Kingdom, Grace, Judgment (Capon, 2002)

Book 1, Chapter 4:The Ministry before the Parables

Book 1, Chapter 5: The Sower: The Watershed of the Parables

Book 1, Chapter 6: The Sower, Continued

Mark 4

Matthew 13

Sowing Promises: Truth in Parable Form (Juel, 1994) [PDF]

In the Parable of the Sower as found in Mark 4 (and also in Matthew 13 in a different form; concentrate on the Markan version), we find Jesus not only giving an enigmatic teaching regarding the sower/seeds/soil, but also embedding within the parable an equally enigmatic set of statements regarding the purpose of the parables. Respond to the following:

How do you understand Jesus’ teaching relative to parables here?

According to Jesus, what is the purpose of parables?

How is that a valid or beneficial purpose within the context of the Gospel of Mark?

How could this purpose serve to preach who Christ is more effectively in general?

Support your statements with evidence from the Required Studies and your research.

Click here for information on course rubrics.

This is the information for this weeks reading and assignments

INTRODUCTION

Parables of the Kingdom

While there are many ways to classify Jesus’ parables (as you will have seen in Snodgrass, 2008), Capon’s (2002) simple division into three basic types seems most useful. Those three types are Parables of the Kingdom, of Grace, and of Judgment. We will be taking each of these types in turn as a way to organize the variegated parables of Jesus.

Parables of the Kingdom, the topic for this week, are those parables that focus on the nature of the “Kingdom of God.” The Kingdom of God is a concept that gets remarkably little play in many people’s understandings of the message of Jesus. When it is discussed, it is frequently treated as a cypher for an earthly kingdom of power, whether that is understood as a kingdom or state that is in submission to God as those on the so-called “religious right” portray it or as some type of utopian society on the progressive side. These two extremes do not map well upon Jesus’ own idea of the kingdom, and his parables are one good way to gain insight into his purposes.

Rather than something brazen and obvious, the Kingdom of God appears to be something hidden yet exerts great influence for Jesus. Even more, the very fact that parables are used to describe it seems to demonstrate precisely this hidden character. The Parable of the Sower is a prime example of this as is its shocking middle piece where Jesus describes the purpose of parables as to conceal rather than to reveal, “lest they should turn and be forgiven” (Mark 4:12b, citing Isaiah 6:10). This problematizes the entire concept of parables and of Jesus’ own intentions for his earthly ministry. It makes the question of “What type of kingdom is this?” even more urgent.

The urgency of answering this question is even further exacerbated when one realizes that Jesus’ Gospel message in Mark is introduced early on as the proclamation that “the time is fulfilled and the Kingdom of God is near.” Perceiving this kingdom, its character, and its effects are all topics at play in the parables of the mustard seed, the wheat and weeds, and the leaven.

This week’s assignments will challenge you to answer these questions, to determine what it is that Jesus has in mind regarding the Kingdom of God and how his enigmatic parables proclaim it. Or do they?

Reference

Capon, R. F. (2002). Kingdom, grace, judgment: Paradox, outrage, and vindication in the parables of Jesus. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing.

WEEKLY OBJECTIVES

Through participation in the following activities, the candidate will:

Explain how to work with the rich diversity within approaches to sacred text.

Kingdom of God

Teaching the Parables

Apply critical skills to reading texts sacred to religious communities.

Seeing but not Perceiving

Kingdom of God

Teaching the Parables

Explain how to read material which is deeply embedded in a narrative tradition.

Seeing but not Perceiving

Kingdom of God

Teaching the Parables

REQUIRED STUDIES

The following materials are required studies for this week. Complete these studies at the beginning of the week and save these weekly materials for future use.

Kingdom, Grace, Judgment (Capon, 2002)

Book 1, Chapter 4:The Ministry before the Parables

Book 1, Chapter 5: The Sower: The Watershed of the Parables

Book 1, Chapter 6: The Sower, Continued

Book 1, Chapter 8: The Weeds

Book 1, Chapter 9: The Mustard Seed and the Leaven

Book 1, Chapter 10: The Interpretation of the Weeds

Stories with Intent (Snodgrass, 2018)

The Parable of the Sower and the Purpose of Parables

Wheat and Weeds

The Mustard Seed

The Leaven

The new Oxford annotated bible: New revised standard version with the apocrypha (Brettler, Newsom & Perkins, 2018)

Read

Mark 4

Matthew 13

Sowing Promises: Truth in Parable Form (Juel, 1994) [PDF]