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MATTHEW'S PARABLES BACKGROUND 'Comparisons which use story telling techniques and details drawn from everyday life in order to present religious truth in a way which attracts the attention of the reader/ listener by its vividness or strangeness and thus provokes reflection and appropriate action' ( Graham Stanton) A concrete and dramatic form of theological language which calls for a response The most distinctive aspect of Jesus 'teaching for which there is little parallel in the OT Nathan- David and Bathsheba- is one of the few examples Jesus did not speak to the crowds without a parable (Mark 4.34) 'Parable' means in Greek 'set side by side- ie a comparison. The Hebrew word mashal is important - meaning riddle or enigmatic saying- the meaning is not obvious.lt has to be worked at and worked out Principally parables fall into 3- a narrative, similitude or an allegory ( and also proverb or riddle). In Mt 13 we have all 3 The sower is a narrative The mustard seed is a similitude- the kingdom of God is like- ie it can be compared to , there is a point of connection with The wheat and tares- an explained allegory where each action/ character has a particular meaning The gospel writers# have added (a) the setting ( Matthew has put ch 13 in this place in the gospel to explain why Jesus 'mission has not been successful - see Chapter 11 and 12), and also the individual settings of the parables (b) beginnings and endings- e g the last shall be first and the first last (c) arguably in the case of the Sower the explanation which appears to reflect the church's post- resurrection experience Modern understandings of the parables 1 A strong emphasis that each parable intended to make one point only

2.That the parables are connected with the coming of the kingdom which Jesus brings ( messenger and message) and the proclamation of the kingdom. That many are 'crisis' parables' in that they warn of impending catastrophe and call for a decision. They not only illustrate the kingdom but also convey something of the reality of the kingdom and have a vitality of their own. RS Thomas- The Bright Field 3 That they are 'weapons of warfare' used by Jesus against his opponents - eg they sometimes arise from a testing questioner e g the Good Samaritan, and have a 'polemic' quality 4 The cultural life of C1 Palestine needs to be 'recovered' so far as possible -family relationships, wedding customs, economic life - absentee landlords,.agricultural practices, debt 5 The story telling and poetic techniques of the parables- repetition, the central verse, parallelism 6 The theological cluster- a move away from the 'single point' theory which was itself a reaction against allegorising everything, to a belief that there are an interlocking set of theological ideas behind a parable - but controlled and limited by what Jesus and his audience would have understood ( Kenneth Bailey , an American who lived for many years in the Middle East -Poet and Peasant) PARABLES IN MATTHEW Chapter 13 1-9 The Sower 10-17 Purpose of the parables- a human response is needed - salvation is God's gift 18-23 Explanation of the Sower ( explanation not exhortation) 24-33 3 parables of growth - wheat and tares, mustard seed, leaven - the problem of evil 34-35 Purpose of parables Note OT formula quotation Note change of scene crowd -disciples 36-43 Explanation of parable of wheat and tares 44-50 3 further parables- buried treasure, pearl and net offish 51-53 The householder A thematic unity which moves from initial proclamation, to fruitfulness and certainty of victory, to final judgment- so both explanation and exhortation

Chapter 18 21-35 The unmerciful servant Chapter 20 - The labourers in the vineyard Chapters 21-22 3 further parables-The two sons, the tenants of the vineyard , the wedding banquet and the guest with no wedding garment Chapters 24 and 25 1-30,3 further parables- The servants left in charge The wise and foolish virgins, the talents (in Luke the parable of the pounds), R S THOMAS -THE BRIGHT FIELD I have seen the sun break through to illuminate a small field for a while, and gone my way and forgotten it. But that was the pearl of great price, the one field that had the treasure in it. I realise now That I must give all I have To possess it. Life is not hurrying On to a receding future, nor hankering after an imagined past. It is the turning aside like Moses to the miracle of the lit bush, to a brightness that seemed as transitory as your youth once, but is the eternity that awaits you. QUESTIONS 1 Why did Jesus teach in parables? 2 What does the quotation from Isaiah mean? 3 What did they see in the parables of the Sower, wheat and tares, mustard seed, leaven, field and pearl? 4 How do we cope with the theme of judgment? 5 Parable of the wise and foolish virgins What is the Kingdom being compared to ? Are the wise virgins selfish ? What is the significance of the bridegroom's time of return being unknown? Who is the bridegroom ? 6 Parable of the talents What is our opinion of the servant who buried his talent ? Is that the end of the story ?