Kingdom of the Parables
“…we tend to read the parables as if Jesus’ ministry is at the beginning of the parables… I’m suggesting that we think about Jesus coming at the end of the story instead.”
Peter Leithart puts Jesus’ parables where they belong — in the context of Israel’s history.
Parables thus teach us about God’s ways and help us to anticipate what happens next. Whenever a field is planted with wheat, whenever we see the word spreading out through the world, we can expect the devil to spread his own seed, and the two grow up until a harvest. These are mysteries of God’s dealings throughout the ages. By learning to interpret parables, God forms us into prophets who know the times and can see God’s trajectories.
For several reasons, though, I think Jesus is talking primarily about the history of Israel that climaxes in His own ministry. That is, we tend to read the parables as if Jesus’ ministry is at the beginning of the parables. He’s the Son of Man sowing seed; He’s the one planting the mustard seed; He’s the one who puts the leaven in the lump. He’s the beginning of the story, and the rest of the story is what happens after Jesus. I’m suggesting that we think about Jesus coming at the end of the story instead.
Read full article at Trinity House.
