Savrey, V. Ya. Key Problems of Interpreting Parables of the New Testament

Abstract: The article is devoted to the two main problems of hermeneutics of the Evangelic parable. The fi rst problem relates to the question whether it is actually admissible to have multiple interpretations of parables and to make particular moral and didactic conclusions based on the narrative. From this point of view, parable can be viewed as a multi-level structure including different aspects of symbolically refl ected reality which in its hermeneutic interpretation may have many meanings at the same time: literal or historical-grammatical meaning, spiritual or moralesthetical meaning or allegoric (symbolic-mystical), tropological and anagogic meanings. In late ancient and patristic periods in history Church was chosen as a universal system of interpreting parables based on a great number of hermeneutic and exegetic methods. Origen of Alexandria and Saint Augustine founded the Biblical hermeneutics which, as Paul Ricoeur said, was the fundament of modern philosophical hermeneutics. Patristic principles of interpreting Evangelic parables were almost completely denied at the epoch of Reformation which had confessional grounds. Modern hermeneutics is based on the assumption that each sign has many meanings and therefore recognizes the multiple meanings of parables. The second problem discussed by the author relates to the question whether the total interpretation of all elements of parables is reasonable. The author has used the following research methods: textual analysis, historical-cultural, historical-typological, comparative-historical, semiotic, philosophical and theological-patristic analysis. The author of the article also touches upon the history of the development of theoretical grounds for interpreting Evangelic parables at different ages: patristic period, the Reformation, liberal Protestantism and others up to the time when the semiotic model was created. The author also studies the grounds of the modern variety of different concepts and analyzes whether these are applicable to particular hermeneutic tasks.

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