Christ’s Original Parables

Church History: The word Parable is derived from a Greek word, which signifies, to compare things together, to form a parallel or similitude of them with other things. What we call the Proverbs of Solomon, which are moral maxims and sentences, the Greeks call the Parables of Solomon. In like manner, when Job answers his friends, it is said he took up his "parable," Job 27:1; 29:1. In the New Testament the word parable denotes sometimes a true history, or an illustrative sketch from nature; sometimes a proverb or adage, Luke 4:23; a truth darkly or figuratively expressed, Matthew 15:15; a type, Hebrews 9:9; or a similitude, Matthew 24:32. The parabolic, enigmatical, figurative, and sententious way of speaking, was the language of the Eastern sages and learned men, Psalms 49:4; 78:2; and nothing was more insupportable than to hear a fool utter parables, Proverbs 26:7.
The prophets employed parables the more strongly to impress prince and people with their threatening or their promises. Nathan reproved David under the parable of a rich man who had taken away and killed the lamb of a poor man, 2Samuel 12:1-31. See also Judges 9:7-15; 2Kings 14:9-10. Our Savior frequently addressed the people in parables, thereby verifying the prophecy of Isaiah 6:9, that the people should see without knowing, and hears without understanding, in the midst of instructions. This result, however, only proved how deep rooted their hardness of heart and blindness of mind was; for in no other way could he have offered them instruction more invitingly, clearly, or forcibly, than by this beautiful and familiar mode. The Hebrew writers made great use of it; and not only the Jews, but the Arabs, Syrians, and all the nations of the east were and still are admirers of this form of discourse.
In the interpretation of a parable, its primary truth and main scope are chiefly to be considered. The minute particulars are less to be regarded than in a sustained allegory; and serious errors are caused by pressing every detail, and inventing for it some spiritual analogy.