The Gospels - The Reign & Rule of the Creator - Stinky Grapes - Mt 21

Many thanks to the Bible Project
https://bibleproject.com/podcast/purpose-parables/


Richard Rohr
The earlier centuries of Christianity were much closer to the trans-rational (going beyond human reason or the rational) world of Jesus and his storytelling style of teaching (which does not lend itself to dogmatic or systematic theology). The Gospel says, “He would never speak to them except in parables” (Matthew 13:34). The indirect, metaphorical, symbolic language of a story or parable seems to be Jesus’ preferred way of teaching spiritual realities.

Almost all of Jesus’ parables begin with the same phrase: “The Reign (rule) of God is like. . . .” Jesus fully knows he is speaking in metaphor, simile, story, and symbol. But in recent centuries, many Christians have not granted him that freedom, and thus we miss or avoid many of his major messages. We are much the poorer for it.