Two reasons for writing this book:
The simple reason: there has been a great deal of scholarly work in recent years which needs to be brought to the attention of a wider readership.
The complicated reason: The dominant approaches to the parables of the 20th century are misguided and require rethinking.
The following assertions are often found in textbooks
1. In the history of the church the dominant way of interpreting has been to treat them as allegories. So, the details have spiritual significance.
2. Modern scholarship has rightly rejected the allegorical in favour of “one main point”.
3. Nevertheless, there are some allegorical elements, but are the exception not the rule.
4. Thus the occasional explicit interpretations of parables are exceptions and not normative
5. Apart from these allegories most of the parables and parts of parables are indisputably authentic.
The problem is that the only interpretations of Jesus use allegory! Moreover they do not account for the enigmatic statement that the parables are for the disciples, not outsiders. The consensus is being challenged. A minority affirm the following:
1. The parables in the gospels are more allegorical than realised.
2. This makes the parables more authentic sayings of Jesus (because we do not have to explain away the allegorical parts).
3. Many parables make more than one point.
The newest work advocates neither “one point” or allegorical approaches, but that the parables stand as metaphors and cannot be divided up.
