What Are They Saying about the Parables?: The Parables in their Jewish Contexts (Chapter 5, Part 1)

The Parables and Their Jewish Contexts 

Jesus was an itinerant Jewish teacher and wonder worker who lived in Palestine during the early part of the first century C.E. Parables were part of his teaching repertoire, and to understand better their use and function as well as the creative understanding involved in their construction, we have to look at the first-century cultural contexts in which these parables were spoken and heard. The following numerous posts, therefore, will examine aspects of the Jewish, Hellenistic-Roman, and social/cultural contexts that impact our understandings of Jesus’ parables. 

Mashal in the Hebrew Bible 

The Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible from the second century B.C.E., usually translates the Hebrew word mashal (plural: meshalim) with the Greek term parabolē. By its very nature, mashal is difficult to describe and almost impossible to define, but its root meaning can be seen as “to represent” or “to be like.” Its noun form reflects the term’s fluidity because it refers to a wide range of literary forms that use figurative language, such as: 

1. A Proverbial Saying—Most scholars agree that the proverb is the archetypal mashal. A proverb is popular and concrete, such as the comparison between appearances and reality found in 1 Samuel 10:12: “Is Saul also among the prophets?” (cf. 1 Sam 24:13) or in Ezekiel 18:2, which compares the actions of one generation with the results seen in the next. 

2. Byword—This type of mashal contains an implied comparison between present appearances (e.g., peace, prosperity) and future reality (when God’s judgment will come). The “parable” is not the literary form, but it is applied directly to the people/person in trouble (or soon to be in trouble). The reference could be to Israel as a whole (e.g., Deut 28:37), part of Israel (e.g., Jer 24:9), or to those who turn to idolatry (e.g., Ezek 14:8). 

3. Prophetic Figurative Oracle—Primary examples of this self-descriptive category can be seen in the prophecies uttered by Balaam concerning Israel’s future (e.g., Num 23:7, 18; 24:3, 15, 20, 21, 23). 

4. Song of Derision or Taunting—These songs describe a divine judgment that should serve as a lesson to Israel, such as the satire against the king of Babylon in Isaiah 14:4–23 or the taunt against the rich in Micah 2:4. 

5. Didactic Poem—All meshalim have a teaching function, but these instructive poems serve as historical lessons for Israel to discern the wisdom of living correctly (e.g., Job 29; Ps 49, 78). 

6. Wise Saying from the Elite—These sayings have a riddlelike character that makes them difficult to understand. The hidden or allusive truth must be deciphered by those with the wisdom and skill to interpret it correctly (e.g., Prov 1:6; cf. Sir 39:2). 

7. Similitude and (Allegorizing) Parable—The allegorizing parable sometimes uses imagery from nature that is narrowly interpreted as a warning, such as the allegory of the Eagle and the Vine in Ezekiel 17:3–10 or the Boiling Pot in Ezekiel 24:3–5. Some scholars include the book of Jonah in this category.

See the book for the footnotes that develop these ideas further and reference additional resources.