This week's gospel text (like last week's) presents two "versions" of Jesus' favorite communication form a parable. More than mere "stories," less than full-blown "myths," and with a different focus and format than an "allegory," parables remain a distinctive part of Jesus' teaching ministry.

While his own mastery of this story-form is unique and unparalleled, the parables of Jesus may have grown out of the Hebraic tradition of the mashal. A mashal was an allegorical type of communication often used by Hebrew prophets as they attempted to transmit God's words and plans to the people of Israel. Not only is the format of the mashal and the Greek parable similar, so also is their setting. Both involve communication by one who has clearly heard and understood the divine intentions to an audien…