Stories with Intent and the Parables of Jesus

I am delighted to see a parcel from Eerdmans waiting for me in my mailbox. Klyne R. Snodgrass' Stories with Intent: A Comprehensive Guide to the Parables of Jesus has finally arrived.

According to Eerdmans, this book "offers pastors and students an accessible and comprehensive guide to Jesus’ parables. Klyne Snodgrass explores in vivid detail the context in which these stories were told, the purpose they had in Jesus’ message, and the ways they have been interpreted by the church and modern scholarship. While holding a consciously evangelical approach, Snodgrass deals throughout with a broad spectrum of opinions and interpretations."

"He begins by surveying the primary issues in parables interpretation. Offering both a new, more functional classification system for Jesus’ parables and guidelines for interpreting them, he provides an overview of other parables — often neglected in the discussion — from the Old Testament, Jewish writings, and the Greco-Roman world. The remaining chapters group the longer and more important parables of Jesus thematically and give a comprehensive treatment of each, including background and significance for today."

The reviews of the book are extremely encouraging and positive. The table of contents seems very promising. I am now making my way through the book and seriously considering it as one of the textbooks for the upcoming Theological Education by Extension course, Teaching and Preaching the Parables of Jesus, that I will be co-teaching with my Principal in September 08. But with a price tag of US$50.00, it seems to be a little bit on the high side for many of us from the Two-Thirds world. That is the only set back, despite the slight relief of the weakening Greenback in recent months.

It's unfortunate that when books cross over the Pacific to South-east Asia, they suddenly become expensive and beyond the reach of many. Is there anyway publishers in North America are able to give special concession to the Two-Thirds world?