Lecture 14: The Book of Revelation and the Symmetry of the Christian Bible

Lecture 14: The Book of Revelation and the Symmetry of the Christian Bible

Before beginning this lecture you may want to . . .

     Read the book of Revelation (Bible, King James Version).

Introduction:

The final book of the Christian Bible, The Revelation of St. John the Divine, is

the Bible's most extensive piece of apocalyptic literature-a vision, set forth in elaborate and arcane symbols, of the end of the current, corrupted world order, and its replacement by a new and perfected cosmos. The Book of Revelation gives the Christian Bible a strong sense not only of closure but of symmetry, for just as history began in Genesis 1 with the creation of the heavens and earth, so it ends with the creation of a new heaven and new earth, in which elements of Eden re-appear within the Holy City, the New Jerusalem.

Consider this. . .

To what sort of readers is Revelation most likely to appeal? What sort of readers are less likely to find its vision of history appealing?

The Book of Revelation and the Symmetry of the Christian Bible.

I. What is apocalyptic literature?

D.H. Lawrence said "By the time I was ten years old I am sure I had heard, and read, that book [Revelation] ten times over. . . It has had, and perhaps still has more influence than the gospels or [Paul's] epistles."

A An apocalypse is a vision of the world being replaced by a new and bet­

ter world. An apocalypse is the Greek term for the word revelation.

B. The Biblical genre of apocalyptic literature may be traced to Isaiah 24-27, Daniel 7-12, and Mark 13 (the so-called "Marcan apocalypse"); the Book of Revelation is, however, the Bible's most extensive piece of apocalyp­tic literature.

C. John Milton, from his The Reason of Church Government (1642), had this to say about the Biblical book of Revelation: "The Apocalypse of St. John is the majestic image of a high and stately tragedy, shutting up and intermingling her solemn scenes and acts with a sevenfold chorus of hal­lelujahs and harping symphonies. "

D. The Biblical scholars Gabel and Wheeler had this to say about why Revelation was written: ''The author believed his own days to be the worst possible days and thus surely the last days... The faithful were to be encouraged to persevere during this bad time, because their deliver­ance was soon to come. "

E. The deliverance of the faithful was to come, as in the words of Rufus Jones, "the fierce comfort of an apocalyptic relief expedition from the sky. "

F. Apocalypses speak especially to proud and oppressed peoples who have despaired of ever saving themselves through their own merely human efforts. Gabel and Wheeler say apocalyptic writings envision "a flash of divine power, followed immediately by harsh punishment for those who have taken advantage of the misery of others and, conversely, by glorious rewards for those who have suffered undeservedly. "

Part II. The historical context of Revelation.   The Book of Revelation was written around 95 AD. by St. John of Patmos for his fellow Christians of Asia Minor (pre­sent-day Turkey), who suffered persecu­tion under the reign of the Roman Emperor Domitian. (81-96 AD.)

A There are a number of allusions to per­secution under Domitian in Revelation. For example in chapter 1, verse 9, "I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the king­dom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ." Roman authorities often banished individuals to islands like Patmos.

B. John also mentions other elements of persecution in Revelation 2: 13 (the death of a martyr) and arrest of other Christians in chapter 2: 1 O.

Part III. The Symmetry of the Christian Bible.

According to the Christian Bible, the plot of history is symmetrical: it begins with the creation of heaven and earth, and ends, after a wave of purifying violence, with the creation of a new heav­en and earth.

A. Christianity provides a prospective view of history, always looking ahead. Man begins in paradise and is looking forward to another paradise. This is echoed in chapter 1:8 of Revelation in the first words attributed to God, "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty."

B. The new heaven and earth will only come after a period of horrific violence destroying the world. This purifying violence comes from the opening of seven seals and the sounding of seven trumpets. First there are the four horsemen, then the natural disasters that echo the plagues in Exodus.

C. The most disturbing image of destruction comes in chapter 14:19-20:

    19. And the angel thrust his sickle into the earth, and gathered the

    vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath

    of God.

20. And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs. (Revelation 14:19-20, KJV)

D. This carnage ends the world as we know it. Poised between this destruc­tion and the new kingdom is the 1,OOO-year reign of Christ on earth-The Millennium. In the words of Revelation:

1. And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the

       bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.

2. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil,

       and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,

3. And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thou­sand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little

season. (Revelation 20:1-3, KJV)

The Millennium of Revelation corresponds to the seventh day of rest in

Genesis 1-2, in a sort of mystic symmetry.

E. After the Millennium is over the world will come to an end. Then comes the Final Judgment where the evil are thrown into the lake of fire. Then

arises the climax of John's vision-a version of Eden reappears within

the Holy City of the end-time, the New Jerusalem.

1. And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and

       the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

2. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God

       out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

       3. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the taberna­

       cle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall bo

       his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

       4. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall bo

       no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be tiny

       more pain: for the former things are passed away.

5. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. Allel

       he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

6. And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the begin.

       ning and the end. (Revelation 21:1-6, KJV)

       We also see a replica of Eden (Genesis 2) in the New Jerusalem.

1. And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, pro

       ceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.

2. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was

there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded

her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing

of the nations. (Revelation 22:1-2, KJV)

 In the end the garden (Eden) will reconcile with the city (Jerusalem), and nature will reconcile with art.

IV. Before the historical end-time, can Eden be in some sense regained, internally, within the individual believer?

A. Milton's Christian answer is that the individual believer can cultivate "a

   paradise within thee, happier far." (Paradise Lost 12:585-87)

   B. English authors after Milton share his idea of a paradise within, though

   many don't share his Christian faith. Thus began the Romantic move­

   ment, one that searched for a paradise within, often through nature.

C. Wordsworth's post-Christian answer: to the mind wedded to Nature, par­

   adise might be "a simple produce of the common day." ("Prospectus" to

The Recluse)

Paradise, and groves

Elysian, Fortunate Fields-like those of old

Sought in the Atlantic Main-why should they be

A history only of departed things,

Or a mere fiction of what never was?

For the discerning intellect of Man,

When wedded to this goodly universe

In love and holy passion, shall find these

A simple produce of the common day. (The Recluse)

   This holy marriage with the external universe creates a new world.

D. This longing to recover paradise is shared by Blake, Coleridge and

   Shelley, and in a different form by Marx. T.S. Eliot gives us a sentiment we can apply to this course on the Bible as a whole. He first announces ("East Coker," No.2 of Four Quartets) “my beginning is my end. " He ends with

   We shall not cease from exploration

   And the end of all our exploring

      Will be to arrive where we started

       And know the place for the first time.

("Little Gidding," No.4 of Four Quartets).

FOR GREATER UNDERSTANDING

Consider

1. What is an "apocalypse," and why do apocalyptic visions typically

involve extensively detailed violence and destruction?

2. In what ways are Eden and the New Jerusalem similar, and in what

ways are they different?

3. What does it mean to internalize the apocalypse?

Suggested Reading

Eliot, T.S. Four Quartets. New York: Harcourt Brace, Jovanovich, 1971. Gabel, John B., Charles B. Wheeler, and Anthony D. York. The Bible as

Literature: An Introduction. 4th ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 2000.

Milton, John. Paradise Lost. New York: Penguin Classics, Penguin

      USA, 2000.

Wordsworth, William. The Maior Works. New York: Oxford University

      Press, 2000.

Other Books of Interest

Abrams, M.H. Natural Supernaturalism: Tradition and Revolution in

Romantic Literature. New York: W.W. Norton and Company, 1971. Gentry, Kenneth L., et.al. Four Views on the Book of Revelation. Grand

   Rapids: Zondervan, 1998.

Metzger, Bruce M. Breaking the Code: Understanding the Book of

            Revelation. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1999.

Summary:

The Christian Bible constitutes an account of the world and of humanity from beginning to end: from a paradise lost at the beginning of time, to an equivalent

paradise regained at the end of time as we know it. The Christian scheme of

history involves humanity in a circuitous journey back to its original blessedness, but in the end paradise will be everlasting. Christian theology since Paul and Augustine has suggested that aspects of the paradise at the end of time might be recovered internally within the individual believer. This thirst for and belief in an inner paradise takes a post-Christian turn in the literature of the English Romantics: to Wordsworth and others, the return to Eden symbolizes a return to our primal sympathies with nature and with one another.

1. http://www.brysons.net/miltonweb/index.html- text of The Reason of

Church Government on-line. 2. http://www.brysons.net/miltonweb/pl.html- text of Paradise Lost on-line. 3. http://www.everypoet.com/archive/poetry/William- Wordsworth/william,

    wordsworth_301.htm - words to The Recluse on-line.

4. http://www.tristan.icom43.netlquartets/ - text of The Four Quartets on-line.

DANIEL: THE APOCALYPSE OF THE OLD COVENANT

The Old Testament, like the New, contains a single apoca­lyptic book, Daniel. A devout Jew exiled to the court of Babylon, Daniel interprets the prophetic dreams of a number of emperors. One of these dreams is apocalyptic: Nebuchadnezzar dreams of a statue, composed of layers of varying metals, destroyed by a large stone. Daniel interprets the statue as a succession of idolatrous empires, all of which come to an end with God's establishment of "a kingdom which shall never be destroyed." (Daniel 2:44) Daniel himself has four apocalyptic

visions, interpreted for him by the angel Gabriel. Two of these-detailed in chapters

7 and 8-consist of a series of grotesque beasts that represent the empires of the Babylonians, Medes, Persians, and Greeks. Their reigns are ended when "the Ancient of Days" judges the world and gives power to "one like the Son of Man." (Daniel 7:13) Chapter 9 also looks forward to the end of oppressive empires but uses numerical rather than zoomor­phic symbols. Chapters 10, 11,

and 12 describe a single vision that culminates in Daniel's prophecy of the resurrection of the dead: "And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and somo

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NUMBER SYMBOLISM IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION

The Book of Revelation is a vision set forth in elaborate and arcane symbols of the events that will bring the current world order to an end, and introduce in its stead a new and perfected earth, figured in the text as the "New Jerusalem." By envisioning history in cosmic terms, using sym­bolic imagery, John sought to comfort and encourage the Church during the time of Roman persecution. To interpret Revelation one must come to know the symbolic meaning of the terms being used in almost the same way as a person trying to break a code. An understanding of numerology is helpful. Many numbers have symbolic meaning. Thus seven symbolizes completeness and perfection. God's work of creation was perfect and completed in seven days. The seven churches (Rev. 2:3) symbolize by their number all the churches. After seven the most significant number is twelve. The tribes of Israel and the disciples number twelve. New Jerusalem has twelve gates. Its walls have twelve foundations (21:12-14). The tree of life yields twelve kinds of fruit (22:2). Multiples of twelve are important. The 144,000 servants of God (7:4) are made of 12,000 from each of the twelve tribes of Israel.  Three as a symbolic number often indicates complete­ ness. Thus the Trinity is the complete God. Four is often used as a sacred number. Thus one reads of the four living creatures sur­rounding God (4:6-7). God sends forth the four horse­ men of the Apocalypse (6: 1-8) to bring destruction

to the earth,

An Outline of the Parables of Jesus

A parable is a short, simple story designed to communicate a spiritual truth, religious principle, or moral lesson; a figure of speech in which truth is illustrated by a comparison or example drawn from everyday experiences.

A parable is often no more than an extended metaphor or simile, using figurative language in the form of a story to illustrate a particular truth. The Greek word for "parable" literally means "a laying by the side of" or "a casting alongside," thus "a comparison or likeness." In a parable something is placed alongside something else, in order that one may throw light on the other. A familiar custom or incident is used to illustrate some truth less familiar.

Although Jesus was the master of the parabolic form, He was not the first to use parables. Examples of the effective use of parables are found in the Old Testament. Perhaps the best known of these is Nathan's parable of the rich man who took the little ewe lamb that belonged to a poor man (2 Samuel 12:1-4). By means of this parable, Nathan reproved King David and convicted him of his sin of committing adultery with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 12:5-15). A wise woman of Tekoa also used a parable (2 Samuel 14:5-7) to convince King David to let his son return to Jerusalem.

Jesus' characteristic method of teaching was through parables. His two most famous parables are the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32) and the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). Both parables illustrate God's love for sinners and God's command that we show compassion to all people. Actually, the parable of the prodigal son (sometimes called the parable of the lost son or the parable of the loving father) is the story of two lost sons: the younger son (typical of tax collectors and prostitutes) who wasted possessions with indulgent living, and the older son (typical of the self-righteous scribes and Pharisees) who remained at home but was a stranger to his father's heart.

Some entire chapters in the Gospels are devoted to Jesus' parables; for instance, Matthew 13 -which contains the parables of the sower (vv. 1-23), the wheat and the tares (vv. 24-30), the mustard seed (vv. 31-32), the leaven (vv. 33), the hidden treasure (vv. 44), the pearl of great price (vv. 45-46), and the dragnet (vv. 47-52).

Although parables are often memorable stories, impressing the listener with a clear picture of the truth, even the disciples were sometimes confused as to the meaning of parables. For instance, after Jesus told the parable of the wheat and the tares (Matthew 13:24-30), the disciples needed interpretation in order to understand its meaning (Matthew 13:36-43). Jesus sometimes used the parabolic form of teaching to reveal the truth to those that followed Him and to conceal the truth from those who did not (Matthew 13:10-17; Mark 4:10-12; Luke 8:9-10). His parables thus fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah 6:9-10. Like a double-edged sword, they cut two ways -enlightening those who sought the truth and blinding those who were disobedient.

Most of Jesus' parables have one central point. Thus, Bible students should not resort to fanciful interpretations that find "spiritual truth" in every minute detail of the parable. The central point of the parable of the Good Samaritan is that the "hated" Samaritan proved to be a neighbor to the wounded man. He showed the traveler mercy and compassion denied to him by the priest and the Levite, representatives of the established religion. The one central point of this parable is that we should also extend compassion to others -even those who are not of our own nationality, race, or religion (Luke 10:25-37).

In finding the central meaning of a parable, the Bible student needs to discover the meaning the parable had in the time of Jesus. We need to relate the parable to Jesus' proclamation of the kingdom of God and to His miracles. This means that parables are more than simple folk stories; they are expressions of Jesus' view of God, people, salvation, and the new age that dawned in His ministry. A good example of this approach are the parables dealing with the four "lost" things in Luke 15:3-32: the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the two lost sons. The historical context is found in Luke 15:1-2: Jesus had fellowship with tax collectors and sinners. The Pharisees and scribes, the "religious experts" of Jesus' day, saw such action as disgusting because, in their view, it transgressed God's holiness. If Jesus truly were a righteous man, they reasoned, then He would not associate with such people; He would keep Himself pure and separate from sinners.

In response to their murmuring, Jesus told them parables. God rejoices more, He said, over the repentance of one sinner (those sitting with Him at the table) than over "ninety-nine just persons which need no repentance" (Luke 15:7) -that is, than over the religious professionals who congratulate themselves over their own self-achieved "righteousness" (see the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector; Luke 18:9-14). Likewise, the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-24) represents the tax collectors and sinners; the older son (Luke 15:25-32) represents the scribes and the Pharisees.

A major theme in Jesus' parables is the demand of following Him in authentic discipleship. In the parable of the great supper (Luke 14:15-24), Jesus showed clearly that the time for decision is now. In the parable of the unfinished tower and the king going to war (Luke 14:28-32), Jesus demanded that His followers be prepared to give up all. In the parables of the hidden treasure and the pearl of great price (Matthew 13:44-46), Jesus stated that the kingdom of heaven is of such value that all other treasures in life are of secondary worth. Jesus' parables are a call to a radical decision to follow Him.

Parables and Meaning

John Vooys

A young man left the tiny island of Barbados in order to seek his fortune in New York City. He apparently did rather well, but refused to send money back to his destitute parents. Every time he got a promotion, his letters would boast, “Mom, I just got another feather in my cap!” After a while, however, his fortunes changed and he became poverty-stricken.

In his misery he longed to return home, so he wrote his parents asking them to send him money for plane fare. He received this reply: “You know all those feathers you talked about having in your cap? Well, just stick them in your posterior and fly on home!” (Adapted from Wickham 1994: A 16).
Here is a “prodigal son” story from the West Indies with an unexpected “punch-line,” yet it shows that parables are still being used to hammer home a point, and it also shows that they are just as fascinating to people today as they were in Christ’s day. {37}

A PARABLE’S IMPACT

If we were to parody a recent commercial for breakfast cereal, we might say: “The parables of Jesus: Hear them again for the first time.” And so we should. Though the times have changed since they were first spoken and recorded, their impact may be new every time one “hears” them. This is so even though what they “say” does not change; the words are fixed. However, what they communicate, that is, how they are “heard,” may change, depending on the circumstances of the reader. Here is all the more reason to interpret them in such a way as to ensure their intended impact is not lost.

A quote from Gary Inrig’s popular book, The Parables: Understanding What Jesus Meant, is appropriate. He tells that the American playwright Arthur Miller once observed, “In every successful drama there is something which makes a person say, ‘Hey! That’s me!’ ” Inrig states, “The story becomes the mirror in which self-recognition produces self-understanding” (1991:7).

“A mirror in which self-recognition produces self-understanding”? Isn’t that the effect parables often have? Don’t we see this happening in the Gospels? When Jesus told about the parable of the tenants (Matthew 21:33ff.), the chief priests and Pharisees said, “Hey! That’s us!” They didn’t like the way the mirror portrayed them, so they reacted by wanting to arrest Jesus (v. 46a). Even a short illustration arising out of Christ’s meeting with the rich young man (Matthew 19: 16ff.) evoked a similar response. The humorous statement, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God,” caused the disciples to say “Hey! that’s us!” They conclude, “Who then can be saved?” (v. 25).

Are the two examples, a longer story and a “one-liner,” both parables? In a sense they are. Wenham points out, “The Greek word ‘parable’ (parabole), and particularly the Hebrew and Aramaic word (mashal/mathla) are very broad terms, which can be used of pictorial sayings and stories of all sorts” (1989:12). However, the text Geddert is dealing with would better fit Scott’s definition: “A parable is a mashal that employs a short narrative fiction to reference a symbol. . . . In Jesus’ parables the symbol is the kingdom of God” (1989:8). It would have been helpful if Geddert had said something about the definition of parables.

APPROACHES TO PARABLE INTERPRETATION

 

Geddert highlights the importance of taking the text of a parable as it is given in Scripture. This is commendable and better than haggling over what and how it was actually said. There is little to be gained, other than {38} for academic interest, in seeking to find the actual words the historical Jesus spoke, or in suggesting that parables are the inventions of the Gospel writers who merely put them into the mouth of Jesus. If one wishes detailed studies on such topics, these may be found in the better commentaries and in more technical works such as Scott’s Hear Then the Parable: A Commentary on the Parables of Jesus. This is not to suggest that we ignore issues of sources or textual problems. However, once we have considered them, and once we have established the best text, we deal with the text as given in the canon.
I have some difficulty with Geddert’s suggestion that we abandon the idea that parables have only one meaning. It is true that if this is a fixed principle, one would miss the multi-levels of meaning of some few parables such as that of the “Sower and the Seed” and, of course, the so-called “Parable of the Prodigal Son.” However, I would still suggest that it is a good principle to hold that, in general, a parable has only one meaning, as intended by the “someone” who is seeking to communicate. So, although not a hard and fast rule, this principle guards against the allegorical approach and the very thing Geddert fears, that of exegetes making the parables say almost anything.

Dismissing the allegorical method of interpreting parables is timely, since the temptation to tackle the parables in this way is not limited to Augustine’s or Origen’s day. Likewise, any new approach which ignores the historical context, such as reader-response criticism, also needs to be rejected. Such a hermeneutic allows the parables to say almost anything. As Wenham puts it, “The trouble with such unhistorical interpretations is that they are often more a reflection of the ideas of the Christian interpreter than of the ideas likely to have been in Jesus’ own mind” (1989:15).

We are thus reminded of, and cannot stress too often, how crucial the historical, cultural or biblical context is to any exegesis of the parables. Wenham goes so far as to say that context “is probably the key to the proper interpretation of the parables of Jesus.” He adds, “We need to understand the parables of Jesus, first within their overall historical context, second within the context of Jesus’ teaching and ministry, and third within the context of the gospels in which they are found” (1989: 16).
Such context study is necessary for all parables, and especially for those which, in our world, seem to include obscure economic and cultural practices such as are, for example, found in the “Parable of the Shrewd Manager.”

HEARING THE PARABLE TODAY

Since our concern is with contemporary relevance/application, it is important to consider the context of the modern hearers/readers as well {39}. Let us not assume that the intent of someone’s communication will be adequately understood, when today’s hearers/ readers are not in, nor even aware of, the “world” of the original hearers. It is essential that the teacher or preacher, as exegete, knows about this world and also imparts that knowledge to those who are the recipients of their work. Geddert’s example of how the story of the prodigal son was received by Arab peasants is instructive. It differs drastically from how North American urban professionals would receive it. However, it does raise the question, “Did these modern peasants hear it in the way Christ intended it in the first place?” While one culture’s reaction to a parable may be quite different from another, it is possible that either one or both may be wrong! Is there a place then for contextualization as well as interpretation?

One approach, of course, is to do a re-write of the whole parable, in order to give a dynamic equivalent, to contextualize it. We could use parallel characters of the modern day, such as Fee and Stuart have done with the Good Samaritan story: the victim becomes a family of disheveled, unkempt individuals in distress; the religious leaders become a local bishop and a prominent service organization president; the Samaritan comes in the guise of an outspoken local atheist (1982:133). Contact!

One thing is very clear from Geddert’s work. If we wish people to interact with the parables, as he suggests, then we as pastors, teachers, exegetes, will need to pose relevant questions in order to allow people to probe deeper than is normally done. Such probing will thus “catch” them. This is similar to what Jesus himself did with the “expert in the law,” when he turned his question, “Who is my neighbor?” into the question, “Who acted neighborly?”

Geddert’s approach in “catching” the hearers was not fully successful. We were encouraged to move from asking “What kind of laws were disobeyed?” to “What kinds of relationships were broken?” As we focus on the prodigal’s behavior, we are tempted to excuse ourselves by saying, “What did we do wrong, what laws did we break?” However, though we may dismiss the charge of illicit sex as simply the jealous imaginings of the self-righteous brother, all the prodigal’s actions were, in fact, a contravention of an important law. This law is the fifth commandment, “Honor your father and your mother.” Disobeying it demonstrated the very broken relationship which Geddert highlights. So Geddert’s conclusion could have been reached without changing our natural question.

Clearly, any serious consideration of the parables will cause us to “see them again for the first time.” I was reminded of this once when preparing a sermon with a focus on the prodigal’s self-righteous brother. I saw his attitude displayed in a televangelist who was very self-righteous and judgmental about other people's morals. He was later found out to be {40} spending time with prostitutes. As I reflected on this, I said to myself, “At least I’m not self-righteous and judgmental.” Not a half hour later, I pronounced sharply on the failings of my two sons. I verbally lashed out at them and thus ruined their time before going off to school. I was so upset that I couldn’t even talk to my wife. Soon after, I was forced to identify with the self-righteous brother and say, “Hey, that’s me!” Parables have the power to confront again and again.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

·               Blomberg, Craig L. Interpreting the Parables. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1990.

·               Brown, R. M. Unexpected News. Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1984.

·               Dodd, C. H. The Parables of the Kingdom. London: Nisbet, 1935; New York: Scribner’s, 1936.

·               Fee, G.D. and Stuart, D., How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1982.

·               Inrig, G., The Parables: Understanding What Jesus Meant. Grand Rapids: Discovery House Publishers, 1991.

·               Jeremias, J., Jerusalem in the Time of Jesus. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1969. Rilicher, Adolf. Die Gleichnisreden Jesu. 2 vols. Freiburg: Mohr, 1899. Kistemaker, S., The Parables of Jesus. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1980. Marshall, I.H., Commentary on Luke. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1979.

·               Scott, B. D. Hear Then the Parable: A Commentary on the Parables of Jesus. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1989.

The Parables of Jesus Christ

The Parables

of Jesus Christ Parables that appear only in the Gospel of Matthew The Wheat and the Tares...............................................................(13:24-30) The Hidden Treasure..........................................................................(13:44) The Pearl of Great Price................................................................(13:45-46) The Dragnet...................................................................................(13:47-50) The Unforgiving Servant...............................................................(18:21-35) The Workers in the Vineyard..........................................................(20:1-16) The Two Sons...............................................................................(21:28-32) The Wedding Feast.........................................................................(22:1-14) The Wise and Foolish Virgins.........................................................(25:1-13) The Talents....................................................................................(25:14-30) Parables that appear only in the Gospel of Mark The Growing Seed...........................................................................(4:26-29) The Watchful Doorkeeper.............................................................(13:32-37) Parables that appear only in the Gospel of Luke The Creditor Who Had Two Debtors..............................................(7:40-47) The Good Samaritan......................................................................(10:25-37) The Friend Who Came at Midnight...................................................(11:5-8) The Rich Fool................................................................................(12:13-21) The Faithful Servant and the Evil Servant......................................(12:35-48) The Barren Fig Tree..........................................................................(13:6-9) The Unfinished Tower...................................................................(14:25-34) The Lost Coin..................................................................................(15:8-10) The Lost Son.................................................................................(15:11-32) The Unjust Steward.........................................................................(16:1-13) The Condescending Master.............................................................(17:7-10) The Persistent Widow.....................................................................(18:9-14) The Pharisee and the Tax Collector.................................................(18:9-14) The Minas.....................................................................................(19:11-27) Parables that appear in Matthew and Luke The Two Builders...........................................(Matt. 7:24-27; Luke 6:47-49) The Leaven.......................................................(Matt. 13:33; Luke 13:20-21) The Lost Sheep...............................................(Matt. 18:10-14; Luke 15:1-7) Parables that appear in Matthew, Mark, and Luke The Lamp and the Lampstand...........(Matt. 5:15-16; Mark 4:21; Luke 8:16) New Cloth on Old Garments..................(Matt. 9:16; Mark 2:21; Luke 5:36) New Wine in Old Wineskins............(Matt. 9:17; Mark 2:22; Luke 5:37-39) A House divided Against Itself..........(Matt. 12:25-29; Mark 3:32-27; Luke 11:17-22) The Sower and the Seed..............(Matt. 13:1-23; Mark 4:1-20; Luke 8:4-15) The Mustard Seed...............(Matt. 13:31-32; Mark 4:30-32; Luke 13:18-19) The Wicked Vinedressers.....(Matt. 21:33-41; Mark 12:1-12; Luke 20:9-18) The Fig Tree.....................(Matt. 24:32-35; Mark 13:28-31; Luke 21:29-33) Parables that appear only in the Gospel of John The Bread of Life............................................................................(6:32-58) The Shepherd and the Sheep...........................................................(10:1-18) The Vine and the Branches................................................................(15:1-8)

Lecture 13: Parables: The Form of Jesus' Preaching

Lecture 13: Parables: The Form of Jesus' Preaching

Introduction:

In the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, which share a similar perspective on Jesus and hence are called synoptic, Jesus teaches through simple, brief narratives termed parables. The parables' apparent simplicity, however, belies their sophistication as both theology and literature. Here we'll look at the Parable of the Sower-the first parable Jesus tells-as a model for how all of Jesus' parables seek to engage both the minds and hearts of their audience. And we'll approach this parable through the now-classic definition of the parable genre offered by C.H. Dodd in his 1935 book, The Parables of the Kingdom.

Consider this. . .

1. What is the difference between a parable and a fable?

2. Why did Jesus speak in parables?

3. How does a parable explain the kingdom of heaven?

I. The Form of Jesus' Preaching.

   We begin by reading Mark's version of the Parable of the Sower.

   3. Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow:

   4. And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the

   fowls of the air came and devoured it up.

   5. And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and imme­

   diately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth:

   6. But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root,

   it withered away.

   7. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it,

   and it yielded no fruit.

   8. And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and

   increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some

   an hundred.

   9. And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

   10. And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked

   of him the parable.

   11. And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the

   kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these tIJ/ngs (Ire

   done in parables:

12. That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.

13. And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye

     know all parables?

14. The sower soweth the word.

15. And these are they by the way side,

where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.

16. And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;

17. And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: after­ward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immedi­ately they are offended.

18. And these are they which are sown

     among thorns; such as hear the word,

19. And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.

20. And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred. (Mark 4:3-20, KJV)

A. We'll aproach the Sower through the definition of parable offered by C.H. Dodd: a parable is "a metaphor or simile, drawn from nature or common life, arresting the hearer by its vivid­ness or strangeness, and leaving the mind in sufficient doubt about its pre­cise application, so as to tease it into active thought."

1. Dodd argued that the parables are metaphors for the kingdom of heaven.

JESUS AS A PREACHER

The beginning of the Gospel of John identifies Jesus as the Word: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1). The KJV's "word" translates John's original Greek logos, a term, originating in Stoic philosophy, for the principle of divine order in the cosmos which manifests itself in language. Jesus may be this logos specifically, but the Bible associates him in a more gener­al way with language, particularly with spoken language. All four evangelists emphasize Jesus' preaching career, and Matthew gives it special attention, organizing his gospel into five ser­mons, of which the first is the famous "Sermon on the Mounf' (Matthew 5-7). The three synoptic gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke-so called because they share a similar view of Jesus-focus on Jesus' use of para­bles for teaching, though they also show him teaching through other means, including quoting and inter­preting Scripture, direct exhortation, stinging denunciation of his critics, proverbial statements, and prophetic utterance. John gives a somewhat dif­ferent picture of how Jesus preached; he portrays Jesus making explicit the­ological claims about himself, his divinity, and his relationship with his Father. This theology, however, inter­twines with a sort of mystical poetry as Jesus defines his mission by com­paring himself to everyday objects: Jesus is 'Yhe bread of life" (John 6:35), 'Yhe door of the sheep[fold]" (John 10:7), "a light into this world" (John 12:46), 'Yhe true vine" (John 15:1). In his use of concrete metaphors, the theological Jesus of John is not that far from the homely preacher of the synoptics.

MATTHEW'S VERSION OF THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER (Matthew 13:3-13)

3. And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;

4. And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:

5. Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forth­with they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:

6. And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.

7. And some fell among thorns; and the thoms sprung up, and

choked them:

8. But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundred­fold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.

9. Who hath ears to hear, let

him hear.

10. And the disciples came, and said

unto him, Why speakest thou unto

them in parables?

11. He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

12. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abun­dance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.

13. Therefore speak I to them in para­bles: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

2. The metaphors of the parables are drawn from common life to

show the reality and achievabili­ty of his messianic kingdom. In the Sower, the common ele­ments of agriculture show the nature of the kingdom.

3. The parable, despite its homeli­ness, contains odd details that complicate it. Its complexity aris­es from the essentially inade­quate nature of the metaphor. No metaphor can completely describe the object it represents. So in the Sower, details suggest that this parable doesn't com­pletely describe God's kingdom. The Sower is like no human sower; he wastes seeds, throw­ing them where they would not grow. Jesus is showing that the Kingdom of Heaven is not like an earthly farm with an

earthly farmer.

4. The purpose of these odd details is to engage the audience intel­lectually, leaving the listener in doubt as to the meaning.

B. But we can go beyond Dodd's definition of the parables, howev­er illuminating it may be. We'll go beyond Dodd, once again by examining the Parable of the Sower, to see that the parables aim to inspire not just intellectual engagement but heartfelt repen­tance and moral action.

   1. The oddest detail in Mark's ver­sion of the Sower is Jesus' claim that he offers deliberately obscure teaching so that his hearers will not be converted.

a. The parable presents itself as obscure. Jesus even rebukes the disciples for not understanding his parable:  As he says in verse 13: "And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye knowall parables?"

He then explains that he is being deliberately obscure so people won't understand:

A

11. And he said unto them, Unto

you it is given to know the mys­tery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in para­bles:

12. That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.

(Mark 4:11-12, KJV)

b. This obscurity doesn't seem to match with other passages in Mark, which suggest that Jesus uses para­bles so that his audience will under­stand and be saved, as in Mark 4:2, for example: "And he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine. " Or verse 22: "For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad. "

2. Jesus' claim of deliberate obscurity is designed to engage the reader, who should come to understand that the parable has to be approached not just intellectually but morally: this parable, like all parables, calls not only for Dodd's "active thought" but also for moral action.

3. This call to action appears in each of Jesus' other parables as well. The Parable of the Sower is the key to the others. All of the parables are about the fruits of action. The Parable of the Prodigal Son, in Luke, teaches repen­tance and forgiveness. The Parable of the Good Samaritan teaches us to help all those in need regardless of who they are. All of these parables can be studied and interpreted at length, but their main purpose is to inspire action.

Summary:

Here we've examined the Parable of the Sower as a model for all of Jesus' para­bles. The Sower at first looks deceptively plain: Jesus' simple story of how a farmer sowed seed is almost immediately fol­lowed by his explanation: the seed is the Word of God, and the different sorts of ground represent different classes of audi­ence who hear the Word. This apparent simplicity, however, is interrupted by Jesus' troubling statement that his teach­ing is deliberately obscure. This claim that the parable we're reading is meant to be obscure is perplexing, among other rea­sons, because it contradicts the parable's obvious clarity: the parable broadcasts its own interpretation. Jesus' claim that the parable is obscure can be understood as another odd detail designed by the evan­gelist to attract the contemplation of the reader, who should begin to question whether he or she really understands the parable. In our questioning, we look to the parable again-to discover that true under­standing of the parable entails not just an act of interpretation that shows we under­stand what the parable means, but a com­mitment to act on our understanding of the parable: the good ground in the parable is the only one to "bear fruit" to lead to action. Indeed, all of the parables are designed to produce active fruit, and some of Jesus' most beloved parables are those where the teaching is clearest The Parable of the Prodigal Son teaches us to repent our sins as well as to forgive those of others, and the Parable of the Good Samaritan teaches helping all those in need, regardless of who they a

Suggested Reading

Dodd, C.H. The Parables of the Kingdom. New York: Scribner, 1961.

  (volume is out of print but available through www.barnesandnoble.com

  out-of-print network).

Other Books of Interest

Capon, Robert Farrar. Kingdom. Grace Judgement Paradox. Outrage. and Vindication in the Parables of Jesus. Grand Rapids: William B.

Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2001.

Crossan, John Dominic, and Jonathan L. Reed. Excavating Jesus: Beneath the Stones. Behind the Texts. New York: HarperCollinsPublishers,

2002.

Hultgren, Arland J. The Parables of Jesus: A Commentary. Grand Rapids:

  William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2002.

Kermode, Frank. The Genesis of Secrecy: On the Interpretation of Narrative.

  Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1980.

PARABLE OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN

A certain lawyer tested Jesus by asking him what he must do "to inherit eternal life." Jesus directs him to the law as a guide, and the lawyer responds that the law dic­tates "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." Still, the lawyer asks, "Who is my neighbor?" Jesus replies with one of his most-loved parables, the Good Samaritan:

30. And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wound­ed him, and departed, leaving him half dead.

31. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he

passed by on the other side.

32. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.

33. But a certain Samaritan, as he

      journeyed, came where he

      was: and when he saw him, he

      had compassion on him,

34. And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

35. And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.

36. Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?

37. And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise. (Luke 10:30-37, KJV)