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Interpreting the Parables (Second Edition)

Second Edition

by Craig L. Blomberg

  • Paperback
  • 440 pages
  • Publisher: Intervarsity Press (Apollos)
  • 15.3 x 22.8 x 3.3 cm

£23.79

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This new edition of Blomberg's valuable textbook covers interpretative methods and controversies, expounds the meaning and significance of individual three-, two- and one-point parables, and surveys the theology of God's kingdom and the Christ in the parables.

In this new and expanded edition of Interpreting the Parables, Craig Blomberg evaluates contemporary critical approaches to the parables - including those that have emerged in the twenty years since the first edition was published.

Taking on the prevailing views of C. H. Dodd and Joachim Jeremias, Blomberg argues for a limited allegorical approach to the parables. This widely used text has taken a minority perspective and made it mainstream, with Blomberg ably defending his approach and offering brief interpretations of all the major parables.

Interpreting the Parables can be read with profit by scholars, students, pastors and educated laypeople.

Interpreting the Parables (Second Edition) and Interpreting the Parables (Revised, Expanded)
Interpreting the Parables (Revised, Expanded)Interpreting the Parables (Second Edition)

  • Author

    Craig L. Blomberg

  • Book Format

    Paperback

  • Publisher

    Intervarsity Press (Apollos)

  • Published

    July 2012

  • Edition

    2nd Revised edition

  • Weight

    712g

  • Page Count

    440

  • Dimensions

    15.3 x 22.8 x 3.3 cm

  • ISBN

    9781844745760

  • ISBN-10

    1844745767

  • Eden Code

    4017379

Featured in

1. Introduction
1.1 The Previous Scholarly Consensus
1.2 The Sizable Minority Report
1.3 Newest Developments
1.4 The Scope and Outline of This Book
Part One: Methods & Controversies in Interpreting the Parables
2. Parable & Allegory
2.1 The Current Debate: Two Main Approaches
2.1.1 Parable vs. Allegory
2.1.2 Parable as Allegory
2.2 Evaluating the Debate
2.2.1 Contemporary Literary Criticism
2.2.2 The Rabbinic Parables
2.3 Conclusions
3. Form Criticism & the Parables
3.1 Classical Form Criticism
3.1.1 The Method
3.1.2 Critique
3.2 Hypotheses of the "Guarded Tradition"
3.2.1 Memorizing Jesus' Teachings
3.2.2 New Insights into Oral Folklore and Social Memory
3.3 Conclusions
4. Redaction Criticism of the Parables
4.1 Positive Contributions
4.1.1 The Illustration of Distinctive Themes
4.1.2 The Significance of the Larger Contexts
4.2 Invalid Allegations
4.2.1 Misleading Parallels
4.2.2 Dictional Analysis
4.2.3 The Theology-History Dichotomy
4.2.4 Prophecy After the Event
4.2.5 Characterizing the Parables in Different Synoptic Sources
4.2.6 Mistaking Stylistic for Theological Redaction
4.2.7 Misrepresenting the Theology of an Evangelist
4.3 Conclusions
5. New Literary & Hermeneutical Methods
5.1 The New Hermeneutic
5.1.1 The New View of Metaphor
5.1.2 A Critique of the New View of Metaphor
5.2 Structuralism
5.2.1 The Ideology
5.2.2 The Method
5.2.3 Surface Structures
5.3 Poststructuralism/Postmodernism
5.3.1 Deconstruction
5.3.2 Reader-Response Criticism
5.4 Other Literary Approaches
5.5 Conclusions
Conclusions to Part One
Part Two: The Meaning & Significance of Individual Parables
6. Simple Three-Point Parables
6.1 The Prodigal Son (Lk 15:11-32)
6.2 The Lost Sheep and Lost Coin (Lk 15:4-10; cf. Mt 18:12-14)
6.3 The Two Debtors (Lk 7:41-43)
6.4 The Two Sons (Mt 21:28-32)
6.5 Faithful and Unfaithful Servants (Lk 12:42-48; Mt 24:45-51)
6.6 The Ten Virgins (Mt 25:1-13; cf. Lk 13:24-30)
6.7 The Wheat and the Tares (Mt 13:24-30, 36-43)
6.8 The Dragnet (Mt 13:47-50)
6.9 The Rich Man and Lazarus (Lk 16:19-31)
6.10 The Children in the Marketplace (Mt 11:16-19; Lk 7:31-35)
6.11 Conclusions
7. Complex Three-Point Parables
7.1 The Talents (Mt 25:14-30; cf. Lk 19:12-27)
7.2 The Laborers in the Vineyard (Mt 20:1-16)
7.3 The Sower (Mk 4:3-9, 13-20 pars.)
7.4 The Good Samaritan (Lk 10:25-37)
7.5 The Great Supper (Lk 14:15-24; cf. Mt 22:1-14)
7.6 The Unforgiving Servant (Mt 18:23-35)
7.7 The Unjust Steward (Lk 16:1-13)
7.8 The Wicked Tenants (Mk 12:1-12 pars.)
7.9 Conclusions
8. Two-Point & One-Point Parables
8.1 Two-Point Parables
8.1.1 The Pharisee and the Tax Collector (Lk 18:9-14)
8.1.2 The Two Builders (Mt 7:24-27; Lk 6:47-49)
8.1.3 The Unprofitable Servant (Lk 17:7-10)
8.1.4 The Seed Growing Secretly (Mk 4:26-29)
8.1.5 The Rich Fool (Lk 12:16-21)
8.1.6 The Barren Fig Tree (Lk 13:6-9)
8.1.7 The Unjust Judge (Lk 18:1-8)
8.1.8 The Friend at Midnight (Lk 11:5-8)
8.1.9 The Householder and the Thief (Mt 24:43-44; Lk 12:39-40)
8.2 One-Point Parables
8.2.1 The Hidden Treasure and the Pearl of Great Price (Mt 13:44-46)
8.2.2 The Tower Builder and the Warring King (Lk 14:28-33)
8.2.3 The Mustard Seed and the Leaven (Lk 13:18-21 pars.)
8.3 Other Passages
8.3.1 The Sheep and the Goats (Mt 25:31-46)
8.3.2 Shorter Metaphors
8.4 Conclusions
9. The Theology of the Parables: The Kingdom & the Christ
9.1 Classification
9.2 Kingdom Theology
9.2.1 Present vs. Future
9.2.2 Reign vs. Realm
9.2.3 Personal Transformation vs. Social Reform
9.2.4 The Kingdom and Israel
9.3 Christology
9.3.1 Explicit Christology?
9.3.2 Implicit Christology Indirectly Expressed?
9.3.3 Implicit Christology Directly Expressed
9.4 Conclusions
Conclusions to Part Two
Name Index
Scripture Index

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  • TGBS

    The Good Book Stall

    Average rating of0.0

    Blomberg's book, Interpreting The Parables, is a learned yet accessible work of great value to the serious scholar and of interest to anyone curious about the teaching of Jesus. He has no hesitation in saying that he thinks it likely that the parables go back to the original words of Jesus which were passed on almost verbatim and points out that as well as being allegories these stories related to incidents in everyday life which might escape the twenty-first century reader because of different culture and traditions. He studies each parable in depth and by a series of diagrams as well as clear prose tells his readers how to access the full meanings of mercy, forgiveness and love of God which is shown clearly in the parables. He explains that we cannot grasp the horror, as the original listeners would do, when we read that the younger brother, in the parable of the prodigal son, asks for his inheritance, because to us it is a pragmatic request, to the original listeners he was wishing his father dead. Blomberg does not flaunt his considerable scholarship and learning before his readers but gently teases out hidden meanings explaining in everyday language how easy it is for real meaning to be lost over time. He illustrates this quite startlingly by the use of a comparatively modern story, The Wizard of Oz. I wonder how many of us fully understand the meaning behind that simple story? Do we realise that it is a comment on social conditions in America at the beginning of the 20th century? If you want to know how to understand that story and the parables of Jesus you can do no better than buy Blomberg's book.

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