diff --git a/parser.go b/parser.go
index 0c811f31..af2dfd33 100644
--- a/parser.go
+++ b/parser.go
@@ -8,9 +8,32 @@ import (
 )
 
 type Parser struct {
-	ValidMethods         []string // If populated, only these methods will be considered valid
-	UseJSONNumber        bool     // Use JSON Number format in JSON decoder
-	SkipClaimsValidation bool     // Skip claims validation during token parsing
+	// If populated, only these methods will be considered valid.
+	//
+	// Deprecated: In future releases, this field will not be exported anymore and should be set with an option to NewParser instead.
+	ValidMethods []string
+
+	// Use JSON Number format in JSON decoder.
+	//
+	// Deprecated: In future releases, this field will not be exported anymore and should be set with an option to NewParser instead.
+	UseJSONNumber bool
+
+	// Skip claims validation during token parsing.
+	//
+	// Deprecated: In future releases, this field will not be exported anymore and should be set with an option to NewParser instead.
+	SkipClaimsValidation bool
+}
+
+// NewParser creates a new Parser with the specified options
+func NewParser(options ...ParserOption) *Parser {
+	p := &Parser{}
+
+	// loop through our parsing options and apply them
+	for _, option := range options {
+		option(p)
+	}
+
+	return p
 }
 
 // Parse parses, validates, and returns a token.
diff --git a/parser_option.go b/parser_option.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0fede4f1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/parser_option.go
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+package jwt
+
+// ParserOption is used to implement functional-style options that modify the behaviour of the parser. To add
+// new options, just create a function (ideally beginning with With or Without) that returns an anonymous function that
+// takes a *Parser type as input and manipulates its configuration accordingly.
+type ParserOption func(*Parser)
+
+// WithValidMethods is an option to supply algorithm methods that the parser will check. Only those methods will be considered valid.
+// It is heavily encouraged to use this option in order to prevent attacks such as https://auth0.com/blog/critical-vulnerabilities-in-json-web-token-libraries/.
+func WithValidMethods(methods []string) ParserOption {
+	return func(p *Parser) {
+		p.ValidMethods = methods
+	}
+}
+
+// WithJSONNumber is an option to configure the underyling JSON parser with UseNumber
+func WithJSONNumber() ParserOption {
+	return func(p *Parser) {
+		p.UseJSONNumber = true
+	}
+}
+
+// WithoutClaimsValidation is an option to disable claims validation. This option should only be used if you exactly know
+// what you are doing.
+func WithoutClaimsValidation() ParserOption {
+	return func(p *Parser) {
+		p.SkipClaimsValidation = true
+	}
+}
diff --git a/token.go b/token.go
index b896acb0..e4d090b0 100644
--- a/token.go
+++ b/token.go
@@ -85,12 +85,12 @@ func (t *Token) SigningString() (string, error) {
 // Parse parses, validates, and returns a token.
 // keyFunc will receive the parsed token and should return the key for validating.
 // If everything is kosher, err will be nil
-func Parse(tokenString string, keyFunc Keyfunc) (*Token, error) {
-	return new(Parser).Parse(tokenString, keyFunc)
+func Parse(tokenString string, keyFunc Keyfunc, options ...ParserOption) (*Token, error) {
+	return NewParser(options...).Parse(tokenString, keyFunc)
 }
 
-func ParseWithClaims(tokenString string, claims Claims, keyFunc Keyfunc) (*Token, error) {
-	return new(Parser).ParseWithClaims(tokenString, claims, keyFunc)
+func ParseWithClaims(tokenString string, claims Claims, keyFunc Keyfunc, options ...ParserOption) (*Token, error) {
+	return NewParser(options...).ParseWithClaims(tokenString, claims, keyFunc)
 }
 
 // EncodeSegment encodes a JWT specific base64url encoding with padding stripped