A parable is a short simple story from which a moral lesson may be drawn. It is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning.
Jesus often spoke parables using the realm of
Creation – using symbols such as seed, wheat, tares, fish, leaven, pearls, sheep, etc.
Human relationships – such as father and son, servant and master, bride and bridegroom, friends, etc.
There are various kinds of parables:
True parable: eg. the Good Samaritan or the Prodigal Son
Similitude: eg. the leaven in a meal
A few points to note in interpreting parables:
1 Every parable is designed to conceal and reveal one fundamental spiritual truth. All details of a parable find their significance in relation to its main point. The intended response by the audience is crucial to the point of each parable.
2 Parables involving symbols must be properly interpreted before the lesson of the parable can be rightly discerned. Scripture should interpret Scripture. Parables are different from allegories whereby elements in stories have quite different meanings from the stories themselves.
3 Interpretation should be based on the cultural context of what has been said.
4 Doctrine should not be solely founded on parabolic teaching.
Looking at an example used by our Lord where He gives the interpretation:
Parable: Matt 13:24-30 Interpretation: Matt 13:36-43
Kingdom of heaven like a man … Wheat gathered to barn Sower – Son of Man
Sowed seed The good seed – children of the kingdom
In his field The field is the world
The enemy The devil
Sowed tares Children of the wicked one
Wheat and tares grow together until harvest End of the world
The reapers The angels
Tares bundled to burn Wicked gathered and cast into fire
Wheat gathered to barn Righteous shine in the kingdom
The main point of this parable is that the wicked and righteous would be separated into their eternal destinies at the end.
As you read the parables of Jesus, don’t miss the point of each story and know who His intended audience was.
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