In lessons two through thirteen the Lesson Indicators are essentially the same and reflect the application of the exegetical process set forth in lesson one.  Below is an explanation of each indicator so that the exegetical activity implicit in each can be better understood.

1. Analyzes the syntactical form and function of specified words, phrases, clauses and sentences in __________.

This activity relates to two sections in each lesson: the block diagram and the semantic diagram with its analysis section.  The principles of block diagraming work off of a proper analysis of the syntactical relationships of the various elements within each sentence.  The core elements of a sentence are subject and predicate.  Everything else is an expansion of these.

This expansion takes place in the subject section in two possible ways: appositional and modificational expansions.  The appositional expansion represents a more intense extension of the subject; it is idented in the block diagram only one space.  The modificational expansion is adjectival in nature and is indented two spaces.  An adjectival modification of the subject can be a single word, a phrase or a subordinate clause.

The predicate part of the sentence can be expanded in several ways, depending upon the nature of the verb used.  A transitive verb requires a direct object and possibly an indirect object, whereas an intransitive verb cannot take either.  The direct object can range from a single word to a subordinate clause.  The object can itself be expanded by both appositional and modificational [adjectival] expansions.  The intransitive verb as well as the transitive verb can be expanded by adverbial modification which can range from a single word to a subordinate clause.  The adverbial modification is indented two spaces in the block diagram.  A third type of verb [actually a subcategory of the intransitive verb] is the linking verb.  The expansion of the verb in this case takes the form of a predicate nominative modifier.  The most common English linking verb is the forms of "to be."
For discussion of form and function categories of sentences see Appendix 9.

This relates to question one in the EXEGETICAL ISSUES section of each lesson.  The basic outline structure of the life of Jesus is provided in Appendix 1.  This should be consulted first in order to have the overview of where this episode falls in the public ministry of Jesus.  Also helpful will be Appendix 2 which will suggest where this parable takes place in the sequence of Jesus' teaching.  Analysis of these will identify the historical setting in broad, general terms.

The specific historical setting must be identified from indications of time, place, people within the text itself.  Sometimes the preceding text pericopes may need to be examined in order to find these indicators.  Determination of these is important to the exegetical process!

Identification of differing settings by the various Gospel writers is important when such takes place.  Appendices 3-5 are important to the determination of the general setting distinctive to each Gospel writer.  Additionally, the indicators of the specific historical setting within each Gospel account need careful examination as well as cross comparison with the other accounts.

This relates to question two in the EXEGETICAL ISSUES section.  This activity is somewhat related to that discribed in the above paragraph under Indicator 2.  The use of Appendices 3-5 is necessary for the completion of this responsibility.  Here one is looking for thematic emphases in each Gospel account as is reflected in the outline of each Gospel in the appendices.  For example, does Mark place this episode in the controversy section of his Gospel?  Is it in the same section of Luke?  Of Matthew?  Is this episode placed early or late in the Galilean ministry of Jesus?  Give careful attention of the relationship of literary setting established by the Synoptic Gospel accounts.  Are the settings the same?  Different?  Awareness of this is important to the determination of the Sitz im Leben Kirche later in the exegetical process.

This relates primarily to the SEMANTIC DIAGRAM section of each lesson.  A careful reading of Appendices 8 and 9 should precede efforts to use the semantic diagram for exegesis of the text.  A diagram of each text is provided in each lesson following these guidelines.  This is followed by an analysis of the literary structure.  It should be carefully completed according to the guidelines in Appendix 9.  The intent is to gain the holistic picture of the flow of thought within each text.  This is a crucial step for accurate exegesis of the text.

This relates to question three in the EXEGETICAL ISSUES section.  The statement numbers contained in the block diagram of each text should be listed in the appropriate space.  This will facilitate quick identification of each parable in each of its Gospel sources.  The subsequent questions in the EXEGETICAL ISSUES section can be answered much more efficiently!

This relates to questions four through eight in the EXEGETICAL ISSUES section of each lesson.  Question four will require use of commentaries and other secondary sources for detailed understanding.  This question should be answered thoroughly inasmuch as many of the agrarian and commercial practices of first century Palestine differ radically from their modern American counterparts.  Failure to recognize this can be disastrous to the exegtical process!  The more serious commentaries and Bible dictionaries, etc. will be of great help here.

Question five represents a crucial stage of parable exegesis.  A two stage process of analysis is implicit.  First, what is the dynamic within the 'earthly story' segment which is the point of comparison to the spiritual reality?  An especially important signal of this includes the use of antithesis: two dynamics are working against one another in the 'earthly story' in some way.  These dynamics may be concepts, people or any number of possible things.  This should be stated in the form of a principle, using a short simple sentence.  For example, leaven [yeast] possesses the power to permeate a mass several times larger than itself.  Second, what aspect of the spiritual realm does this principle relate to?  In relation to the Kingdom of God, leaven underscores its power to expand itself to become an entity several times larger than itself in the beginning.  Or, perhaps, it illustrates the principle of the power of the Kingdom to permeate society in general and to exert a transforming influence over it.  Only remotely can the assertion be made of a negative role of leaven in this parable, despite the sometimes negative use of leaven as a metaphor in the ancient Judeo-Christian literature.  Both aspects of the process of the determination of tertium comparationis must receive careful attention.

Question six, the determination of Sitz im Leben Kirche for each Gospel account, is the most difficult one to answer.  Detailed comparisons between the various Gospel accounts of a given episode must be made.  Where only one Gospel contains an account this determination is more difficult.  The block and semantic diagrams are important sources for internal assessment of this.  Also to be consulted are some helpful commentaries which treat the Gospel texts from the Redactional Critical concern.  Coming from an evangelical viewpoint with this methodology are Robert Gundry on Matthew, William Lane on Mark, and I. Howard Marshall on Luke [See bibliography for full references.]  The determination can be derived from an assessment of the differences which exist among the Gospel accounts of a given episode.  These differences include historical and literary settings [already determined from above activities] as well as the differences within the narrative details inside each account.  What is foregrounded?  Backgrounded?  Omitted?  Included?  What is the same?  Different?  Although this question is difficult it is important to answer because it provides a clue to how a given Gospel writer attempted to interprete the meaning of an episode in Jesus' life to his initial readership.  This can be very crucial in our making the proper application of the same episode to our time.

Questions seven and eight are to be answered following the guidelines set forth in Lesson One.  The answers determined from these responsibilities will help establish interpretive parameters on possible applications of the parable, thus avoiding the wild exposition of the parables so prevalent in the past.  Also correct determination of the classification and grouping of each parable will be important to the completion of Lesson Fourteen which attempts to pull the study of the parables into a theological summation.

This relates to questions nine and ten in the EXEGETICAL ISSUES section.  The focus here is first upon formulation of a theological perspective about the Kingdom of God in the parables [question nine] and then on some possible applications of this understanding to our day [question ten].  The careful answering of question nine in each lesson will be crucial to the completion of Lesson Fourteen which endeavors to pull together into final summation the insights gained from the study of each parable.

This relates to the EXEGETICAL OUTLINE section in each lesson.  Before attempting to complete this responsibility a carefull reading of Appendix 10 should be made.  The guidelines in Appendix 10 pertaining to exegetical outlines should be rigidly followed.  The outline should represent a summation of your exegetical understanding of each biblical text in the lesson.

¹Taken from Lorin L. Cranford, Study Manual of the Parables of Jesus: English Text (Fort Worth, Scripta Publishing Inc., 1988), 273-276.