Explanations That Don’t Explain

Jesus is then asked by the disciples to explain the parables of the weeds and wheat. His response is quite interesting on multiple levels.

First, when you consider the things we’ve learned about eastern teaching and the art of “discovery,” you would not expect the teacher to EXPLAIN the parable at all, nor would you expect the students to expect a direct explanation. This situation does not disappoint our expectations. Jesus doesn’t explain much of anything and the disciples don’t seem to balk at that. All the rabbi does is further clarify the variables and elements of the parable. This may be viewed as an explanation, but…

Second, notice that Jesus does not even hint at the rabbinical mechanics of his teaching. There is no mention of p’shat, remez, or drash. In fact, one even begins to wonder if Jesus’s explanation actually becomes a secondary teaching. Are there more elements of remez hidden in his explanation? Is his explanation supposed to be a drash? This would not be surprising from a good rabbi. This is getting more complicated by the minute.

Third, this teaching is quite clearly a validation of the “three-part” Jewish eschatology (at least on the surface). As when we looked at the teaching of John the Baptist and his questioning of Jesus, Jesus continues to insist that the Kingdom is like a seed or leaven or weeds and wheat that grow together. On a p’shat level, it’s very easy to see that Jesus’s teaching should call us away from our modern feeling of needing to be the world’s “morality police” and win the “culture wars.” In fact, Jesus commands us not to root out the weeds that are inherent among the wheat. This is important because, no matter how discerning we are, we will misidentify some of them and uproot some of the wheat God has planted.

It should also be noted that this “explanation” is followed immediately with a series of more parables. Those additional parables should be seen as part of his explanation to his disciples. So the teaching should operate like this: Jesus tells the parable of the sower (with his “explanation”), the parable of the weeds, and the parables of the mustard seed and the woman with her yeast. Jesus is then asked by his disciples about the weeds (probably because this confronts their deeply held beliefs about how the Kingdom of God will come). Jesus responds with an “explanation” of the weeds, the treasure in a field, the pearl of great price, and the fish in the net.

Therefore, it would be safe to assume that the meanings of the following parables are going to be further teachings — deeper understandings — of his perplexing original teachings.

Are there things you find in the parable of the weeds and the wheat — p’shat, remez, drash? I think that there are, but frankly I’m still working on it, so there will be no post about it. But we do have the tools to dig into the parables that follow. What do you find? Are you willing to do the work? Or must Jesus make it easy and palatable for you? Must he properly “explain” his teachings?

Which soil are you?