Circuses are great, but not in the church. The pulpit is no place for showmanship and stunts meant to entertain and impress. Yet according to Martin Luther, some of the most prominent preachers in the pre-Reformation church had, at least in certain instances, become “clerical jugglers performing monkey tricks.” Luther was specifically reacting to the allegorical method of interpretation, which found a hidden spiritual meaning behind every detail of biblical narrative.
The most notorious allegorizing tended to occur in the interpretation of Christ’s parables. For example, when it came to the parable of the good Samaritan, a third-century preacher named Origen asserted that the man beaten up and robbed symbolized Adam, the good Samaritan symbolized Christ, the inn symbolized the church, the two denarii symbolized the knowledge of the Father and the Son, and the innkeeper symbolized the angels. Talk about a circus! But interestingly, Luther’s interpretation of the same parable conjures up images of an ape juggling apples too. He may have drawn different conclusions than Origen about what each detail symbolized, but he too read spiritual significance into every element. Compare Luther with Origen on the parable of the good Samaritan, and you see why the allegorical method is so problematic—it leaves the interpreter free to read whatever he or she imagines into the text.
In the early twentieth century, a profound shift began to take place in the interpretation of parables, as it became increasingly popular to read each parable as having only one main spiritual correlation. If the allegorical method made the parables say too much, the modern method made them say too little. While many parables have one main point, on two occasions Christ Himself interprets His parables, and in both instances, He indicates there are multiple spiritual correlations—all without succumbing to the fancifulness of the allegorical method (see Matt. 13:18–23, 37–43).
So how are we to interpret these short narratives that correspond to spiritual reality and call for spiritual response? The following principles are by no means exhaustive, but they can set you on the right trajectory in understanding and applying the parables of our Lord.
1. Analyze the context of the parable.
Much of the monkey business that occurs in biblical interpretation results from disregarding context. Let’s think for a moment about the preceding context of the parable of the good Samaritan. Jesus’ disciples have just returned from a mission trip, and Jesus rejoiced in His Father for revealing the kingdom to “little children” while hiding it from “the wise and understanding” (Luke 10:17–24). Right after that, we have a “wise” man putting Jesus to the test and displaying a correct knowledge of God’s Word in the process (Luke 10:25–28). The context gives us a clue that Jesus is giving this parable to show that it is not enough to know the law (like “the wise and understanding”); you must do the law, loving your neighbor as yourself (like the “little children”). Furthermore, this story is in response to the question, “Who is my neighbor?” (Luke 10:29), and the longstanding animosity between the Jews and the Samaritans provides context for the manner in which Jesus answers (2 Kings 17:24–41; John 4:9; 8:48).
2. Identify the correspondences in the parable.
Discerning which parts of a parable correspond to a deeper spiritual reality and which parts simply serve the story is perhaps the most important task of the interpreter. Origen and Luther drew spiritual connections to almost every facet of the parable of the good Samaritan. But a careful reading of the parable on its own terms narrows our focus to the actions of the three men who encounter the bloodied man, presumably a Jew, on the side of the road.
Jesus concludes the story with a question: “Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” (Luke 10:36). This inquiry, together with the preceding literary context, directs us to draw a correspondence between “the wise” and the priest and the Levite, who know God’s Word and don’t do it, failing to love one from their own tribe. It also directs us to draw a correspondence between the “little children” and the Samaritan, who may be less knowledgeable but puts the Word into practice by faith, loving even a fierce opponent in his time of need. Christ, by this concluding question, makes clear where the spiritual connections lie, while the other details simply make for a good story.
3. Answer the call of the parable.
Every parable is a call to spiritual action. Faithful interpretation requires us to ask, “What is Jesus calling me to do through this short narrative?” We can understand the context and grasp the proper spiritual connections, but if we don’t answer this question we have missed Christ’s intention in giving us the story. That is why the parable of the good Samaritan ends with Jesus telling the know-it-all lawyer, “You go, and do likewise” (Luke 10:37). He is saying, “The whole reason I’ve told this story is to call you to become like a little child who hears and heeds the Word of God, bearing the fruit of selfless, sacrificial love toward every person you encounter.”
Every parable has lessons to teach us about Christ’s kingdom and beckons us to bow before Him as King—seeking Him, serving Him, reflecting Him, and sacrificing our all for Him. That is serious business indeed, and it calls for serious biblical interpretation.
Ligonier Ministries