Parables are cool!

(Parabole-juxtaposition, comparison from known to unknown, illustration, analogy, to put side by side in a fresh way, like an extended metaphor…)

Studying the method of parables in teaching today….they were common in the midrashic (rabbinical interpretation) method of teaching. Greek’s used em too! Using common things to explain spiritual realities, symbolic analogies….Jesus obviously used this method often. Extended metaphors, analogies and little symbolic stories. A little example: “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it. Love that one!

Still, a cool method of gaining insight, and seeking out the truth between, and behind the lines, as the Rabbi’s put it. Analogy, juxtaposition, setting odd things side by side is also how humor works. Jesus kept saying, the Kingdom of God is like, is like, is like….cool pedagogical method. Parables make you want to daresh-seek out the meaning until your inside of it! The symbol points and participates in the Reality to which it points!

What would new parables look like. What about the weeds parable. The Kingdom is like a computer which got a virus. Instead of destroying the whole computer, God waited until the end, and had His assistants take out the virus and destroy it. Or, the Kingdom is like dying streaks in your hair the wrong color. Instead of shaving your head, you let it all grow out, and later cut out the streaked hair (ok, that’s not my best, but fun trying!)

Jesus often taught using symbolic analogies! Keyhole stories to glimpse Kingdom through. Fun studying them and the method itself of teaching. Here’s one I liked from another Rabbi:

I still like this method of gaining insights! Liked this one! Makes you want to keep your costumed readied! Although in christianity character is more important than costume, both must stay readied! Using common things around us to reveal uncommon things.

“Johanan b. Zakkai illustrates the necessity of daily conversion and of constant readiness to appear before God in heaven by the following parable: “A king invited his servants to a banquet without stating the exact time at which it would be given. Those who were wise remembered that all things are ever ready in the palace of a king, and they arrayed themselves and sat by the palace gate awaiting the call to enter, while those who were foolish continued their customary occupations, saying, ‘A banquet requires great preparation.’ When the king suddenly called his servants to the banquet, those who were wise appeared in clean raiment and well adorned, while those who were foolish came in soiled and ordinary garments. The king took pleasure in seeing those who were wise, but was full of anger at those who were foolish, saying that those who had come prepared for the banquet should sit down and eat and drink, but that those who had not properly arrayed themselves should stand and look on” (Shab. 153a). Similar parables expressing the same thought are found in the New Testament (Matt. xxii. 10-12, xxv. 1-12; Luke xii. 36)”

Very kind and humble of God to teach this way. Make you aware of how aware He is of how the common things around us work and reflect spiritual reality! He is intimately familiar with the common metaphors around us! Things teach, when we see them as parables! I like thinking of living itself as a parable or poem! Nothing lacks meaning when seen through the lens of parable!