Jesus’ parables are analogies: similes or metaphors. ‘The Kingdom of heaven is like’; ‘there once was a man…’ Every one of the parables tells a story that didn’t actually happen. There was no literal Good Samaritan, no Prodigal Son or Sower. Jesus, or more probably the gospel authors, made up these stories to illustrate ‘mysteries’ (μυστήριον; gnosticism anyone?) What do they say about the parables? The majority appear in Matthew’s gospel, though Mark and Luke also include them. There are none in John. Did he, a supposed eye and ear- witness, not know of them?
Mark has Jesus say to his disciples:
To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables, so that “‘they may indeed see but not perceive, and may indeed hear but not understand, lest they should turn and be forgiven’” Mark 4:11-12
Mark lets his readers in on the ‘secret’ (μυστήριον again) because there are mysteries within the cult, secrets available only to the initiated. Remember, the parables were written – they are almost certainly literary creations – 40 years after the cult was established. Only cultists would understand the secrets/mysteries embodied in the parables. Parables, Mark tells us, are intended to disbar those who are not spiritually attuned from salvation/the kingdom of God/eternity.
The word translated as parable also means ‘riddle’, designed to puzzle or obfuscate. But Mark doesn’t just say the parables are intended to do this. He says ‘everything is in parables’. What did he mean by ‘everything’? All of the teaching he attributes to Jesus? All of the episodes he relates? Could it be that the entire Jesus story, crucifixion and resurrection included, is one long, extended parable? A metaphor, if you like.
You bet it is.
Related:
rejectingjesus, 
Only cultists can understand the parables? Maybe that is why they seem inscrutable to you.
But wait! Didn’t the Pharisees understand them enough to see themselves as the object of Jesus’ parables at times?
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You mean the Pharisees who are characters in a story? Those Pharisees? The pantomime villain versions of actual Pharisees?
As has been explained to you a zillion times, the fact Augustus, Pilate and Herod existed in reality does not mean their fictional counterparts did. There is a long tradition of adding real people to fiction in order to create the illusion of authenticity.
You don’t really address the point of the post that it is Mark (not me, not Goyo) who says ‘everything’ in his gospel is a metaphor. What a surprise.
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History is an inscrutable mystery to you, Neil. There is no way to determine what is fiction and what is fact. There is a conspiracy to hide the truth from you.
My experience with extreme right conspiracy theorist in the US is that there is no fact contrary to their theory of deceptions that are not themselves deceptions. (Covid vaccines cause cancer, for example.). They sink further and further into their own dark and messed up view of reality and can find no exit.
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Irrelevant piffle.
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And as Don himself said, Genesis is metaphor…so, did jesus die literally for a metaphor?
(I’m referring to original sin here.)
I like the idea of the whole story as a metaphor.
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I gather you are talking about the first three chapters of Genesis.
You might recall that I also said that metaphors picture something substantial. They are not merely fictional stories. In this case, Genesis three pictures with deep understanding the sin of mankind (that is what the word “Adam” can be used for.) and the consequences of that sin.
Jesus died for the sins of mankind.
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Well damn! I thought us womenkind were also part of that great “sacrifice.”
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No, no, no, no. Women are supposed to walk behind their men, keep quiet, be baby making machines, and do all the hard work. Don’t you know anything about religion?
;)
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You are not part of mankind?
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You might recall that Eve was the one who sinned first. So, in our culture of equality, she should be the one blamed. But in that culture and biblically, the man had the responsibility in the man/woman relationship and the responsibility before God for obedience to God’s commands. So, the blame was charged to him.
But in any event, “Adam” was a word that stood sometimes for an individual of that name and sometimes for mankind.
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Funny how you can make this:
“To the woman he said, “I will make your pains in childbearing very severe; with painful labor you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.”
…into whatever bullshit you just spewed.
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See? There you go again. …. a word that stood … sometimes for MANkind. And who, besides indoctrinated Christians, give a piddly damn who “sinned” first?
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