What is a parable?

The Oxford dictionaries define “parable” as “a simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson”. It comes from the Greek word “parabole” whose meaning was far more general and included riddles, puzzles and other forms of word teaching. It was often a striking statement which left it to the hearers to work out its meaning. For this reason, it often had a different effect on different people: some might find it life-changing while others were puzzled or simply forgot about it. So one thing we can say about parables is that each individual responds differently to them.

Parables actually have a lot in common with political cartoons which can contain an important comment on current events or political leaders. Some of the best may even shock us into a reassessment of the situation. But what you get from a political cartoon depends a lot on yourself: how much you know about the subject, how open-minded you are, and how willing you are to think through its implications.

Jesus’ parables also provoked a wide range of responses. As chapter 4 begins, Jesus is beside the Sea or Lake of Galilee, and once again there is a boat he can use to speak more easily to the crowds of people. His audience is varied so, to reach as many as possible, Jesus uses deceptively simple stories and images to get his point across. But what that point is, is not always obvious and may need interpretation.