Pondering the Parables – The Prolegomena (The Stuff We Need to Know Before We Go)
Finally, some new content! After promising new devotional/Bible study content for what seems like ages, I have finally found the energy and confidence to create the first entry. Today kicks off our journey through the parables. We will focus on their historical and Biblical context, their form and structure, their significance in teaching theological truths and how Jesus used them to affect the thinking and behavior of His followers. We will also spend some time regarding how parables have been taken out of context and misappropriated, leading to distorted interpretations. As we begin, I acknowledge beforehand my scholarly “conversation partners,” Klyne Snodgrass (Stories with Intent: A Comprehensive Guide to the Parables of Jesus, Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2014) and Richard Lischer (Reading the Parables, Westminster John Know Press, 2008). These scholars, along with my own personal research and experience as a Bible teacher have shaped these devotionals.
As we start our journey pondering the parables, I want to highlight the following “bullet points” that we will continuously fall back on as we reflect on the text:
1. Parables are an ancient storytelling, theological teaching art form within Judaism.
2. Parables are simple stories with simple plots, not complex novels.
3. Parables are fictional and often feature anonymous characters.
4. They take place in earthly settings, focusing on human experiences.
5. Parables utilize comparison and contrast to communicate theological truths (in the classic Jewish teaching style)
6. The element of surprise or reversal is key in Jesus's parables.
7. Parables are stories with intent, aiming to provoke thought and change.
8. Context is crucial for understanding the message of a parable.
9. Overinterpreting the parables (through moralizing, allegorizing and/or extracting from the context) can lead to misinterpretation.
Our next episode will focus on Matthew 20: 1-16, The Workers in the Vineyard
Shalom שָׁלוֹם
D-Wach
