Review: "The Parables: Jesus's Friendly Subversive Speech" (manuscript)

             Douglas D. Webster writes in his book, The Parables: Jesus’s Friendly Subversive Speech, that Jesus speaks in parables “to penetrate people’s defenses, circumvent the opposition, extend his gospel ministry, and creatively train his followers” (11-12).

            But Jesus says, “This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand” (Matthew 13:13, ESV).

            Webster goes on to explain the parables of Matthew and Luke.  He does a good job in looking at the historical setting and how the parables confronted the sin in the people addressed by them – calling for a response.

            The book ends with an appendix in which Webster gives ten reasons pastor should preach the parables.

            For the good that this book provides in interpretation, it seems to me that he got off the right foot from the beginning:  Jesus says parables are told so they won’t be understood, and the disciples are always asking Him what the parables mean.  Not even those closest to Him understood the parables on their own.

            Yes, the parables ought to be preached – as well as the entirety of God’s Word. Yet, this book seems to be missing something in the reasons behind parables.

            [This review appears on my blog, my YouTube channel, Amazon.com, Kregel.com, and Goodreads.com.]