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One of the most prominent features of the four canonical gospels in the New Testament is the parables attributed to Jesus. It's been argued that these parables constitute their own genre which basically originates with the New Testament itself. They are a defining feature of New Testament literature and of the teachings attributed to Jesus. Given their status, one would expect them to be well understood ? but are they?


Perhaps not as well as they should be.

Summary

Title: The Parables of Jesus
Author: Luise Schottroff, Translated by Linda M. Maloney
Publisher: Fortress Press
ISBN: 0800636996

Pro:
•  New interpretations provide new perspectives on Christian doctrine and theology

Con:
•  Text can be difficult at times

Description:
•  Argues that most traditional readings of New Testament parables tend to be wrong
•  Offers unusual and contrary readings of New Testament parables
•  Based on feminist and liberation theology ideas

 

Book Review

Estimates usually place the number of parables somewhere between thirty and eighty, though if the definition of ?parable? is expanded to include any simile or proverb, then just about every statement attributed to Jesus can qualify. It?s clear, then, that the idea of parables is critical to understanding the gospel texts. Interpreting them has become a popular industry in Christian theology, though less time seems to be spent on understanding the nature of parables generally than on trying to discover ?true? Christian meanings behind the stories.

One exception to this trend is the book The Parables of Jesus by Luise Schottroff, who adopts a very contrary perspective on all of the principle parables attributed to Jesus. She essentially rejects the traditional interpretations used for so long by Christians who have understood them as allegories with characters quickly identified as representing God, Jesus, Jews, Christians, and Gentiles.

Schottroff's approach might be described as "anti-ecclesiological" in the sense that she turns her interpretations of the parables against traditional church institutions and power structures because she believes that these stories were originally designed as criticisms of authority figures and powerful institutions in Jesus' day. Schottroff adopts a perspective informed by feminist and liberation theology to argue that the parables consistently defend the needs of the poor against the domination of the wealthy and powerful.

She also denies the common assumption that the "image" of parables are separate from ? and ultimately irrelevant to ? the "message" lying behind the text. The "images" in the parables depict the lives which people at this period of the Roman empire would have known well. They weren't used simply to make the message easier to understand, but rather are part of the message itself.

Most Christians probably won't be very pleased with the sorts of interpretations which Schottroff offers, yet they should be more disturbed with the interpretations which they have uncritically accepted for so long. The easy identification which is usually made between God or Jesus and the many brutal characters in the parables is contrary to the repeated claims made by Christians that their religion is one of peace and love. As Schottroff explains:

• "In the dominant tradition of interpretation God is represented in these texts by the owner of the vineyard who destroys the murderous tenants, the bridegroom who excludes the "foolish" young women from bliss, and the king who kills his guests. This tradition of interpretation compels the interpreters to read a horror story as Gospel. Is God really to be compared to a king who executes his own guests?"

Well, yes, that's precisely how Christians have traditionally conceived of their god ? the wrathful, vengeful God who controls, dominates, and destroys all who oppose him. Once they are able to see beyond these traditional interpretations, though, Christians might be open to some of the alternatives provided by Schottroff. At the very least, this can open up more complex understandings of their own religious scriptures and that, in turn, may lead to less dogmatic beliefs and positions.