the grace of God through the parables of Jesus

From Marvin Olasky's interview with Kenneth Bailey in World on his book, Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes...

Olasky covers Bailey's thoughts on five parables of Jesus, asking these questions:

- In the parable of the great banquet, why are the excuses—just bought a field, just bought five yoke of oxen—so evidently insincere and insulting?

-What's going on in the parable of the unjust steward?

-How does the parable of the employer who gives every worker the same, regardless of how long he labored, illustrate the compassion of the employer? Why does he pay the workers in the way most likely to infuriate those who labored all day?

-In the parable of Lazarus and the rich man, what does an understanding of Middle Eastern culture teach us about the character of Lazarus?

-What is the key to understanding the parable of the talents?

Sounds like an interesting book. As always, it's good to understand, as best we can, the original intent of the story!