Interpreting Parables in the Bible to Avoid Misunderstanding
To avoid misunderstanding biblical parables, it is crucial to recognize their nature as illustrative comparisons and to interpret them within their historical and textual contexts. The Greek word parabole (παραβολή) signifies "placing beside" or "comparison," indicating that a parable illustrates one subject by another [1]. Similarly, the Hebrew mashal denotes a similitude [2].
Parables in the Bible are not always simple stories; the term has a wide application. In the Old Testament, mashal can refer to a proverb (1 Sam. 10:12), a prophetic utterance (Num. 23:7), or an enigmatic saying (Ps. 78:2; Prov. 1:6) [2, 1]. Proverbs 1:6 explicitly links "parables" with "riddles of the wise" [6]. New Testament usage also includes proverbs (Mark 7:17), typical emblems (Heb. 9:9), and allegories (Matt. 15:15) [2]. While often stories, parables can also be proverbs, similes, metaphors, riddles, or examples [12].
A key principle for interpretation is to locate the central analogy and understand it within its historical context and the broader Gospel narrative [8]. For instance, the parable of the sower (Matthew 13:3-9) addresses the varied responses to Jesus's message, and its interpretation is provided directly in Matthew 13:18-23 [8, 4]. It is important to avoid finding speculative allegorical meanings in every element of a parable that were not intended by the author [8].
Jesus often spoke in parables because, for some, "seeing they don’t see, and hearing, they don’t hear, neither do they understand" [3]. This suggests that parables could both reveal truth to those receptive and obscure it from those who were not [11, 10]. The "mysteries of the kingdom of heaven" were given to some to know, but not to others [9].
Parables differ from fables in that parables relate what is true to fact and teach higher spiritual truths, whereas fables may feature irrational or inanimate beings and convey only earthly moralities [5]. For example, Jotham's fable in Judges 9:8-15, where trees choose a king, is one of the few fables in the Bible [5, 7]. Understanding this distinction helps in discerning the intended depth and purpose of a biblical narrative.
Sources
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Parable — (The word parable is in Greek parable (parabole) which signifies placing beside or together, a comparison, a parable is therefore literally a placing beside, a comparison, a similitude, an illustration of one subject by another.--McClintock and Strong. As used in the New Testament it had a very wide application, being applied sometimes to the shortest proverbs, (1 Samuel 10:12; 24:13; 2 Chronicles 7:20) sometimes to dark prophetic utterances, (Numbers 23:7,18; 24:3; Ezekiel 20:49) sometimes to enigmatic maxims, (Psalms 78:2; Proverbs 1:6) or metaphors expand”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Parable — (Gr. parabole), a placing beside; a comparison; equivalent to the Heb. mashal, a similitude. In the Old Testament this is used to denote (1) a proverb (1 Sam. 10:12; 24:13; 2 Chr. 7:20), (2) a prophetic utterance (Num. 23:7; Ezek. 20:49), (3) an enigmatic saying (Ps. 78:2; Prov. 1:6). In the New Testament, (1) a proverb (Mark 7:17; Luke 4:23), (2) a typical emblem (Heb. 9:9; 11:19), (3) a similitude or allegory (Matt. 15:15; 24:32; Mark 3:23; Luke 5:36; 14:7); (4) ordinarily, in a more restricted sense, a comparison of earthly with heavenly things, "an eart”
- Matthew “Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they don’t see, and hearing, they don’t hear, neither do they understand. -- Matthew 13:13”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Parables — Remarkable Parables of the Old Testament -- Jdj 9:8-15; 2Sa 12:1-4; 14:5-7. Parables of christ Wise and foolish builders. -- Mt 7:24-27. Children of the bride chamber. -- Mt 9:15. New cloth and old garment. -- Mt 9:16. New wine and old bottles. -- Mt 9:17. Unclean spirit. -- Mt 12:43. Sower. -- Mt 13:3-23; Lu 8:5-15. Tares. -- Mt 13:24-30,36-43. Mustard-seed. -- Mt 13:31,32; Lu 13:19. Leaven. -- Mt 13:33. Treasure hid in a field. -- Mt 13:44. Pearl of great price. -- Mt 13:45,46. Net cast into the sea. -- Mt 13:47-50. Meats defiling not. -- Mt 15:10-15. Un”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Fable — A fable is a narrative in which being irrational, and sometimes inanimate, are, for the purpose of moral instruction, feigned to act and speak with human interests and passions.--Encyc. Brit. The fable differs from the parable in that-- + The parable always relates what actually takes place, and is true to fact, which the fable is not; and + The parable teaches the higher heavenly and spiritual truths, but the fable only earthly moralities. Of the fable, as distinguished from the parable [[510]Parable], we have but two examples in the Bible: + That of the tree”
- Proverbs “to understand a proverb, and parables, the words and riddles of the wise. -- Proverbs 1:6”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Fable — Applied in the New Testament to the traditions and speculations, "cunningly devised fables", of the Jews on religious questions (1 Tim. 1:4; 4:7; 2 Tim. 4:4; Titus 1:14; 2 Pet. 1:16). In such passages the word means anything false and unreal. But the word is used as almost equivalent to parable. Thus we have (1) the fable of Jotham, in which the trees are spoken of as choosing a king (Judg. 9:8-15); and (2) that of the cedars of Lebanon and the thistle as Jehoash's answer to Amaziah (2 Kings 14:9).”
- Matthew (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Matthew 13:3: 13:3-9 This parable (interpreted in 13:18-23) addresses the mostly negative responses of the Jewish nation to Jesus and his message. • Parables (Greek parabolē) are stories that usually express an analogy between a common aspect of life and a spiritual truth. To understand a parable, it is necessary to locate the central analogy and understand it in its historical context and in the context of the Gospel text; then the central message can be understood. Speculative allegorical meanings that were not intended should not be found in every element of a parable.”
- Matthew (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Matthew 13:11: He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven--The word "mysteries" in Scripture is not used in its classical sense--of religious secrets, nor yet of things incomprehensible, or in their own nature difficult to be understood--but in the sense of things of purely divine revelation, and, usually, things darkly announced under the ancient economy, and during all that period darkly understood, but fully published under the Gospel (Co1 2:6-10; Eph 3:3-6, Eph 3:8-9). "The mysteries of the kingdo”
- Mark (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Mark 4:11: That seeing they may see,.... Which the end and reason of his speaking to them in parables. The passage referred to is in Isa 6:9. See Gill on Mat 13:14. See Gill on Mat 13:15. . Mark 4:13 mar 4:13 mar 4:13 mar 4:13And he saith unto them, know ye not this parable?.... So easy to be understood, taken from things common, and which fall under every one's observation: and how then will you know all parables? if not this single one, and which is so plain, how will ye be able to understand the numerous parables hereafter to be related, and which will be much more difficu”
- Matthew (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Matthew 13:12: Therefore speak I to them in parables,.... Because it was the will and pleasure of his Father to give the knowledge of divine mysteries to some, and not to others; and because even the outward good things they had, being wrongly used or abused by them, would be taken away from them: and because they seeing, see not: they saw Christ with their bodily eyes, but not with an eye of faith; they saw the miracles he did, but did not discern, at least did not acknowledge the evidence of them, proving him to be the true Messiah. And hearing, they hear not, neither do the”
- Mark (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Mark 4:2: 4:2 Parables are often stories (Luke 15:11-32; 18:1-8) but can also be proverbs (Mark 3:24-25; Luke 4:23), similes and metaphors (Matt 5:14; 10:16), riddles (Mark 7:15; 14:58), comparisons (Matt 13:33; Luke 15:3-7), examples (Luke 10:30-35; 12:16-21), or allegories (Mark 4:3-9; 12:1-12).”