Lesson 01 Questions

The Parables of Jesus
Lesson One:

Exegtical Issues

Last revised: 7/17/00

Defining 'Parable'

History

Exegetical Questions

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DEFINING 'PARABLE'

1. Identify the meaning of the Greek term parabolhv (parabole) and the Hebrew term lfm (mashal). Use Jones and other sources.

2. Identify the levels of meaning of the Hebrew term lfm (mashal) in the Old Testament. Use Jones and other sources.

3. Identify the levels of meaning of the Greek term parabolhv (parabole) in the New Testament. Use Jones and other sources.

4. Write out a working definition of the term 'parable' as it pertains to the literary phenomenon in the Synoptic Gospels.

HISTORY OF PARABLE INTERPRETATION

1. Summarize the method(s) of interpreting the parables of Jesus in the period of the early Church Fathers (up to A.D. 540). Use Jones and other sources. Include names and examples of procedure(s) in abbreviated form. Evaluate the relevancy of this method(s) to today.

2. Summarize the method(s) of interpreting the parables of Jesus in the period of the middle ages (540-1500). Use Jones and other sources. Include names and examples of procedure(s) in abbreviated form. Evaluate the relevancy of this method(s) to today.

3. Summarize the method(s) of interpreting the parables of Jesus in the period of the Reformation. Use Jones and other sources. Include names and examples of procedure(s) in abbreviated form. Evaluate the relevancy of this method(s) to today.

4. Identify the following key individuals and/or procedures and their contributions to exegeting the parables of Jesus in modern times. Use Jones and other sources.

Adolf Jülicher:
C.H. Dodd:
Joachim Jeremias:
Redaction Criticism:
Literary Criticism (Recent trends):

EXEGETICAL ISSUES

1. What is the historical setting of this episode in the life of Jesus? Use Chronological Outline for general identification. Do the Synoptic Gospels place this episode in the same setting? If not, identify each setting. Use outlines of Mark, Matthew and Luke to identify each along with historical setting identifications within each text.

2. What is the literary setting of this episode in each of the Synoptic Gospel accounts? Use outlines.

Mark:
Matthew:
Luke:

3. Summarize the role of the Isaiah 6 passage in each of the Synoptic accounts. How are they alike and how are they different?

4. Summary the nature of the difficulty with the i^na ('hina'; 'in order that') clause in Mark 4:12 and Luke 8:10. Compare with Matthew 13:13. Use Jones and other sources.

5. Compare Matthew's use (13:35) of Psalm 78:2 to the literary and historical context of Psalm 78. How is the psalmist a 'prophet'? Is Matthew's use consistent with the text in its original context?

6. Summarize from these Synoptic accounts why Jesus used parables in his teaching ministry. Use Jones and other sources to supplement the block/semantic diagrams and analysis.