How has Wikipedia's Parable article changed?

Wikipedia's first sentence called it "heavenly story with an earthly meaning!" from punch". Today it says "type of metaphorical analogy". We saved the article's opening at 6 moments between 2005 and 2025, and every claim links the exact revision.

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How Wikipedia rewrote the Parable article

The opening as it read in 2005

An ill digested lesson The Governess. "And now, what is a Parable, Effie?" Effie (who has got rather muddled). Oh, of course, a Parable is a Heavenly story with an Earthly meaning!" From Punch , Vol. 103, October 29, 1892 A parable is a story in prose or verse that is told to illustrate a religious, moral or philosophical idea. In rhetoric , a parable ('comparison' or 'similitude') was originally the name given by Greek rhetoricians to any fictive illustration introduced in the form of a brief narrative. Later it came to mean a fictitious narrative or allegory (generally something that might naturally occur) by which moral or spiritual relations are typically set forth, as in the New Testament . The parable differs from the apologue in the inherent probability of a realistic story, one taking place in some familiar setting of life. In its brevity and succinctness a parable is like a fable ; it differs from the fable by excluding animals that assume speech and other powers of humankind, as in Aesop 's fables. A parable is like a metaphor that has been extended to form a brief, coherent fiction. Unlike a simile , its parallel meaning is unspoken, implicit, but not ordinarily secret, though "to speak in parables" has come to suggest obscurity. Parables are the simplest of narratives: they sketch a setting, describe an action and its result; they often involve a character facing a particular moral dilemma, or making a questionable decision and then suffering the consequences of that choice. Though not every moral narrative is a parable, many fairy tales would be viewed as extended parables, except for their magical settings. Though parables often have a strong prescriptive subtext, suggesting how a person should behave or believe, many parables simply explore a concept from a neutral point of view. Aside from providing guidance and suggestions for proper action in life, parables offer a metaphorical language which allows people to discuss difficult or complex ideas more easily. Recently there has been some interest in the field of contemporary parable, exploring how modern stories can be used as parables in our current culture. Parables are strongly favored in the expression of spiritual concepts. The best known specific source of parables is the Bible , which contains numerous parables. Besides the familiar parables of Jesus in the New Testament , such as the Good Samaritan and the Prodigal Son , there are many beautiful examples of parable in the Old Testament , for instance the parable of the ewe-lamb told by Nathan in 2 Samuel 12:1–9 , or that of the woman of Tekoah in 2 Samuel 9:1–13 . Parable and allegory are often treated as synonyms, but are well distinguished by H. Fowler , in Modern English Usage . "The object in each" said Fowler, "is to enlighten the hearer by submitting to him a case in which he has apparently no direct concern, and upon which therefore a disinterested judgment may be elicited from him." It then dawns upon the listener or reader that the conclusion applies equally well to his own concerns. As Fowler distinguished them, parable is more condensed than allegory: a single principle comes to bear, and a single moral is deduced. Medieval biblical criticism often treated Jesus's parables as detailed allegories, with symbolic correspondences found for every element in the brief narratives, but modern critics universally regard these interpretations as inappropriate and untenable. Like a fable's narration, a parable should relate one simple, consistent action without extraneous detail nor distracting circumstances. In Plato 's The Republic , parables like the shadows in the cave embody abstract argument in a concrete, more easily grasped narrative.¹

This is Wikipedia's own text, saved in our repository. Their copy of it is revision 17898657.

The opening as it stood in 2010 24 passages from the previous snapshot no longer appear

A parable is a brief, succinct story, in prose or verse , that illustrates a moral or religious lesson. It differs from a fable in that fables use animals, plants, inanimate objects, and forces of nature as characters, while parables generally feature human characters. It is a type of analogy . Some scholars of the New Testament apply the term "parable" only to the parables of Jesus , though that is not a common restriction of the term. Parables such as " The Prodigal Son " are central to Jesus' teaching method in both the canonical narratives and the apocrypha .

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The opening as it stood in 2015 1 passage from the previous snapshot no longer appear

The Return of the Prodigal Son , by Rembrandt . A parable is a succinct, didactic story, in prose or verse , which illustrates one or more instructive lessons or principles. It differs from a fable in that fables employ animals, plants, inanimate objects, or forces of nature as characters, whereas parables have human characters . A parable is a type of analogy . Some scholars of the canonical gospels and the New Testament apply the term "parable" only to the parables of Jesus , though that is not a common restriction of the term. Parables such as " The Prodigal Son " are central to Jesus' teaching method in both the canonical narratives and the apocrypha .

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The opening as it stood in 2020

Short didactic story which illustrates one or more instructive lessons or principles For other uses, see Parable (disambiguation) . The Return of the Prodigal Son , by Rembrandt . A parable is a succinct, didactic story, in prose or verse , that illustrates one or more instructive lessons or principles. It differs from a fable in that fables employ animals , plants , inanimate objects, or forces of nature as characters, whereas parables have human characters. A parable is a type of metaphorical analogy . Some scholars of the canonical gospels and the New Testament apply the term "parable" only to the parables of Jesus , though that is not a common restriction of the term. Parables such as "The Prodigal Son" are central to Jesus's teaching-method in the canonical narratives and the apocrypha . Die gleichnisreden Jesu [ The parables of Jesus ] (in German). A Marginal Jew: Rethinking the Historical Jesus . The Anchor Bible reference library. Vol. 2: A Marginal Jew: Mentor, message, and miracles.

Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 958890371.

The opening as it stood on October 6, 2023 1 passage from the previous snapshot no longer appear

Short didactic story which illustrates one or more instructive lessons or principles For other uses, see Parable (disambiguation) . The Return of the Prodigal Son , by Rembrandt , 1660s Prose genres Poetry genres Dramatic genres Comedy Libretto Play historical moral Satire Script Tragedy Tragicomedy History Ancient Medieval Early medieval Early modern Renaissance 18th 19th 20th Contemporary 21st Media Voice audiobook speech Writing book digital electronics ebook manuscript Lists and outlines Outline Glossary Books Epic folk-epics Poets Writers Movements poetry groups Cycles Literary awards poetry Short story collection / Cycle Lost literary work lacuna Theory and criticism Sociology Magazines Composition Language Narrative Comparative Circle Society Post-literate Society Peer Feud Estate Workshop Circle Literature portal v t e A parable is a succinct, didactic story, in prose or verse , that illustrates one or more instructive lessons or principles. It differs from a fable in that fables employ animals , plants , inanimate objects, or forces of nature as characters, whereas parables have human characters. A parable is a type of metaphorical analogy . Some scholars of the canonical gospels and the New Testament apply the term "parable" only to the parables of Jesus , although that is not a common restriction of the term. Parables such as the parable of the Prodigal Son are important to Jesus's teaching method. Difference Between. 6 November 2012 . What are they saying about the parables . Die gleichnisreden Jesu [ The parables of Jesus ] (in German). A Marginal Jew: Rethinking the Historical Jesus . The Anchor Bible reference library. Vol. 2: A Marginal Jew: Mentor, message, and miracles.

Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 1177038422.

The opening as it stood in 2025 1 passage from the previous snapshot no longer appear

Short didactic story which illustrates one or more instructive lessons or principles For other uses, see Parable (disambiguation) . The Return of the Prodigal Son , by Rembrandt , 1660s Prose genres Poetry genres Dramatic genres Comedy Libretto Play historical moral Satire Script Tragedy Tragicomedy History Ancient Medieval Early medieval Early modern Renaissance 18th 19th 20th Contemporary 21st Media Voice audiobook speech Writing book digital electronics ebook manuscript Lists and outlines Outline Glossary Books Epic folk-epics Poets Writers Movements poetry groups Cycles Literary awards poetry Short story collection / Cycle Lost literary work lacuna Theory and criticism Sociology Magazines Composition Language Narrative Comparative Circle Society Post-literate Society Peer Feud Estate Workshop Circle Literature portal v t e A parable is a succinct, didactic story, in prose or verse , that illustrates one or more instructive lessons or principles. It differs from a fable in that fables employ animals , plants , inanimate objects, or forces of nature as characters, whereas parables have human characters. A parable is a type of metaphorical analogy . Some scholars of the canonical gospels and the New Testament apply the term "parable" only to the parables of Jesus , although that is not a common restriction of the term. Difference Between. 6 November 2012 . What are they saying about the parables . Die gleichnisreden Jesu [ The parables of Jesus ] (in German). A Marginal Jew: Rethinking the Historical Jesus . The Anchor Bible reference library. Vol. 2: A Marginal Jew: Mentor, message, and miracles.

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