Like yeast, parables are explosive stories of Jesus that invade our lives and transform us into citizens of the kingdom of God. But they are also cryptic, and that's where this book is useful. More than an explanation or interpretation of each parable, this definitive work is primarily an exercise in hermeneutics. In it, readers are taken through a process of discovering which sayings of Jesus are parables, problematic questions related to counting and categorizing them, and Jesus' rationale for speaking in parables. The work then analyzes four distinct ways that parables are structured and three levels at which they do their work in us. The final chapter presents parable-related hermeneutical guidelines, and the book ends with seven extensive Appendices and two Indexes. It is a "must read" for every biblical scholar!