So many commentators try to interpret the Hebrew parables as they sit. But David did that and condemned himself in the process.
Each and every Hebrew parable has a nimshal or an explanation. The nimshal can be a full-fledged explanation or it can be the introduction of a real-life situation that mirrors the mashal, but it always originates necessarily with the author of the parable. The parable is written to intentionally mimic some real-life situation or principle that the author wants to illuminate.
When a real-life example is given, the student is left to compare the two - the cryptic story and the real-life one - in order to obtain the meaning of the parable. David's situation with Bathsheba and Uriah was the real-life counterpart to Nathan's mashal (parable) of the Ewe Lamb. When David's account (his sin with B & U) is compared with the mashal (Parable of The Ewe Lamb), the lesson becomes obvious as both mashal and nimshal tell the same story in a different way. David could see plainly how he had wronged Bathsheba and Uriah when his actions were seen through the mashal (the parable of The Ewe Lamb). The two-part parable teaches through similarity and sometimes dissimilarity, but always through comparison.
On very rare occasions the nimshal (explanation) is obvious to the hearers. One such case was recorded in Matthew 23:45:
When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard His parables, they understood that He was speaking about them.
It was unnecessary to give the nimshal as the religious men realized that they were indeed the real-life counterpart to Jesus' meshalim. But this is more the exception than the rule. More often we see the hearer react like David, or more wisely, admit to not understanding and seek an explanation. Even still, each mashal has a real-life counterpart, which becomes its explanation or nimshal. Matthew 13 contains another important example.
The Kingdom Parables |
Their Explanations |
"Behold, the sower went out to sow; and as he sowed, some {seeds} fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate them up. And others fell upon the rocky places, where they did not have much soil; and immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of soil. But when the sun had risen, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. And others fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them out. And others fell on the good soil, and yielded a crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty. He who has ears, let him hear." (Matthew 13:3b-8, NAS) |
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"The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares also among the wheat, and went away. But when the wheat sprang up and bore grain, then the tares became evident also. And the slaves of the landowner came and said to him, 'Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?' And he said to them, 'An enemy has done this!' And the slaves said to him, 'Do you want us, then, to go and gather them up?' But he said, 'No; lest while you are gathering up the tares, you may root up the wheat with them. Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, "First gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up; but gather the wheat into my barn."'" (Matthew 13:24b-30, NAS) |
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"The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field; and this is smaller than all {other} seeds; but when it is full grown, it is larger than the garden plants, and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches." (Matthew 13:31a-32, NAS) |
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"The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three pecks of meal, until it was all leavened." (Matthew 13:33b, NAS) |
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"The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field.” (Matthew 13:44, NAS) |
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"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had, and bought it.” (Matthew 13:45-46, NAS) |
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"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet cast into the sea, and gathering {fish} of every kind; and when it was filled, they drew it up on the beach; and they sat down, and gathered the good {fish} into containers, but the bad they threw away. So it will be at the end of the age; the angels shall come forth, and take out the wicked from among the righteous, and will cast them into the furnace of fire; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 13:47-50, NAS) |
Above are the seven meshalim - Jesus' primary teaching - known as the Mysteries of the Kingdom. Now a clear understanding of the context and all that went on on the seashore that day reveals that no one understood the parables when spoken, not even the disciples. Jesus even said that the multitudes were not granted to know the mysteries (13:11), revealing further that His speech was intentionally cryptic; so cryptic as to disallow any sort of penetration. But notice what happened when the disciples asked for an explanation.
The Kingdom Parables |
Their Explanations |
"Behold, the sower went out to sow; and as he sowed, some {seeds} fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate them up. And others fell upon the rocky places, where they did not have much soil; and immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of soil. But when the sun had risen, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. And others fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them out. And others fell on the good soil, and yielded a crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty. He who has ears, let him hear." (Matthew 13:3b-8, NAS) |
"When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, the evil {one} comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is the one on whom seed was sown beside the road. And the one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the word, and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no {firm} root in himself, but is {only} temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away. And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. And the one on whom seed was sown on the good soil, this is the man who hears the word and understands it; who indeed bears fruit, and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty." (Matthew 13:19-23, NAS) |
"The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares also among the wheat, and went away. But when the wheat sprang up and bore grain, then the tares became evident also. And the slaves of the landowner came and said to him, 'Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?' And he said to them, 'An enemy has done this!' And the slaves said to him, 'Do you want us, then, to go and gather them up?' But he said, 'No; lest while you are gathering up the tares, you may root up the wheat with them. Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, "First gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up; but gather the wheat into my barn."'" (Matthew 13:24b-30, NAS) |
"The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man, and the field is the world; and {as for} the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; and the tares are the sons of the evil {one;} and the enemy who sowed them is the devil, and the harvest is the end of the age; and the reapers are angels. Therefore just as the tares are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire; in that place there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. (Matthew 13:37b-42, NAS) |
"The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field; and this is smaller than all {other} seeds; but when it is full grown, it is larger than the garden plants, and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches." (Matthew 13:31a-32, NAS) |
No Explanation |
"The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three pecks of meal, until it was all leavened." (Matthew 13:33b, NAS) |
No Explanation |
"The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field.” (Matthew 13:44, NAS) |
No Explanation |
"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had, and bought it.” (Matthew 13:45-46, NAS) |
No Explanation |
"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet cast into the sea, and gathering {fish} of every kind; and when it was filled, they drew it up on the beach; and they sat down, and gathered the good {fish} into containers, but the bad they threw away. So it will be at the end of the age; the angels shall come forth, and take out the wicked from among the righteous, and will cast them into the furnace of fire; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 13:47-50, NAS) |
No Explanation |
Matthew tells us that the disciples were given the meanings of the first two. Jesus spelled out the allegorical nimshal for each, telling only his students what each part of the mashal stood for. It was only when the mashal and nimshal were presented together that they aptly communicated their meaning.
Jesus used the rabbinic method (the two-part parable) to teach His disciples. But note this: the other five explanations are missing.
More on the method and the missing nimshalim to follow.
