2. Parables. Some see a gold-mine of symbolism and meanings in each parable. This man says there's just one. Having taken a "liberal" class on the parables, I know that this "one meaning" mantra has a vise-grip on their minds. They don't see a gold-mine; they see a single nugget. The example of the parable of the sower shows that each act and actor in the story had a relevant parallel. The sower represented someone, the seed represented something, the paths represented something, the birds represented something else, etc. Now go to the parable of the treasure hidden in the field. Who is the man? (What does that mean?) What does he find. (What does that mean?) What does he do? (What does that mean?) What is the result. (What does that mean?) If Jesus' interpretive method in the parable of the sower is instructive -- that each item had a representation and a meaningful application -- then one would think he could apply that same method to the parable of the treasure. According to this methodology, you are wrong if you do. AND THEY ENFORCE IT.
Revelation. I'm not convinced that Revelation was written to encourage the early church. It says about itself 1The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, 2who testifies to everything he saw--that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. 3Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near
For those who wish to discuss the points "soon take place" and "time is near," I call them to the section of this book about the various judgements and the new jerusalem. In light of those, what must this book mean by "near" and "soon" other than "from God's perspective."
When you read the approaches he recommends for the various types of books, they also seem pretty sound. He certainly doesn't seem to denigrate the authority of Scripture at all.
Now you didn't answer my question, "wouldn't you agree that where secondary meanings and/or fulfillments are to be found, there should be some direct clue in the text that tells us? We shouldn't be simply assuming such, should we?" But it seems to me that his suggested questions probe for information that would encourage the careful student to determine that from the text and its surrounding context (which he emphaiszes).
Now, I realize that this doesn't mean that he would arrive at the same view of Daniel or Revelation as you would, but it seems to me that our 'rules' of interpretation should not guarantee a particular presupposed outsome. I assume you agree?
Since I like this well enough to build on it for future use, what additional questions do you think the careful student should be encouraged to answer with regard to a passage? [You can restrict to your categoriew of prophecy, parables and Revelation or not as you wish.]