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by Greg Williamson (c) 2002, 2008

COPYRIGHT RELATED INFO

UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED, ALL SCRIPTURE QUOTATIONS

ARE FROM THE New Living Translation.

II. Key Terms

(Gk. parabolē) This term literally means "'a casting or placing side by side' (para, 'beside,' ballo, 'to throw')." [REF] A parable is "a relatively short narrative with symbolic meaning." [REF] In other words, a story in which the fictional is used to illustrate or explain the factual. It was a common method of teaching used in Jesus' day, and he employed it often. [REF]

While Jesus was certainly not the first person to use parables in his teaching, he did so with a sense of consistency, creativity, and effectiveness unmatched by anyone before or since. [REF] The material for Jesus' parables was the stuff of common, everyday life: the sky, birds, the ground, rain, light and darkness, trees and plants, people and animals. Jesus showed that the kingdom of God (which is the main point of his parables) does not consist of some ivory tower mentality; rather, it is a mindset that sees God at work in every detail of life and which seeks to honor God in everything we have and do.

As plain and simple as Jesus' parables were, however, only those who were open to his teaching could grasp their true significance. Jesus used parables not only to teach those who wanted to learn, but to confound those who refused to learn. Those who measure success by the world's standards fail to see that God's ways are often the very reverse of our own. Thus many of Jesus' parables bring an unexpected twist: reward where punishment is fully warranted, and mercy where judgment is richly deserved. The parables thus served to announce that God's kingdom "is based on new values, with special emphasis on divine grace as opposed to human merit." [REF]

As we come across individual parables, the following suggestions can help us interpret them correctly:

(Gk. dunamis). This word refers to "strength, ability, power; inherent power, power residing in a thing by virtue of its nature." [REF] The idea is natural power or ability. And so a miracle is a spontaneous expression of God's natural power or ability. [REF]

Admittedly, miracles run counter to our perception of the way in which things work. For that reason, some folk adamantly refuse to believe in miracles, writing them off as either outright hallucinations or works of an overactive imagination. Such nonbelievers remain highly skeptical of anything not subject to the rigorous scrutiny of the scientific method. But even setting aside the fact that some things (such as love or anger) cannot be poked, prodded and placed on a scale, it's important to remember that our understanding of nature is limited at best. [REF]

The most significant miracle in the OT is the parting of the Red Sea. This miracle highlights and reinforces the Hebrew mindset that God could be known only by his acts on behalf of humankind. The most significant miracle in the NT is the resurrection of Christ, which is the only reasonable explanation for the first disciples being transformed from "utterly defeated persons" to bold proclaimers of the good news concerning Jesus Christ. Both miracles reflect God's concern and care for his people. [REF]

Miracles are intended to inform, not entertain. Specifically, miracles glorify God; accredit his spokespersons; and offer evidence for believing in God. Miracles are: unusual; theological; moral (promote good); and doctrinal (tied to a truth claim or claims). [REF]

(Gk. pistis) This word refers to either "that which is completely believable" or "to believe to the extent of complete trust and relianc." [REF] Thus faith is both objective and subjective: it begins with something that is completely believable and ends with being fully persuaded.

As the Bible makes clear, genuine, saving faith in God involves acknowledgment, surrender, and obedience: acknowledging God as the source of truth, surrendering to him, and living in obedience to him. [REF] James drives home this same point when he declares that faith void of a radical change in lifestyle is not saving faith. "You believe (pisteuō) that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe (pisteuō), and shudder" (JAMES 2:10). To say that we believe in God is not nearly enough; we must show our belief by the way in which we live.

The kind of faith Jesus demands goes far beyond believing in him as a good man or a wise teacher. It involves recognizing Jesus as the Son of God and committing oneself completely to him, the end result being a life that is built on Jesus' teachings. [REF] Far from easy, this type of faith involves constant struggle -- which, not coincidentally, is a major theme in Mark's Gospel. Like a would-be butterfly fighting to break free of its cocoon, the struggle is what makes us strong.

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