride of Christ, when he speaks of the mystery. Certainly, the bride is part of the mystery. The rabbis have no concept of the Messiah having a bride. But there is more to it than that.
A search on academia.com for "New Testament authors use of Old Testament" returns over 179,000 results. Apparently it has become a favorite topic for seminary professors to assign to their students. They push the agenda that New Testament authors misused the Old Testament. They declare that the Old Testament is merely literal-historical. Their students must interpret scripture by ascertaining the original human authors' intent.
This agenda is hostile to the word of God. They directly contradict Jesus who said that all the scripture spoke of him. He did not say that it all alluded to him in some vague manner, or that it all prepared the world for him. It 'spoke' of him. When he read scripture he did not see Adam and Noah, but himself in it all.
▸ ± Mr 4:11 And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all [these] things are done in parables:
When Jesus interpreted the parable of the sower for his disciples, he made the mystery known to them, but he still taught them so that they would not understand until after the cross. The seed is Christ. The word is Christ. The parable has two meanings the same as Samson's riddle and answer did. He explained the first knowing that the Holy Spirit would reveal the second, after the cross.
▸ ± Ro 11:25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
▸ ± Ro 16:25 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,
▸ ± 1Co 2:7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, [even] the hidden [wisdom], which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
▸ ± 1Co 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
▸ ± Eph 1:9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
▸ ± Eph 3:3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,
▸ ± Eph 3:4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)
▸ ± 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:
▸ ± Eph 5:32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
▸ ± Eph 6:19 And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,
▸ ± Col 1:26 [Even] the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
▸ ± Col 1:27 To whom God would make known what [is] the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
▸ ± Col 2:2 That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;
▸ ± Col 4:3 Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds:
▸ ± 2Th 2:7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth [will let], until he be taken out of the way.
▸ ± 1Ti 3:9 Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
▸ ± 1Ti 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
▸ ± Re 1:20 The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.
▸ ± Re 10:7 But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.
▸ ± Re 17:5 And upon her forehead [was] a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
▸ ± Re 17:7 And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.
Listing
Parables without check marks only have the reference scripture. Those with the check marks have some content.
PARABLES FROM NATURE
| parable | seed | ground | birds | stones | tribulation | love | fruit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ✓ The Sower and the Seeds ▸ ± Mark 4:3-9; Matt 13:3-9; Luke 8:5-8 | x | path | x | x | heat | thorns | harvest |
| ✓ The Grain of Wheat ▸ ± John 12:24 | grain | x | x | much fruit | |||
| ✓ The Weeds in the Grain or the Tares ▸ ± Matt 13:24-30 | x | x | grow together | remove tares | harvest | ||
| ✓ The Seed Growing Secretly (Spontaneously) or The Patient Husbandman (Mark 4:26-29) | x | x | sleep | harvest | |||
| ✓ The Mustard Seed (Matt13:31f.;Mark 4:30-32; Luke 13:18 f.) | x | x | rest | ||||
| ✓ The Leaven (Matthew 13:33; Luke 13:20 f.) | flour | mill stone (imp) | milling (imp) | multiplies |
| ✓ The Net (Matthew 13:47-50) |
| ✓ The Budding Fig Tree (Matt 24:32 f.; Mark 13:28 f.; Luke 21:19-31) |
| ✓ The Barren Fig Tree (Luke 13:6-9) |
| ✓ The Birds of Heaven (Matthew 6:26; Luke 12:24) |
| The Flowers of the Field (Matt 6:28-30; Luke 12:27f.) |
| The Vultures & the Carcass (Matt 24:28; Luke 17:37) |
| The Tree and its Fruits (Matthew 7:16; Luke 6:43-49) |
| The Weather Signs ( ▸ ± Luke 12:54-56 ; cf. ▸ ± Matthew 26:2 f.; ▸ ± Mark 8:11-13 ) |
}
WORK AND WAGES
- ✓ Master and Servant (Luke 17:7-10)
- ✓ The Servant Entrusted with Authority or The Faithful and Unfaithful Servants (Matt. 24:45-51; Luke 12:42-46)
- The Waiting Servants (Luke 12:35-38; Mark 13:33-37)
- The Laborers in the Vineyard or The Generous Employer (Matthew 20:1-16)
- The Money in Trust or The Talents (Matthew 25:14-30; Luke 19:12-27)
- The Lamp (Matt 5:14-16; Mark 4:21; Luke 8:16, 11:31) and The City Set on a Hill (Matt. 5:14b)
- The Body's Lamp (Matthew 6:22 f.; Luke 11:34-36)
- The Discarded Salt (Matt 5:13; Mark 9:50; Luke 14:34 f.)
- The Patch and the Wineskins (Matthew 9:16 f.; Mark 2:21 f.; Luke 5:36-39)
- ✓ The Householder's Treasure (Matthew 13:52)
- ✓ The Dishonest Steward (Luke 16:1-12)
- The Defendant (Luke 12:58 f.; Matthew 5:25 f.)
- The Unforgiving Official or The Unmerciful Servant (Matthew 18:23-35)
- The Rich Fool (Luke 12:16-21)
- The Wicked Vinedressers (Matthew 21:33-41; Mark 12:1-9; Luke 20:9-16)
- The Two Builders (Matthew 7:24-27; Luke 6:47-49)
- The Two Debtors (Luke 7:41-43)
- The Hidden Treasure (Matthew 13:44)
- The Pearl of Great Price (Matthew 13:45 f.)
OPEN & CLOSED DOORS
- The Closed Door (Luke 13:24-30)
- The Doorkeeper (Mark 13:33-37; cf. Matt 24:42)
- The Thief in the Night and the Faithful Servants (Matthew 24:42-51.; Luke 12:32-48.)
- The Strong Man Bound (Matthew 12:29; Mark 3:27; Luke 11:21 f.)
- The Divided Realm (Mark 3:24-26; Luke 11:17-20)
- The Unoccupied House or The Demon's Invasion (Matthew 12:43-45; Luke 11:24-26)
- The Importunate Neighbor (Luke 11:5-8)
- The Son's Request (Matthew 7:9-11; Luke 11:11-13)
- The Unjust Judge or The Importunate Widow (Luke 18:1-8)
- The Pharisee and the Publican (Luke 18:9-14)
WEDDINGS AND FEASTS
- The Sulking Children or The Children in the Marketplace (Matthew 11:16-19; Luke 7:31-35)
- The Arrogant Guest (Luke 14:7-11)
- The Bridegroom's Friend (John 3:28)
- The Bridegroom's Attendants (Matthew 9:15a; Mark 2:18 f.; Luke 5:34)
- The Bride's Girlfriends or Ten Virgins (Matt25:1-13)
- The Tower Builder and The Warring King (Luke 14:28-32)
- The Wedding Feast or The Unwilling Guests (Matt 22:1-10; Luke 14:16-24)
- The Wedding Garment (Matthew 22:11-14)
- The Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31)
LOST AND FOUND, FATHER AND SON
- The Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37)
- The Prodigal Son or The Loving Father (Luke 15:11-32)
- The Two Sons, The Apprentice Son, and The Slave and Son (Matthew 21:28-32; John 5:19-20a; John 3:35)
- The Lost Coin (Luke 15:8-10)
- The Lost Sheep (Matthew 28:12-14; Luke 15:4-7)
- The Shepherd, the Thief, and the Doorkeeper (John 10:1-18)
- The Doctor and the Sick (Matthew 9:12; Mark 2:17; Luke 5: 31 f.)
- The Great Assize or The Sheep and the Goats (Matthew 25:31-46)
NEW AND OLD
- The New and old clothes and wine (Luke 5:36- 39)
References
- ↑ 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:
