The parables of Jesus occupy an important place in the imagination and heart of Christians. They are characterized by having a simple structure, and by being captivating and even entertaining. They are full of meaning not only theological, but also spiritual and emotional. Although these are stories over 2,000 years old, they are still relevant.
The term parable comes from the Greek parableand this of the verb parabalo which translates as “compare”, or “comparison”. A parable compares a reality of everyday life with a spiritual truth. Each parable tries to call attention to a specific truth.
The big problem when reading these stories is that we could play with thousands of interpretations. However, there is no doubt that in the Gospels, the evangelists included them to illustrate the teachings of our Lord. That is why, as interpreters of the Scriptures, we must look for that truth in the heart of the Lord that He wants to convey to his listeners through the parable that we are reading.
What do we need to know to correctly interpret Jesus’ parables? Here are three key principles:
1. Interpret the parables as a whole
This principle is crucial to interpreting the parables and for this reason I will devote more space to it than to the others.
Just as we can’t know what will happen to the characters in a movie if we stop watching it halfway through, we need to know the parable as a whole to understand it. The meaning of the parable is not in the peripheral details. Rather, it is designed so that listeners understand the meaning of hit.
If we overemphasize the apparent “details” of a parable, it loses its immediacy and its ability to deeply illuminate a specific aspect of the truth.
For example, although the parable of the two debtors in Luke 7:36-50 has many details, in the question that we see at the end we can see the general and unique intention of Jesus: “Which of them, then, will love him more? ”.
This has a term in hermeneutics: the tertium comparationis. It is about finding the “only point of comparison” that exists between the story told in the parable and the spiritual truth that the Lord is seeking to illuminate.
Every time we read a parable, we must ask ourselves: What is the tertium comparationis of this parable? That is, what is the only point of comparison? And it is that the whole story leads me towards a single truth that I must find in the parable. For example, in the parable of the virgins in Matthew 25, at the wedding feast, the tertium comparationis of the parable is the teaching of being prepared. That is the point of the parable.
All the details of the parables must be subject to the point, intention, and central meaning that the Lord wanted to give them. to the parable as a whole. We must not, for any reason, try to play with the parable and with the details.
All the details of the parables must be subject to the point, intention, and central meaning that the Lord wanted to give them. to the parable as a whole.
This does not mean that the search for a central purpose in the parable is reduced to a simplistic appreciation. The purpose can be divided into homogeneous subpoints. Returning to the parable of the virgins, we can see the prudent who were prepared, the foolish who were not, and the arrival of the bridegroom who was late, which is faithfully fulfilled upon arrival. Therefore, the preparation of the virgins had to take place at the right time and place. But all the teachings of the parable go in the same direction: preparation. I cannot depart from that reality, because it is what the Lord affirmed through this story, with his different aspects.
At the same time, viewing the parable as a whole helps us avoid allegorization, which is giving symbolic meaning to the details and to the story, meaning that is not actually in the parable or Jesus’ explanation of it.
For example, Augustine of Hippo interpreted the parable of the good Samaritan thus: Adam was the man who had fallen, Jerusalem was peace and salvation, Jericho was human mortality, the thieves were the devil and his hosts, blows were incitement to to sin, the stripped clothes and belongings were the loss of immortality. When the thieves left the man half dead, that was the spiritual state of his soul. The priest who passed represented the Old Testament religion, while the Samaritan represented the Lord. The bandage represented the sacraments, which heal the soul. The oil was the anointing of the Spirit. The wine was the blood of the Lord. The horse was the servants of Jesus, the inn the church, and the innkeeper Pablo. The two denarii, grace and mercy. And “I will repay” are the crowns on the day of judgment.
As we can see, although all this sounds very beautiful, it leads us down a path of interpretation in which we lose the meaning of the parable. What is the aspect of this story that really captivates us? It is compassion. Therein lies the meaning of the parable: the unmerited grace and love of the Lord. But the allegorization separates us from the effect that the parable should produce in us.
2. Interpret the parables in practical terms, looking for direct application
We must understand the stories of Jesus in practical terms, and not allegorical, symbolic, or subjective. We see this in the questions that Jesus asks at the end of different parables.
For example, Jesus told the parable of the good Samaritan in response to a lawyer’s question: “Who is my neighbor?” At the end of the story, Jesus asks the interpreter: “Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the one who fell into the hands of the robbers?” And then he tells her: “Go and do the same” (Lk. 10: 36-37). Here we see how the Lord used parables in a direct way.
We must understand the stories of Jesus in practical terms, and not allegorical, symbolic, or subjective.
To interpret the parables in that practical way, it is important to look at the context in which they were spoken. That is, you have to see what were the questions and circumstances that led to the parable, and what were the consequences of it.
3. Interpret the parables understanding the details
The interpretation and application of parables for our time must include a contextual and historical explanation of what we see in the parable.
It is important that, for example, in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, we understand why the rich man was dressed in purple and fine linen. For a rich man of that time, dressing in purple was a qualifier. The process of making this cloth with its color was very extensive, and for this reason only the wealthy could buy it. And linen was an expensive fabric, used for making elegant garments. Therefore, seeing this man dressed like this clearly speaks of his lifestyle.
The interpretation and application of parables for our time must include a contextual and historical explanation of what we see in the parable.
Of course, it’s important that we don’t get too caught up in the details, as I’ve mentioned. That is why, when studying a parable, I sometimes wonder what is the least important thing about it. For example, in the parable of the virgins, the lamps show the meaning of what the Lord wants to teach, but they are not the most important thing. I am not going to focus too much on the lamps, but they are instruments for the Lord to show me a truth.
A parable will not serve its purpose solely for its literary value. The Holy Spirit is the one who leads us into all truth. Therefore, it is up to us to seek his guidance, so that He shows us what is the real, true, and pertinent meaning of the parables for our lives.
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