The Parables of Jesus

by Joachim Jeremias, Samuel Henry Hooke (translator)

In this text, Joachim Jeremias explores the variety of ways of interpreting the parables of Jesus, including their translation; the way different audiences altered the parables Jesus told; & the role of the New Testament writers in shaping their telling of the parables. He also provides a thematic discussion of the theological messages contained within the parables.

Genres: Theology, New Testament, Biblical Studies, Reference, Classics, Christianity, Religion

248 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1954

About the author

Joachim Jeremias was a German Lutheran theologian, scholar of Near Eastern Studies, and professor of New Testament studies.

Reviews

[Lu Tsun · Rating 1 out of 5]

REVIEW AND CRITIQUE Jeremias, Joachim. The Parables of Jesus. Translated by S. H. Hooke. Rev. ed. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1972.

The Parables of Jesus was an attempt by Jeremias to “recover the original significance of the parables,” proposing that the parables of Jesus had undergone a certain amount of reinterpretation and allegorical treatment as early as the first decade after the death of Jesus.

Jeremias sought to excise the elements of embellishment, expansion, and allegorization based on his own reconstruction of the Palestinian background and the “general message of Jesus preaching.”

The “original” parables per Jeremias’s historical reconstruction serves to “compel Jesus’s hearers to come to a decision about his person and mission (230),” communicating the exceptional sense of eschatological urgency.

Jeremias paid special attention to Mark 4:10-12, and attributed the riddle-like features of Jesus parables to the early Christians’ special idea that the mystery of the truth was intended to be concealed from the outsiders.

Critiques:

This is another example how the twentieth century scholarship loves to do the unnecessary surgery on the biblical tradition based on a low view of Scripture and speculative assumptions of the historical teaching of Jesus. The church interprets Jesus's general teahcing in lights of all the data preserved about him, but the historical-critical method interprets the data in light of the only teaching that they deem historically plausible by their own reason.

Jeremias's assumption that the purpose of parable must be to illuminate not to obscure is arbitrary, and he fails to take into account of the theological context of Jesus's using of parables in delivering his message. If the idea of concealing the Gospel mystery was not originated from Jesus and the OT, Jeremias would be held responsible to give a more detailed explanation why such kind of unique idea would be accepted by the early Christian church.

[G. Mark James · Rating 3 out of 5]

Written by a German critical scholar who argues against allegorical interpretation of the parables. Instead, he seeks to use form criticism to get back to the parables as originally told by Jesus. He assumes too much such as an Aramaic original beneath the Greek NT, and the early church adding to Jesus' words due to the delay of the Parousia as well as the new Gentile mission. He ends up saying that the original parables all relate to eschatology which the early church changed into moralizing exhortation because of the 2 previously mentioned assumptions. Another assumption is that the gnostic Gospel of Thomas is on par with the 4 canonical Gospels and represents the original sayings to which the canonical authors added context.
The 2nd half is better as he tries to explain the meaning of the parables and there is some good insight here, but I wholeheartedly reject his critical assumptions and approach.

[Erik Graff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though dry, Jeremias is very good. The most interesting aspect of his work to me was his attempt to infer the original Aramaic of the parables. The principle of this may be explicated by example. Assume, for instance, that an English original has disappeared. Only translations of it exist. Some of these translations mention something being burnable, other mention the same thing as being unburnable. Given the ambiguity of the English word "inflammable", one may presume that this was the word used in the original text.

[Darius Eis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ich persönlich finde das Buch ein schönes Beispiel dafür, dass die historisch-kritische Methode (dazu würde ich dieses Buch über die Gleichnisse zählen) zwar an manchen Punkten sicherlich berechtigt angezweifelt werden kann, aber nicht zwangsläufig zu „unfrommer“ Theologie führen muss.
Im 1. und 2. Teil schildert Jeremias seine These, dass die Gleichnisse, wie sie uns vorliegen, von der Urgemeinde überarbeitet, aber von Jesus nicht so gesagt wurden. Man muss deshalb herausfinden, wie sie ursprünglich aussahen; was für Gleichnisse Jesus eben wirklich gesagt hat. Bei seinen Beispielen bin ich sehr oft stutzig geworden. Es wirkt zum Teil sehr willkürlich und viele Dinge werden als gegeben hingestellt, die meines Erachtens absolut spekulativ sind. Deshalb habe ich irgendwo absolutes Verständnis dafür, dass man danach das Buch zur Seite legen möchte, um dann wieder über die moderne Theologie herzuziehen.
Aber im 3. Teil fragt er nach der eigentlichen Botschaft Jesu, die durch die Gleichnisse zutage kommt. Und siehe da: Das ist meines Erachtens so auferbauend, tiefgründig und homiletisch wertvoll, dass ich mich fast schon auf meine nächste Predigt über ein Gleichnis freue!
Fazit: Sachen bis zum Schluss lesen und nicht vorschnell urteilen.
PS: Die ersten beiden Teile bleiben aus meiner Sicht teilweise verrückt und beliebig.

[Tim Ingrum · Rating 2 out of 5]

Jeremias's slice-and-dice redaction criticism leaves the Gospel contexts of the parables cut to ribbons. Tensions in the text between the parable body and the narrative setting, rather than being an occasion to press into mystery and gain greater wisdom, are quickly dismissed as examples of the Evangelists distorting Jesus.

Once he gets to expositing the parables themselves, he brings out some brilliant insights. For fellow readers committed to the inspiration of Scripture and on the hunt for exegetical gems, I recommend skipping to Part 3 and then reading with discernment.

[Todd Price · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good book and a challenging read. Although there are many details with which I cannot agree, in the main, this is an outstanding book. I saw it quoted constantly by countless commentators, so I knew that I needed to read it firsthand. I greatly appreciate the detailed footnotes and was delighted to read such a positive and Christ-honoring conclusion.

[M Christopher · Rating 3 out of 5]

A classic, now surpassed in many points but still well worth reading and, for the preacher, owning.

[Luis Francisco · Rating 5 out of 5]

Si uno necesita entender las reglas del Reino de los Cielos, es necesario comprender los dichos de Jesús. Las parábolas encierran muchas de sus expresiones directas; el autor nos muestra una visión como la tendria un contemporaneo de Jesus al oir la anecdota de boca del Maestro.

If one needs to understand the rules of the Kingdom of Heaven, we must understand the sayings of Jesus. The parables contain many of his direct expressions, the author shows us a vision as a contemporary of Jesus would have heard the anecdote of the Teacher's mouth

[Skylar Burris]

It looks like it will have some good insights, but it's a little too erudite for me, especially at this time in my life, when after every sentence of reading I am interrupted with, "Mooooooom! Aaron's touching me!" So I may try this at a later time in life.

[Olga · Rating 1 out of 5]

If you enjoy the literary criticism form of interpretation you may enjoy this book. It has been very influential and is therefore an important read. However, I found it to neglect too much of the actual text.

[Alan Swartz · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Parables of Jesus by Joachim Jeremias (1972)