The parables’ meaning was explained in the Gospel text too, don’t forget.
One was from Isaiah:
“For you will go out with joy and be led forth with peace; The mountains and the hills will break forth into shouts of joy before you, And all the trees of the field will clap their hands.”
This is quoted as a direct “word from the Lord” - and I believe that. However - I believe that even God can use poetry and symbolism (and music) and all sorts of other things to reach into our hearts - and into the truth of the matter. So while this is, I believe, the literal word of the Lord (okay - I guess there are TONS of them in the Bible!) - I don't take it literally that the trees will clap their hands.
Are ALL of the parables explained? I know Jesus said somewhere that they won't be understood by those who don't want to understand them. I'm always interested in hearing more of the story on the parables - they would have been readily understood by those listening at the time and the customs. IIRC many of the parables had images relating to the various Festival days that He gave them.
Was the telling of a parable common back in those days of passing on a moral or some other deeper truth? I'm guessing that it was.
Found it - some interesting comments on the use of parables by Jesus and the teachers back in the day (it was very common):
http://www.kencollins.com/jesus/jesus-14.htm
He talks about how Jesus told his disciples the Truths behind some of the parables, but to keep them hidden until later. I also liked the idea of parables being a "slow release" of information, and leading to "ah hah!" moments. Our preacher likes to point out the various roles of people in a parable, and the many layers the stories can sometimes have. The prodigal son is telling the story of God's love for even the lost son (or sheep). I always viewed myself as the prodigal son. But it can also be helpful to read it and at some stages of life we can be the prodigal son, sometimes we are the waiting father, and sometimes we are the son that has stayed behind.