“Hidden meanings?”
By Rev. Michael Stonhouse
Meditation – Monday, May 23, 2022
Matthew 13:1-16 (Forward, p. 25) CEV p. 998
Suffice to say, the parables of Jesus have long elicited controversy and rather diverse opinions. For instance, one controversy of long standing was whether any of them could be construed or interpreted in an allegorical way. For years—in great contrast to many of the early church fathers--the general consensus was that they could not. The parables had one meaning or message and one only, and the details were generally irrelevant or incidental. But then, there’s today’s parable, the Parable of the Sower and the Seeds (or, more accurately, the Parable of the Soils). In Jesus’ explanation of it, it certainly does sound as if the individual details had meaning and significance and were therefore in some sense allegorical. Interestingly, in light of this example—and others—the pendulum has swung the other way, with many scholars acknowledging that the rule is not so hard and fast--in other words, that there are allegorical treatments or aspects to some of the parables of Jesus.
If this question has prompted the spilling of a lot of ink, another question has resulted in even more. It is the question of the purpose of the parables in the first place, and why their meanings were sometimes hidden and revealed only to a select few. The parables were generally folksy tales, tales taken from life, tales that stuck with you and drew you in. However, this engagement varied from person to person. Some people merely took them as whimsical captivating stories and left them there, while certain others mulled them over in their minds, asking questions mentally and trying to mine out every last ounce of meaning. It is this former category that could be described as those ‘listen and never understand’, while Jesus’ disciples could be counted in the latter, the enquirers.
If this suggestion is true, it accords very well with something that John Pilch asserts. He suggests that in a conflict prone culture like the Middle East there automatically arose, for one’s own protection and safety, a sort of in-group and out-group dynamic. This was basically a defensive posture, for one never knew otherwise just who your friends were--and weren’t. Only those who showed themselves loyal were admitted, were admitted, were ‘in.’ And, one of the ways a person exhibited this loyalty was having a searching, inquisitive mind—in other words, someone who wasn’t content with just the surface meaning but wanted to go further.
Unfortunately, however, there are some who have taken this in-group, out-group business, this hidden or secret truth idea, a little too far. The ancient Gnostics asserted that there was a secret truth that only the elect could ever gain access to, and even now there are Bible teachers who claim that they alone have deciphered what the Bible really means.
Here, I would offer two cautions. One is to take the Scriptures—as they are—adding or subtracting nothing and interpreting them fully within their context and the plain meaning of the words. The other is to rely on the teaching magisterium, the tradition of the church. I would suggest that if no one over the centuries has ever come up with that particular interpretation, then it is quite possibly of no merit. The Holy Spirit is remarkably consistent in how He teaches us the faith and is not prone to deviating into new and weird tangents. So, if it is new and strange, then beware. And above all, seek the guidance of the Lord, whether by prayer and Bible study, or by the wider counsel of the Church. God will show us the true meaning if only we will seek it—and Him. Amen.
Forward notes: “Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty” (verse 8).
“Thanks to microscopes, we have an improved understanding of good soil. Good soil is full of life: bacteria, fungi, nematodes, worms, and much more. In high school biology, students learn about photosynthesis and the carbon cycle. Through photosynthesis, the plant creates sugar. While the plant uses some of the sugar for its own food, much of it is exuded from the roots, creating a great feast that benefits all the life in the soil. In turn, the soil provides nutrients the plants need to grow.
“God loves relationships and diversity. Many of the ways to discuss a healthy soil are also good ways to discuss a healthy church. The relationships in a healthy soil give it structure so that the soil can absorb more and sustain more. It is far more resilient than barren dirt with the same elemental molecules.”
Moving Forward: “Tend the relationships in your church community.”