[caption id=“attachment_635” align=“alignleft” width=“80”
caption=“Simon Kistemaker”] 
[/caption] Simon Kistemaker generally
provides balanced, astute commentary on several of Jesus’ parables and
parabolic sayings. He attempts to avoid allegorical interpretations,
thinking that “in the New Testament we encounter elements of allegory
but never a full-fledged allegorical parable” ( 15). This surface
disagreement with Blomberg’s perspective on the parables is mainly
an issue of semantics. In actuality, Kistemaker’s point merely reflects
the very probable hypothesis that in none of Jesus’ parables do
all the details stand for things other than themselves, or
stated alternatively, that Jesus’ parables—even the allegorical ones—are
qualitatively different from an allegory like The Pilgrim’s Progress. One
of the chief benefits of The
Parables is how Kistemaker consistently summarizes with
simplicity and clarity what he considers to be the main points of each
parable. Occasionally, one might well debate some precise points of
exegesis. Yet, the work is, overall, engaging and informative, and
Kistemaker’s style is coherent and straightforward.
In this post:[caption id=“attachment_2356”
align=“alignleft” width=“80” caption=“John Bunyan”] 
[/caption] [caption id=“attachment_635”
align=“alignleft” width=“80” caption=“Simon Kistemaker”] [/caption]