Our patterns presented in allegory

Review of some commentaries on the texts from the Roman Catholic lectionary today raises the question of how can we interpret symbols, signs and allegories. The letter of Paul to the Galatians is described as an allegory where the story he tells is symbolic and the characters and events are meant to be applied to a situation being addressed by the author. Friar Jude Winkler identifies the technique rabbinical technique of midrash in this letter about being enslaved by the Law and being freed by faith in Jesus. This technique of using patterns in salvation history as an illustration of doctrine is thought by Chuck Missler to be one of the techniques of Scripture study which will help modern Western Christians recover a spiritual viewpoint with which Jesus and Paul taught the people. In the Gospel from Luke, Jesus presents the sign of Jonah to the crowds in response to their demands. Friar Jude reminds us that the symbolism of Jonah is not straightforward. Is Jesus aiming at the sign that Jonah spent three days in the belly of the whale in reference to His own time to come in the tomb? Like the understanding of Nancy Shirley, Friar Jude favours the sign of Jonah who preached to Nineveh and the repented to become people of God. The pattern which midrash technique may show us is that those who hear and accept the Word receive deep communion with God and those who hesitate and reject the message see that their opportunity has been passed to the other. There is a continual repetition of the pattern of invitation from God and our free decision to accept or reject for which midrash and allegory are the tools which best present the continued faithfulness of God and our continued fickle response.