The Paradox of Parables

One of the distinctive features of the life and ministry of Jesus Christ as recounted in the Gospels is the parable.  They are, in effect, stories that teach a lesson.  The parable is not unique to Jesus as noted by one source, “In all times in their history the Jews were familiar with teaching by means of parables and a number of parables also exist in the Old Testament.” 

Jesus used parables extensively as a method of teaching and can be considered the master of the form.  It has been calculated that one-third of the teachings of Jesus in the synoptic Gospels are in parables.  They are an effective way of making a point or teaching a lesson as people seem to be able to grasp them more easily that abstract concepts.  Indeed, everyone does like a good story and Jesus was a master story teller.  However, in some cases they do present difficulties in interpreting what exactly the lesson Jesus was trying to convey.

One of the most difficult is the parable of the dishonest manage.  This is the Gospel passage which I am blessed to have to preach on this Sunday and, I must say, is one that has challenged many preachers.  It is found in Luke 16: 1-13.  To summarize, a manager is dismissed for dishonesty.  He decides that he will discount the amount owed by his customers and falsifies the accounts to lesser give smaller amounts owing.  However, now comes the awkward twist.  When this is discovered he is praised by the owner because “he had acted with prudence”.  This is bad enough but to top it off Jesus adds the final coup de grace by apparently praising the actions of the manager by seeming to say that people who act this way will get their reward in heaven,  “And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of dishonest wealth so that when it is gone, they may welcome be you into the eternal homes.” 

I invite you to see what you can make of this rather unsettling, lesson which seems to turn the usual order in Jesus’ world upside down.  It is probably the best example of an some of the parables which are difficult to interpret.  Thankfully we have many which are, to our ears and eyes more straight-foreword such as The Prodigal Son or The Good Samaritan.

Turning back to the parable as a literary form utilized by Jesus, there has been extensive writing on this didactic form and how to appreciate it.  I find it is best to approach the parable as a story- one which has an unexpected turn:

Like many good stories, the parables of Jesus often include an unexpected turn of events in the plot. They do so to make a point. As Henry Virkler explains, “Frequently the unexpected shock appears for the purpose of catching the listeners’ attention and forcing them to reconsider their perspective.” For this reason, identifying this unexpected turn of events often helps the interpreter determine the main point of the parable as a whole.

A good source for engaging with Jesus parables and delving into them more deeply can be found at http://www.biblicalexpositor.org/home/180007636/180007636/Audio/9-INTERPRETING%20PARABLES.pdf.  This gives a scholarly exploration of the parable and can be very helpful in getting a firmer grasp on Jesus’ mastery of the form.  Here are a few of these points which are developed to be most helpful in approaching the parables:

·          Each of the parables of Jesus was told in a context and was specifically aimed at addressing a particular need, question, problem, or situation… some parables were told in response to a specific question, a specific request, a specific complaint, or a specific misconception 

·         One of the most important steps in the process of determining the central point of the parable is to determine the specific points of correspondence. This involves taking the main characters/features of the parable and identifying the corresponding points of comparison in the spiritual realm.

·         Recognize that not every aspect in the parable has special significance. There is usually one main lesson to be learned.  The parable of the dishonest manager the final line is provides this for us, “You cannot serve God and wealth.“ 

Above all, I would invite you to explore the many parables of Jesus – there are fifty-five in the synoptic Gospels.  There is much wisdom contained in them which is valuable for us regardless of your religious or spiritual understanding of life.

Blessings on your journey.