Hermeneutics Continued
	5.  Treat Parables Differently:  A parable is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning.  The best way to describe the need for parabolic teaching is to suggest that you envision yourself as a missionary to a tribe of Indians who have never seen electricity, refrigeration or any modern day inventions.  How would you describe to such the appliances in your kitchen?  You would have to painstakingly use something within their frame of reference to use as a picture or a parable to convey your meaning.  The same is true in communicating heavenly or divine truth.  Jesus Christ was a master at using parables.  Oftentimes these parables are introduced by the statement, "The kingdom of Heaven is like...." or "A certain man went to a far country...." When it comes to interpreting them, most people overwork parables, that is, they try to make every single detail mean something special.  In doing so, they often destroy the basic meaning.  A parable is an illustration, and just as when you give an illustration of something you are trying to communicate it has one central truth,  so does God's.  But almost every illustration can be distorted and twisted way out of proportion by trying to apply every segment of it to something specific.  For that reason you should be content to find that one central meaning of a parable and except it. These five simple rules are not all the rules of hermeneutics, but  they are ones that you should  familiarize yourself with because they are the ones you are most likely to confront.  You will find their literal application  to Bible study will produce an accurate interpretation of God's message....