Parable

Definition and Meaning

The Korean term for parable, biyu (比喩), means "to enlighten by comparison." A parable conveys its point by likening it to a scene familiar to the listener. The Korean term translates the Greek parabolē ("placing side by side") of the New Testament and the Hebrew mashal ("parable, proverb") of the Old Testament. In the church, "parable" usually refers to the parables of Jesus recorded in the Gospels.

Biblical and Historical Background

Parables also appear in the Old Testament. A well-known example is the story of the poor man's ewe lamb, which the prophet Nathan told to confront David with his sin (2 Samuel 12:1-7).

The parables of Jesus are found mainly in Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Depending on how they are counted, they number roughly thirty to forty. Representative parables include the following:

• The Parable of the Sower (Mark 4:3-9)
• The Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37)
• The Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32)

Many of these parables take the kingdom of God as their theme. Jesus also explained to his disciples why he spoke in parables (Mark 4:10-12).

Approaches to interpreting the parables have changed over time. In the ancient and medieval periods, allegorical interpretation, which assigned a spiritual meaning to each detail, was common. A frequently cited example is Augustine's reading of the Parable of the Good Samaritan, in which the Samaritan represents Christ and the inn represents the church. In the late nineteenth century, the German scholar Adolf Jülicher argued that each parable teaches a single central lesson. Later scholars placed greater emphasis on the setting of first-century Jewish society in which the parables were first told.

Use in the Korean Church

Parables are frequently treated in sermons, Sunday school lessons, vacation Bible school, and Bible study. The Parable of the Prodigal Son is commonly used as a text on repentance and the father's love, and the Parable of the Good Samaritan as a text on love of neighbor and almsgiving. The same parable may be given different emphases depending on the preacher and the theological tradition of the denomination: some stress personal conversion, while others stress responsibility toward the community and society.

Shincheonji, for its part, teaches its own "interpretation of parables," claiming that much of the Bible is concealed in parables. Various denominations and cult counseling organizations criticize this as arbitrary interpretation taken out of context. Shincheonji maintains that its interpretation is based on revelation.