Jesus, the metaphorical Theologian

Already Tom Wright had triggered the importance of Parable for me, Kenneth Bailey has fleshed this out in his book - "Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes". He describes Jesus as a metaphorical Theologian, too often his parables lock Jesus into simple story teller. He goes on to write in explanation .... Jesus' primary method of creating meaning was through metaphor, simile, parable and dramatic action rather than through logic and reasoning. He created meaning like a dramatist and a poet rather than like a philosopher.

His parables were a source of Faith rather than ethics and for the first few centuries of the Christian experience this was how the faith was taught.

Bailey continues: "A parable is an extended metaphor and as such it is not a delivery system for an idea but a house in which the reader/listener is invited to take up residence."
Brueggemann also uses metaphor. The metaphor of 'exile' to assist the American Church - read most Western churches in coming to terms with the reality it faces today.
"The usefulness of a metaphor for rereading our own context is that it is not claimed to be a one- 0n - one match to 'reality' as though the metaphor of 'exile' actually describes our situation. Rather a metaphor proceeds by having only an odd, playful and ill-fitting match to reality, the purpose of which is to illuminate and evoke dimensions of reality which will otherwise go unnoticed and therefore unexperienced" : Cadences of Home p1