Parables

Concept

A parable (Hebrew mashal; Greek parabole, "comparison" or "illustration") is a short narrative or comparison drawn from everyday life used to illuminate a spiritual or moral truth. The device appears throughout the OT — Jotham's fable of the trees (Judg. 9:7–15), Nathan's story of the ewe lamb (2 Sam. 12:1–6), and Isaiah's song of the vineyard (Isa. 5:1–7) — but it reaches its fullest expression in the teaching of Jesus, who is said to have spoken almost exclusively in parables when addressing the crowds (Matt. 13:34). The Synoptic Gospels preserve about thirty distinct parables of Jesus covering the kingdom of God (the Sower, the Mustard Seed, the Hidden Treasure), judgment (the Ten Virgins, the Sheep and Goats), mercy (the Good Samaritan, the Prodigal Son), prayer (the Importunate Widow), and stewardship (the Talents). When asked why he taught in parables, Jesus quoted Isaiah 6:9–10 — parables both reveal to those given understanding and conceal from those who harden their hearts (Matt. 13:11–17). Each parable typically makes one central point, though allegorical readings have enriched the tradition throughout church history.