TMSJ 16/1 (Spring 2005) 49-55
JESUS AS STORY TELLER: LITERARY PERSPECTIVES ON THE PARABLES Simon J. Kistemaker* Several literary features of Jesus’ parables are noteworthy. In some respe cts Matthew’s recorded parables differ from Luke’s in presenting colorless sketches. Luke’s para bles, on the other han d, are vivid a nd fu ll of colo r. Parables in both Gospels, however, are characterized by contra sts. All the parables dem onstrate artistry in their unity, coherence, balance, contrast, recurrence, and symmetry. Jesus’ repetition of similar parables on separate occasions illustrates His goal of giving em phasis by way of repetition. By u sing op en-ended p arables, Jesus drew His listeners into real-life situations and presented them with the need for a decision on their parts. Allegory in Jesus’ parables brought people into familiar surroundings and highlighted the mercy of God to ward sinn ers. All in all, the parab les of Jesus we re in a category all their own and were quite distinct from other parabolic teachings in their timelessness and universality. ***** Many have appreciated Jesus’ parables, but all too often specific literary techniques of those parables have gone unnoticed. Attention to those techniques helps to explain why these masterpieces are unparalleled d own through the ages in their imp act on the world of humanity. Characteristics The parables of Jesus appe ar only in the three Synoptic Gospels, not in the Gospel of John. The G ospel of Mark features merely six parables and o f these six only one is p eculiar to M ark, namely, the parable of the seed growing secretly (Mark 4:26-29). W hile M atthew p resents ten parable s that are peculiar to him, Luke has a total of sixteen. From the storehouse of Jesus’ parables, M atthew has selected those that he presents in black and white sketches. For instance, the pearl merchant is an ordinary person who fails to come to life. By contrast, the parables Luke has selected sparkle in their crispness, are vivid in the portrayal of life, and are colorful in design. In these parables the people talk, as in the case of the rich man who,
* Professor Kistemaker served as Secretary-Treasurer of the Evangelical Theological Society for many years and is currently Professor Emeritus at Reformed Theological Seminary, Orlando, Florida.
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