"Who, then, is the faithful and wise servant...?"
Introduction
What is a parable? A parable is “a usually short fictitious story that illustrates a moral attitude or a religious principle”; (Merriam-Webster Dictionary) also, “a statement or comment that conveys a meaning indirectly by the use of comparison, analogy, or the like” (Collins English Dictionary) Most of the fictional stories that Jesus told are parables, such as the story of the Prodigal Son and the Good Samaritan or the Foolish and Wise virgins. Some have a clear moral intention; others have a prophetic significance. Some possess both characteristics. Unquestionably, Jesus Christ imparted powerful moral lessons to his listeners through the use of parables, and therefore, one might think - perhaps simplisticly - that the purpose of using parables was always to facilitate understanding and simplify the teaching of the truth. That might have been the case with some of Jesus’ parables, but it turns out that very often the intention was quite the opposite: to veil and obscure things that could have been spoken more plainly. Jesus indicated this when his disciples asked him: “Why do you speak to them [the public] in parables?” (Matthew 13:10) The reply that Jesus gave to this question is relevant. He said: “It has been given to you to know the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but to them it has not been given.” (13:11) This veiling of prophetic truth allowed the inner circle of Christ’s disciples to understand impending judgments and future events without arousing undue opposition and persecution from unbelievers. This is certainly the case of the parable of the faithful and wise servant. (continued...) by Eden << Back to Articles | To Part 1 >> |