Interpretation Methodology

1) As you are reading the parable, write down every detail in the story.
2) What question is Jesus answering? What is the proof of of this statement?
3) Based on question 2, who is the main character of the parable? What is the proof for this statement?
4)What is the story's conflict?
5) What seems to be the most important part of the story?
6) Research the details of the story in a social, political, religious, and economic context.
7) Ask questions of the "gaps" in the parable (like unaccounted details and questions raised in the text) and try to answer them with the knowledge gained from question 4.
8) Based on the answers to the previous questions, what was Jesus telling his audience?
9) Based on the answer to number 8, how does this apply to us today?

TABLE's METHOD:


1. Look at the title and consider its implications, then read and write down all facts to understand surface plot line.
2. Research to understand the social class/context of characters in first century Palestine.
3. Find main character and why.
4. What is the conflict that Jesus is addressing?
5. Interpret every detailed fact in parable and why characters acted the way they did (w/o allegorizing)
6. Look before and after in Bible to see immediate context of parable
7. What is JEsus' message about the kingdom of God/life/ WHAT IS CORE VALUE?
8. Apply to current event.