A saying respecting earthly things, but with a spiritual application

Of "Parable" in General

THE Hebrews had but one word for all those forms of veiled speech which are comprised under the various terms: parable, allegory, metaphor, and proverb. Alongside this term, ﬦָשָׁל, mashal, we sometimes find another, חיךאָ, kidah, or "riddle," which the Septuagint renders by πρόβλημα, problema, or σκότεινος λόγος, "a dark saying." But the generic term for all these forms of speech is mashal, a word derived from a root which appears to mean "to compare" and also "to dominate." This latter meaning is of importance for it shows us that mashal denotes not merely a dark saying or a comparison, but magisterial teaching. In English speech we distinguish between proverb and parable, between metaphor and allegory; riddles hold quite a distinct place. Proverb and parable are intimately connected, the latter is an expanded form of the former, e.g. "Physician, heal thyself" is in proverbial form, but it would be easy to expand it into a parable. Similarly allegory is but expanded metaphor. This will be clearer if we realize that the foundation of all these forms of speech is illustration of the less known by the more known. When we merely indicate the parallelism existing between two distinct spheres of thought or action, between the material, for instance, and the spiritual, between the natural and the supernatural, we have what we may term the simple simile, e.g., in Ps. 1:3, and Ps. 2:9. If we extend this comparison into a narrative we get the fable if we are illustrating the need of human prudence by the cunning of the animal kingdom; we have the parable if we are illustrating the spiritual life by the purely natural. Thus compare the fable set forth by Joatham in Jud. ix., and the parables of the woman who had lost a groat or of the woman who leavened her meal. If, however, we do not point out the similarity but presuppose it, we can then talk in the terms, so to speak, of that which serves for our illustration and yet be readily understood as meaning the thing itself which we wish to illustrate. If we simply use these illustrative terms, then we are speaking metaphorically; thus the lion of the tribe of Juda is a metaphorical expression; we are talking in the terms which serve as an illustration of certain features well known to exist in the tribe in question. If, however, we expand this mode of speech into an independent description we have allegory, e.g. in Ezech. 17:3-10 or in John 10:1-29.

Thus the briefest description of a parable would be "A saying respecting earthly things, but with a spiritual application." In order to differentiate parable from its unexpanded form, the proverb, many are inclined to restrict the term "parable" to those which are cast in narrative form. But this is misleading since in N.T. the term "parable" is used to cover all kinds of illustration, whether allegory, proverb, maxim, homely truth or narrative; all agree in being truths conveying a spiritual lesson.[1]

________________________
1 See Origen, Contra Celsum, III. 45-46, IV. 87; also Comment, on Prov. i. 6, ed. Delarue, III. 3; also Horn. X. 4, 16, Horn. XIV. 12 in Matt. ib. 446, 461, 630. Wiseman's famous Essays on the Parables, Miracles and Actions of the New Testament are too much neglected nowadays, D.R. 1849-1850, also in his Collected Essays, Vol. I.

Lists of the Parables in the Synoptic Gospels

In St. Matthew's Gospel:

1. The Salt that has lost its savour, Matt. 5:13; Mark 9:49; Luke 14:34-35.

2. The Candle, Matt. 5:15-16; Mark 4:21-22; Luke 8:16-17; 11:33-36.

3. Be at peace with thine adversary, Matt. 5:25-26; Luke 12:58-59.

4. The Birds of the air, Matt. 6:26; Luke 12:24.

5. The Lilies of the field, Matt. 6:28-30; Luke 12:27-28.

6. The Mote and the Beam, Matt. 7:3; Luke 6:41-42.

7. The Tree and its Fruits, Matt. 7:18; 12:33; Luke 6:43-44.

8. The House founded on a Rock, Matt. 7:24-27; Luke 6:48-49.

9. The Garments, Matt. 9:16; Mark 2:21; Luke 5:36.

10. The Bottles, Matt. 9:17; Mark 2:22; Luke 5:37-38.

11. The Disciple is not above his master, Matt. 10:24; Luke 6:40; cp. John 13:16.

12. The Strong man, Matt. 12:25-30; Mark 3:23-27; Luke 11:17-23.

13. The Sower, Matt. 13:3-96, 18-23. Mark iv. 1-20; Luke 8:5-15.

14. The Cockle, Matt. 13:24-30, 36-43.

15. The Mustard Seed, Matt. 13:31-32. Mark 4:30-32; Luke 13:18-19.

16. The Leaven, Matt. 13:33; Luke 13:20-21.

17. The Hidden Treasure, Matt. 13:44.

18. The Pearl bought at a great price, Matt. 13:45-46.

19. The Net cast into the sea, Matt. 13:47-50.

20. The Things that defile a man, Matt. 15:11-20, Mark 7:14-23.

21. The Hundred Sheep, Matt. 18:11-13; Luke 15:3-7.

22. The Unmerciful Servant, Matt. 18:22-35.

23. The Labourers in the Vineyard, Matt. 20:1-16.

24. The Two Sons, Matt. 21:28-32.

25. The Husbandmen in the Vineyard, Matt. 21:33-45; Mark 12:1-11; Luke 20:9-18.

26. The Marriage Feast, Matt. 22:1-14.

27. The Fig-tree, Matt. 24:32-42; Mark 13:28-30; Luke 21:29-30.

28. The Householder watching for the thief, Matt. 24:43; Mark 13:33; Luke 12:39.

29. The Faithful Servant and the Unfaithful, Matt. 24:45-51; Luke 12:42-48.

30. The Ten Virgins, Matt. 25:1-13.

31. The Ten Talents, Matt. 25:14-20.

Of these thirty-one parables twenty are to be found in Luke, eleven in Mark. Ten are common to Matthew and Luke alone. Only one occurs in Matthew and Mark alone.

The Parables in St. Mark's Gospel:

1. The Garments, Mark 2:19-21; Matt. 9:16; Luke 5:36.

2. The Wine-bottles, Mark 2:22; Matt. 9:17; Luke 5:37-38.

3. The Strong man, Mark 3:23-27; Matt. 12:25-30; Luke 11:17-23.

4. The Sower, with the explanation, Mark 4:1-29; Matt. 13:3-9: 18-23; Luke 8:5-15.

5. The Candle, Mark 4:21-22; Matt. 5:15-16; Luke 8:16-17, Luke 11:33-36.

6. The Seed growing secretly, Mark 4:26-29.

7. The Mustard-seed, Mark 4:30-32; Matt. 13:31-32; Luke 13:18-19.

8. The Things that defile a man, Mark 7:14-23; Matt. 15:11-29.

9. The Salt that has lost it savour, Mark 9:49; Matt. 5:13; Luke 14:34-35.

10. The Wicked Husbandmen, Mark 12:i-11; Matt. 20:33-34; Luke 20:9-19.

11. The Fig-tree, Mark 13:28-30; Matt. 24:32; Luke 21:29-30.

12. The Householder watching for the thief, Mark 13:33; Matt. 24:43; Luke 12:39.

13. The Man who went into a far country, Mark 13:34-37; cp. Matt. 25:14-30.

If the parables of the "Garment" and the "Bottles" be regarded as distinct, then we have thirteen parables in Mark's Gospel. Of the thirty-one parables given by Matthew, Mark has only eleven. Only one is common to Matthew and Mark alone, viz. no. 8 above. Two are peculiar to Mark, nos. 6 and 13. The student should note that the order in which the parables are given in Mark is practically the same as that in Matthew, with the exception that the parable of the "Candle" is removed from the Sermon on the Mount and, as in Luke, placed after the parable of the Sower. Note, too, that Luke repeats this parable of the "Candle" later on. Ten of Mark's parables also occur in Luke.

The Parables in St. Luke's Gospel.

1. The Garments, Luke 5:36; Matt. 9:16; Mark 2:21.

2. The Bottles, Luke 5:37-38; Matt. 9:17; Mark 2:22.

3. The New and the Old Wine, Luke 5:39.

4. The House on a Rock, Luke 6:48-49; Matt. 7:24-27.

5. The Two Debtors, Luke 7:41-48.

6. The Sower, Luke viii. 5-15; Matt. 13:3-9, Matt. 13:18-23; Mark 4:1-20.

7. Can the Blind lead the blind? Luke 6:39.

8. The Disciple is not above his master, Luke 6:40; Matt. 10:24; cp. John 13:16.

9. The Mote and the Beam, Luke 6:41-42; Matt. 7:3.

10. The Tree and its fruits, Luke 6:43-44; Matt. 7:18; Matt. 12:33.

11. The Candle, Luke 8:16-17; Luke 11:33-36; Matt. 5:15-16; Mark 4:21-22.

12. The Good Samaritan, Luke 10:30-37.

13. The Friend at Midnight, Luke 11:5-10.

14. The Strong Man, Luke 11:17-23; Matt. 12:25-30; Mark 3:23-27.

15. The Man with the Unclean Spirit, Luke 11:24-26.

16. The Candle (repeated), Luke 11:33-36; cp. Luke 8:16-17.

17. The Rich Fool, Luke 12:16-21.

16. The Ravens, Luke 12:24; Matt. 6:26.

19. The Lilies of the field, Luke 12:27-28; Matt. 6:28-30.

20. The Servants waiting for the return of their Lord, Luke 12:35-38.

21. The Householder watching for the thief, Luke 12:39-40; Matt. 24:43; Mark 13:33.

22. The Faithful Servant and the Unfaithful, Luke 12:42-48; Matt. 24:45-51.

23. Be at peace with thine adversary, Luke 12:58-59; Matt. 5:25-26.

24. The Barren fig-tree, Luke 13:6-9

25. The Mustard Seed, Luke 13:18-19; Matt. 13:31-32; Mark 4:30-32.

26. The Leaven, Luke 13:20-21; Matt. 13:33.

27. The Chief Seats, Luke 14:7-14.

28. The Great Supper, Luke 14:16-24; not to be identified with the parable in Matt. 22:1-15.

29. The Building of the Tower, Luke 14:28-30.

30. The King going out to war, Luke 14:31-32.

31. The Salt that has lost its savour, Luke 14:34-35; Matt. 5:13; Mark 9:49.

32. The Hundred Sheep, Luke 15:3-7; Matt, 18:12-14.

33. The Ten Groats, Luke 15:8-10.

34. The Prodigal Son, Luke 15:11-32.

35. The Unjust Steward, Luke 16:1-13.

36. Dives and Lazarus, Luke 16:19-31.

37. The Servant returning from ploughing, Luke 17:7-10.

38. The Unjust Judge, Luke 18:1-8.

39. The Pharisee and the Publican, Luke 18:9-14.

40. The parable of the Pounds, Luke 19:11-27; not to be identified with that of the Talents in Matt. 25:14-30.

41. The Husbandmen in the Vineyard, Luke 20:9-18; Matt. 21:33-45; Mark 12:1-11.

42. The Fig-tree, Luke 21:29-30; Matt. 24:32; Mark 13:28-30.


By Very Rev. Hugh Pope, O.P., S.T.M.
Doctor in Sacred Scripture,
Member of the Society of Biblical Archaeology, and
late Professor of New Testament Exegesis at the Collegio Angelico, Rome.