● The Good Samaritan: A Literary Approach through Luke
Jesus used parables to draw his audience or readers into the story, encouraging them to engage with the parable. For the audience to participate in a parable, it must be based on situations that could actually happen, rather than being impossible scenarios. This is why Jesus chose the subjects of his parables from the everyday life of that time. The parables Jesus used were fresh, unique, and creative to such an extent that they should be treated as a completely new genre, distinct from the parables found in literature. Nevertheless, we often miss the intentions of Jesus, the narrator, by approaching his parables too simplistically.