The Parables of Jesus: Studies in the Synoptic Gospels

304 Pages·1986·18.196 MB·English

by  Herman Hendrickx

THE
PARABLES
O F JESUS
Herman Hendrickx
I
-If
Studies in the Synoptic Gospels
The Parables of Jesus
Herman Hendrickx
Geoffrey Chapman
London
tfj
Harper & Row, Publishers
San Francisco
1817
or
The Parables Jesus
STUDIES IN THE SYNOPTIC GOSPELS
by Herman Hendrickx, CICM
The Infancy Narratives
The Passion Narratives of the Synoptic Gospels
The Resurrection Narratives of the Synoptic Gospels
The Sermon on the Mount
The Parables of Jesus
A Geoffrey Chapman book published by
Cassell Ltd
1 Vincent Square, London SWIP 2PN
Harper & Row, Publishers, Inc.
1700 Montgomery Street
San Francisco, California 94111
First edition copyright 1983 by Society of St Paul (as The Parables of Jesus Then and
Now)
Revised edition © Geoffrey Chapman, a division of Cassell Ltd 1986
Cum permissu superiorum
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,
photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission in writing of the
publishers.
This edition first published 1986
ISBN 0 225 66486 0 (Geoffrey Chapman)
0-06-254815-8 (Harper & Row)
Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are from the Revised Standard
Version Bible (RSV), Catholic Edition, copyrighted © 1965 and 1966 by the Division
of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA, and
used by permission. The abbreviations JB, :-.lAB and NEB denote, respectively, the
Jerusalem Bible, the New American Bible and the New Engl~h Bible.
Quotations from the Gospel of Thomas are taken from The Nag Hammadi Library
(general editor James M. Robinson; New York: Harper and Row, 1972), and used
with permission.
British l.ihrary Cataloguing in Publication Data
Hendrickx, Herman
The parables of Jesus.-Rev. ed.
(Studies in the Synoptic Gospels)
I. Jesus Christ-Parables
I. Title II. The parables of Jesus then
and nuw III. Series
226' .806 BT375.2
Cllve~ illustration: The Pharisee and the tax collector. Sixth-century mosaic in S.
Apolhnare NUllvo, R;Ivenna. Reproduced by courtesy of the Mansell Collection.
Typeset by Scribe Design, Gillingham, Kent
Printed lind bound in Great Britain by BiddIes Limited, Guildfnrd
Contents
Foreword to the first edition ix
Preface
Xl
Note on the revised edition xii
1 And he spoke to them in parables I
Jesus the narrator I
The parables are taken from ordinary life 3
The materials of the parables 3
Interrogative form 3
Relevance of the parable method 5
Directed towards life 6
Two opposite views 6
Towards a change in behaviour 8
Contemporary life 9
How does a parable function? 10
The three levels of tradition 12
A note on contemporary parable interpretation 13
2 The seed growing secretly (Mk 4:26-29) 16
A first reading of the parable 16
Interpretation of the parable 19
The original meaning of the parable 21
The parable on the level of the gospels 25
Mark 25
Matthew 25
Luke 26
Reflection 27
3 The mustard seed (Mk 4:30-32; Mt13:31-32; Lk 13:18-19) 30
The parable on the level of Jesus' ministry 30
The three canonical versions of the parable 30
Two additional versions 31
Parable or similitude? 32
Contrast or no contrast? 33
The original form of the parable 34
The meaning of this parable 35
vi The Parables ofJ esus
The parable on the level of the evangelists 39
Mark 39
40
Luke
Matthew 42
Reflection 43
4 The leaven (Mt 13:33; Lk 13:20-21) 45
The parable on the level of the tradition 46
The parable on the level of the evangelists 48
Luke 49
Matthew 49
Reflection 50
5 The parable of the weeds and its interpretation (Mt 13:24-30,
36-43) 52
The texts 52
A first reading of the parable 53
Explanation of the parable 58
On the level of Jesus 58
On the level of the Christian communities 60
On the first community level 60
On the second community level 61
On the level of Matthew 61
The interpretation of the parable of the weeds (Mt 13:36-43) 63
The interpretation on the level of the gospel 64
The meaning of the interpretation on the level of the
tradition 71
The meaning of the interpretation on the level of Jesus 71
Reflection : 72
6 The good Samaritan (Lk 10:25-37) 74
The general context in Luke 74
Lk 10:25-37 75
Lk 10:25-28 75
Lk 10:29-37 76
Lk 10:29 76
Lk 10:30-35 76
Lk 10:36-37 77
AnHlysis of the text 78
Example story or pmablc? 91
Renection 92
7 The rich fool (Lk /2:/3-2/) 96
The general context in Luke 96
COlltellts vii
The texts 97
Analysis of the text 97
Parable or example story? 104
Reflection 105
8 The wedding feast/great banquet (Mt22:I-J4; Lk 14:15-24) 108
The texts 108
General context of Lk 14: 15-24 110
Analysis of Lk 14: 15-24 113
GeneralcontextofMt22:1-14 121
AnalysisofMt22:1-14 123
Lk 14:15-24; Mt 22:1-14. and the underlying tradition 130
The parable on the level of Jesus' ministry 133
Reflection 135
9 The three parables of Luke IS 138
Composition and structure of Luke 15 138
Analysis of the text 141
Introduction (Lk 15: 1-3) 141
The parable of the lost sheep (Lk 15:4-7) 142
The parable of the lost coin (Lk 15:8-10) 149
The parable ofthe prodigal son (Lk 15:11-32) 150
The message of Luke 15 160
The parable of the lost sheep 160
The parable on the level of Jesus 160
The early Christian community 161
Matthew 161
~~ lQ
The parable of the lost coin 162
On the level of Jesus' ministry 162
On the level of the pre-Lucan community and of Luke 163
The parable of the prodigal son 163
On the level of Jesus' ministry 163
On the level of Luke's redaction 164
Reflection 166
10 The unjust steward (Lk 16:1-13) 170
General context 170
Divergences in the interpretation of the parable 172
The extent of the parable 172
The interpretation of the parable 173
Analysis of the text 173
Tradition history of the parable 192
The original parable (Lk 16:1-8a) 192
viii The Parables of Jesus
Early comment (Lk 16:8b) 193
First application (Lk 16:9) 193
Second application (Lk 16:10-12) 193
Third application (Lk 16: 13) 194
Conclusion 194
Reflection 195
II The rich man and Lazarus (Lk 16:19-31) 198
Similar ancient accounts 198
General context 199
Analysis of the text 199
Jesus or Luke? 210
The meaning of the parable for Luke 210
The parable in the preaching of Jesus 210
Reflection 211
12 The judge and the wiclow (Lk 18:1-8) 215
General context 215
Old and New Testament parallels 216
An Old Testament prototype 216
A Lucan parallel 217
Analysis of the text 218
The message of the parable 229
Jesus 229
The early Christian tradition 230
Luke 230
Reflection 231
13 The Pharisee and the tax collector (Lk J8 :9-14): 234
General context
234
Analysis of the text
235
The message of the parable
243
Jesus
243
The early Christian tradition
244
Luke
244
Reflection
244
Conclusion: I)reaching the parables
248
Notes
251
Further reading
256
Bibliography
258
Fore\vord to the First Edition
It is a great honour to introduce the author of this book. He is a
profound biblical scholar. a prolific writer of extraordinary gifts, and
above all a confrere. A professor at the CICM Maryhill School of
Theology V.. 1 ST) and staff member of the East Asian Pastoral
Institute. he has lectured in almost all parts of the country and of
Asia. He has written many books, among which are: The Story
Behind the Gospels (now translated in Pilipino), The Infancy
Narrath·es, The Passion ~arrath·es. The Resurrection Narratives, The
Bible on Justice and The Sermon on the Mount. He is Fr Herman
Hendrickx. CICM. a missionary from Belgium.
Fr Hendrickx is not an activist type, but his awareness of
contemporary problems and his deep insights on the Holy Scriptures
make him one of the few outstanding exegetes we have in the country
today. Priests. Sisters. seminarians and pastoral workers, who are
immersed in the work with the poor, the oppressed and the
marginalized and who are searching for a <leeper and greater
understanding of the Word of God in the light of the present world
situation. especially in the Philippines today. look up to him.
The publication of this book comes out at an opportune time
when we CICMs in the Philippines mark our Diamond Jubilee this
year: 75 challenging years of missionary presence and service in the
Philippine Church. I take pride in my confrere's unique contribution
to the People of God in the Philippines through his innumerable and
scholarly books and commentaries on God's Word so much in
demand in our times.
Rev. Ernesto M. Amigleo, CICM
Provincial Superior
2 November 1982