Words and Teachings of Jesus Christ
Of all the words and teachings of Jesus Christ in the Gospels, none so accurately reflect his distinctive expression as do the more than forty parables that the evangelists attribute to him. Indeed, for theologians as much as for Christians in general, no other passages seem to so perfectly capture distinctive voice and genius of Jesus as do the parables. This being said, however, it must be acknowledged that there is considerable controversy over the structure, the theology, and the very purpose of the parables themselves. For example, some theologians argue that differences between the parables in the various Gospels reflect differences in the theological approach of the evangelists. Other theologians argue that parables were intended by Jesus to fascinate "outsiders", while being unnecessary to those with an intimate relationship with Him and His Word. This paper will examine the tradition and interpretative of the parables. It will be argued that minor textual differences exist between parables in different gospels but all reflect the singular theology and ministry of Jesus. Moreover, the interpretation of the purpose of the parables as differentiating between an "in" and an "outsider" group will be shown
With an awareness of this purpose in mind, we may begin to investigate the nature and theology of Jesus' parables. The impact of this argument is significant for it appears to challenge the authorship of Jesus with regard to the most commonly known manifestation of His "voice". However, all of these exist under the broader theological paradigm of "compassionate vision which is the presupposition for ethical action". However, common sense would suggest that it would be surprising if the Gospels were otherwise. Conclusion As we have seen, the parables of Jesus in the Gospels have provoked considerable controversy among Biblical scholars for years. It is a voice that is both teacher and poet, and the parable is designed to provoke and inspire as much as illustrate: Their [rabbis'] stories are didactic figures, those of Jesus are poetic metaphors; theirs are subservient to the teaching situations, those of Jesus are subservient only to the experienced revelation, which seeks to articulate its presence in, by, and through them. Although God does His best to plant the seeds of His grace in us, the question as to whether they will take root and grow lies entirely within our power. In this context, it is clear that a consensus as to the nature of the parable is perhaps unattainable. Although the sower (Christ) has cast the seed of His Word upon the ground, it is in the power of individual Christians to accept or reject this seed for, as Mark notes, the "ground produces a crop by itself" that is beyond the control of the sower (Mark 4:28). One of the great paradoxes in Mark is that Peter, the one first called (1:16-17) who stands at the head of the Twelve (3:16), in his final appearance in the Gospel, goes "outside," where he denies that he ever knew Jesus (14:68-71). However, it should be noted that theologians are not in agreement on this point, for some - if not many - parables appear to demand allegorical interpretation. An Analysis of Representative Parables The parable of the "Good Samaritan" - found only in Luke(10:30-37) - illustrates the capacity of the parable form to invite and support a wide variety of interpretation. To illustrate this, we may examine the controversy over conflicting theological themes in Jesus' parables.
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Acceptance Essays
