The Parable of the Wicked Tenants: an inquiry into parable interpretation

by Klyne R. Snodgrass

Despite its importance, the parable of the wicked tenants has been an enigma to modern interpretation. The approaches to the parable have been quite varied. Some interpreters place this parable at the apex of the ministry of Jesus, while others assign little importance to it or virtually ignore it. In some cases the conclusions drawn have been unsatisfactory either because of presuppositions that are too rigid or that have been shown to be erroneous by recent developments. Any discussion of the parable is necessarily a complex one in that it involves the relation of the three Synoptic accounts, an assessment of the account in the Gospel of Thomas, the religious and economic background in Palestine, the self-designation of Jesus, and the theological shaping of the parable by the tradition and by evangelists. Because of the importance of this parable as a possible key to understanding the ministry of Jesus, particularly since its relevance has often been minimized, this parable deserves closer analysis.

140 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1983

About the author

Klyne Ryland Snodgrass (born 28 December 1944) is an American theologian, author and professor of New Testament Studies at the North Park Theological Seminary in Chicago, Illinois. His publication Stories with Intent: A Comprehensive Guide to the Parables of Jesus garnered a 2009 Christianity Today Book Award.

Reviews

[Stephen Kilbøurn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a dense read for someone that can't read Greek or Hebrew. He spends a good portion of the book analyzing which of the synoptic accounts of the parable likely came first and engaging with claims that some or all of it came from the early church and not Jesus lips. After about a 100 pages, he arrives at the conclusion that this was a narrative echoing Jesus lamenting prayer over Jerusalem in Matthew 23:37-38.

It maybe wasn't heard as a specific Messianic claim, but it was a clear threat to the Jewish leaders that they were rejecting someone with a unique relationship to God and would face losing participating in God's kingdom.