Allegory

How do you like my Allegory?

Allegory was often used by the Early church, but it has since fallen on hard times. My impression in seminary was that the teachers regarded it as sort of the “Professional Wrestling” of homeletic devices. But consider that even Jesus used allegory in his interpretation of Jonah, (Matthew 12:40-41), and St Paul said that the well-known institution of marriage is a picture of Christ and the Church, (Ephesians 5:30-32).

Consider Proverbs 27:23-27; “Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds; for riches do not endure forever, and a crown is not secure for all generations. When the hay is removed and the new growth appears and the grass from the hills is gathered in, the lambs will provide you with clothing, and the goats with the price of a field. You will have plenty of goats milk to feed you and your family and to nourish your servant girls” (NIV)

Now as a pastor, I am particularly involved in the task of spiritual shepherding. I have been strongly impressed that I can best employ my time in the actual task of caring for the flock, and knowing their condition. It seems to be the most direct route to making the church a place of life for the people to follow-up on those who visit and express ciouriousity about the faith, to find out what happened to someone who hasn’t been coming, to call, to befriend my regulars, to stop by, and to really know the people to whom I am Pastor.

There are many things that intrude upon this task. One can stew about politics, one can try to plot the reformation of the denomination, one can worry over the building, the typeface on the bulletin, the endowment fund, or the mood the District Superintendent is in. One is tantalized by new schemes to grow the church. “It worked for us, it will work for you!” (If you follow their plan exactly in your ministry context, an impossibility), we ponder new ways of doing our personal devotions, weekly corporate worship and growth strategies. We seek for new blood, old money, and personal and corporate name recognition.

These are the riches and the world’s strength that will always pass away. The work of the Pastor is to know the flock, and if the Pastor does that, the furture will certainly hold promise. We may be fated for smaller contexts, for modest church situations, if we don’t seek to wow the crowds, and attract the (preferably well-to-do) seeker, but I feel in my heart that this sort of ministry is more wholesome and to the point.

This is not a Ministry Strategy that sounds impressive if you explain it to the Bishop, nor can it comfortably be forced into a Mission Statement, but so what? It feels right.

Lastly, notice that this allegory has a way of rescuing a text that seems sooo hopelessly 500 B.C. I have no use for goats milk, only a few of my families take in hay, wool is worth almost nothing, and the Superintendent would probably frown on my having servant girls. But the allegory lets me reside in the text, and respond to it on a deeper level. In fact there mayhave always been more to this pasassage than just sage farming advice, because, didn’t you wonder? Why would any farmer need to be warned that crowns are not secure?