– 8 min read
Introduction
Parables are some of the most fond and memorable parts of Jesus’ teaching. The parables of The Lost Sheep or The Good Samaritan are known by many people who are not even Christians. In the parables, Jesus is contrasting heavenly realities with our earthly reality. When asked why He spoke in parables, Jesus answered the disciples and said, “To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven…” (Matt. 13:11). But what they sometimes mean is debated. Below is a list of methods and principles in understanding and interpreting parables.
- What is a parable?[1]
- It is a theologically charged earthly story used to teach one about heavenly realities by comparison (Matthew 13:10-11).[2]
- It is a form of teaching associated with Jesus.
- Though also used by Ezekiel (Ezekiel 17:1-10, 24:3-5).
- They do not contain real characters, events, or history; rather, it is a made-up story that uses well-known figures, items, places, and contexts.
- What is not a parable?
- Metaphor
- A metaphor seeks to describe something by saying that it is something else. It makes a direct connection between two things.
- Example: “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” (Psalm 23:1)
- Example: “Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life…’” (John 6:35)
- Example: “I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved…” (John 10:9)
- A parable does not do this. It is not directly connecting the things of heaven to the things of earth. That would flatten and mix them both to become indistinguishable. Parables have comparison in them.
- A metaphor seeks to describe something by saying that it is something else. It makes a direct connection between two things.
- Simile
- Though close to a parable, a simile compares two things to each other by using the word “like” or “as”.
- Example: “beloved… with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day.” (2 Peter 3:8)
- Though this is an important component of parables, because they are saying, “the kingdom of heaven is like…“, it would be too simplistic a definition.
- Example: “beloved… with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day.” (2 Peter 3:8)
- Though close to a parable, a simile compares two things to each other by using the word “like” or “as”.
- Illustration
- Though parables do illustrate things, an illustration usually comes at the end of the dialogue or after the teaching. After someone has taught, commanded, or explained something, they can use an illustration to further communicate what they are trying to say. But sometimes, Jesus led with parables, not ended. Occasionally, Jesus would just give a parable and nothing else. Parables hardly seem to be used in the same way as illustrations.
- Some of Jesus parables have more details and moving parts than are typically found in illustrations.
- Analogy
- Analogies are often lengthier and more complex than parables. Analogies offer more complex storytelling (such as The Pilgrim’s Progress) to illustrate more than one singular point, like parables. Parables also contain power of life-changing truth inside of them, where analogies can only allude to it.
- Metaphor
- Where are they found?
- In Jesus’ teaching as revealed in the synoptic Gospels.[3]
- Matthew 13, 18, 21, 22, 24, 25
- Mark 4, 12, 13
- Luke 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21
- In Jesus’ teaching as revealed in the synoptic Gospels.[3]
- Are there multiple meanings in parables?
- Typically, each parable has one central meaning.[4]
- More than one implication can be drawn from a single parable; however, there is always one main, overarching point driving the parable, and this should be given the focus of the interpreter.
- We should consider the reason(s).
- If Jesus had a reason for giving a parable, then there is a meaning. If Jesus had reasons for giving a parable, then there could be meanings.
- Typically, each parable has one central meaning.[4]
- How do we arrive at the right understanding and interpretation of parables?
1. Determine the context.
- Locate where the Biblical Authors place the parable in their narrative.
- Example: Luke may place the anointing of Jesus with perfume (Luke 7:36-48) before the Parable of the Sower (8:4-8), when Matthew, Mark, and John place it much later in the timeline (Matthew 13:3-9, 26:6-13; Mark 4:3-9, 14:3-9; John 12:1-8), because he saw fit to highlight the different responses to the word of God, as seen in the woman and the Pharisees and how those who “do the word of God” truly are Jesus’ family (Luke 8:19-21).
- Locate where the parable appears in the logic and flow of Jesus’ teaching.
- Spot the beginning and ending of the scenes and then become familiar with all Jesus is doing and saying in that section.
- Trace the logic and progression of the scene that leads into the parable you are studying for a better understanding.
- Example: We see that the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant in Matthew 18:23-34 comes after Peter asks Jesus how many times he should forgive his brother who sins against him (18:21); and this came after Jesus taught on how to handle sin in the church (18:15-18).
- Discover the immediate audience whom Jesus is addressing.
- Look for details such as who Jesus is around, where he is, or who the Biblical Author points out in the mixed crowd.
- Example: Observe how the Parable of the Prodigal Son was given because the Pharisees and the scribes were upset that Jesus received and ate with sinners (Luke 15:2), so Jesus rightly ends the parable with the elder brother who was angry with his father because of the love shown to his younger brother (15:25-32).
- Odds are the details of the parable will be drawn from the audience he is addressing.
- Example: When Jesus tells the Parable of the Wedding Feast (Luke 14:8-11) and the Parable of the Dinner (14:16-24), he is currently at a dinner with scholars of the Law and Pharisees (14:1,3).
2. Determine the content.
- Carefully read the parable.
- Note the characters.
- Example: Observe the woman who lost and then found her coin, calling “her friends and neighbors” to rejoice with her, reveals to us how the heavenly hosts gather together to celebrate the finding of one lost sinner (Luke 15:8-10).
- Note the items.
- Example: Observe how the fig tree forecasts the future by the sign of its leaves (Mark 13:28), so too the people of God can understand the future through the signs of the times (13:1-27,29).
- Note the setting.
- Example: Observe that the setting provided by Jesus in the Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-35) is on a road from Jerusalem to Jericho (10:30).
- Note the actions.
- Example: Observe the actions of the man and the merchant who found such priceless things, such as treasure in a field or a valuable pearl, and sold all they had so that they may buy them (Matthew 13:44-46). These actions teach us how a sinner should react upon hearing the good news of the kingdom.
- Note the dialogue.
- Example: We cannot begin to understand the Parable of the Prodigal Son without first paying attention to the dialogue between the father and his two sons (Luke 15:11-32). Without this, the parable would have no effect.
- Note the characters.
3. Determine the meaning.
- First, see if Jesus or the Biblical Author provides the interpretation of the parable.
- Example #1: Jesus never gives the crowd he is addressing the meaning of the Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:1-8); he simply says, “He who has ears, let him hear” (13:9). It is not until later, when he is alone with his disciples, that he explains the parable (13:18-23).
- Example #2: Mark tells us that the Parable of the Vine-Growers (Mark 12:1-8) is about the “chief priests and the scribes and the elders” (11:27, 12:12).
- Example #3: Luke tells us the purpose of Jesus telling his disciples the Parable of the Unjust Judge and Two Men in the Temple (Luke 18:2-14) was “to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart” (18:1). Therefore, these parables need to be interpreted through the lens of Jesus’ purpose of telling them in the first place.
- If not provided, then see if Jesus gives an exhortation immediately after the parable.
- Example: The exhortation Jesus gives before the Parable of the Good Samaritan, “do this and you will live” (Luke 10:28), is the same as the exhortation he gives after it, “Go and do the same” (10:37b). The meaning of the parable is to love your neighbor, who is everyone you come in contact with, especially those who are in need (10:27,36-37a).
- If none of the above appear to be present, then ask, “What is the purpose of this parable?”
- Note the question states “purpose” and not “purposes”.
- Properly analyze the parable, seeking to uncover the whole reason Jesus is teaching it in the first place.
- See what happened before the parable.
- Perform a process of elimination.
- Example: The Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32) reveals similar characteristics and behaviors in the father as we may find in God; however, we should note that the purpose of the parable is not to shed light on the economy of the Godhead, but how the Pharisees and scribes are wrong to grumble against Jesus being merciful towards sinners (see above).
- Do not attribute spiritual meaning to every detail in the parable.
- Example: Some have interpreted that the treasure in the field is the church (Matthew 13:44), the field is the world, and the man who sells all he has is Jesus coming to die on the cross to purchase her.
- This interpretation would be prevented if the above methods and principles were followed.
- If you think that every detail in the parable is compared to something heavenly or spiritual, then you will unavoidably run into having multiple meanings in your interpretation. This will result in either mixing the real meaning with other unwarranted ones or actually missing Jesus meaning altogether, therefore having His purpose for giving it undetected and lost.
- Example: Some have interpreted that the treasure in the field is the church (Matthew 13:44), the field is the world, and the man who sells all he has is Jesus coming to die on the cross to purchase her.
4. Apply the meaning.
- Once the meaning of the parable is determined, one then applies it to the modern audience as Jesus did to the biblical audience.
- The meaning of the parable transcends time because it is based on eternal heavenly realities.
- Some parables may contain details that need to be translated to modern culture.
- Example #1: Some English translations will say “drachma,” which is a Roman silver coin, instead of just “coin” in the Parable of the Lost Coin in Luke 15:8-10.
Conclusion
Parables are no different from every genre found in the Bible (Narrative, Law, Poetry, Wisdom, Prophecy, Epistle); they have rules of interpretation assumed in them, and those rules are to be understood and not forgotten. However, this does not mean that if you do not have a list of rules in front of you, then you cannot interpret parables or any other text in the Bible properly; many faithful Christians read and understand the Bible correctly without any formal training or reference to principled hermeneutics. We are all interpreters, and you, as a Christian, have the Holy Spirit in you to “guide you into all the truth” of God’s word (John 16:13). And yet, we still acknowledge that we are not perfect and that we can all better our understanding and interpretation of the Bible. Just because we have the Spirit in us does not mean we get to check our brains and intellect at the door. I hope these principles and methods help you enjoy God’s word and challenge you to grow in your ability as an interpreter.
[1] “A Parable is a figure of speech in which a comparison is made between God’s kingdom, actions, or expectations and something in this world, real or imagined.” – Arland J. Hultgren, The Parables of Jesus.
[2] Robert Plummer, 40 Questions About Interpreting the Bible, Second Edition (Kregal Academic, Grand Rapids, MI, 2021) 283.
[3] Though some propose that there are parables located in the Gospel of John, such as John 3:8, 3:29, 4:35–36, 5:19–20, 8:35, 10:1–5, 11:9–10, 12:24, 12:35–36, 16:21. See Peter Krol, The Parables of Jesus: Revealing the Secrets of God’s Kingdom, (https://www.logos.com/grow/nook-parables-of-jesus/).
[4] It is best to say that parables only contain one meaning. This idea will best serve Christians as they handle and interpret parables. However, this is highly contested and debated amongst Christians. Some feel very comfortable in having a parable mean multiple things, but this would belong to the understanding that parables are more like an analogy, wherein the surrounding details of the parable can symbolize something greater than themselves and point to some spiritual reality or truth.