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Lessons About 1/3 of all Jesus’ teachings took
the form of a parable of one kind or another. The evangelists wrote, “And He spoke many things to them in parables, saying…” “He presented another parable to them,
saying…” “…and He did not speak to them without a
parable,”. Given the quantity and value of Jesus’
parables, and His own frequent challenge, “Let him who has ears to hear, let him
hear.” This study will be on The Parables of
Jesus. May God bless your
study, application and teaching of His parables. I. Parable
Defined 1. Literally,
the Greek word parabole denotes a placing beside. 2. A comparing,
comparison of 1 thing with another, Mk 4:30. 3. A short saying
which is combined with a comparison or figure of speech. II. Types or
Examples of Parables
1. Proverb (parable) - a brief, “one-liner”, as the
name suggests, like a proverb, Lk 4:23.
Major English Bibles translate parable as “proverb” in this passage. 2. Simile (parable) - a figure of speech in which
2 essentially unlike things, i.e. leaven and kingdom, are compared,
typically with the phrase like or as, Mt 13:31,33… 3. True Parable - a story with beginning, something of a
plot and ending, often with subsidiary details and a more extended
development of the word picture than a simile, Mt 13:3-8, 24-30… 4. Illustrative Story
(parable) - a parable without the figurative language, Lk 12:16-21,
16:19-31. III. Parables
Should Not Be Confused With: 1. Fables, fictitious stories in which edifying or
corrective lessons are taught, frequently using non-human characters, i.e.
animals or plants, Jdg 9:6-21. 2. Myths, stories of a traditional nature,
combining fiction, half-truths and truth; typically involving ancestors,
heroes and supernatural beings. IV. The
Purposes of the Parables
1. To know… the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven,
Mt 13:11 and others. 2. To reveal… the
things hidden since the foundation of the world, Mt 13:35. We need to remember that not even the prophets or angels fully
understood the gospel or the coming King and kingdom. The parables were one of the ways Jesus
would reveal certain glorious truths, 1 Pet 1:10-12. 3. To help… ordinary
men and women understand divine truths through easily understood, every day
word-pictures, Mk 4:30. Imagine trying to help a blind person understand a blue sky. What would you do? You might use words, touch, feelings,
even smell to help them understand what they cannot see. Jesus was using word-pictures to help
people understand the spiritual realities of the kingdom of God. 4. To help… all
return and be healed/forgiven by God, Mt 13:15; Mk 4:12. a.
The
disciples, Mt 13:36. b.
The
multitudes, Mk 12:12. c.
The enemies of Jesus, the chief priests and Pharisees, Mt 21:45. 5. To help… men and
women know how to live in the kingdom of God, “lifestyle” parables, Lk
10:29f, 14:7f, 15:1f, 16:14,19f… 6. To summarize, the
parables of Jesus have been spoken primarily for 2 reasons: a. To
prepare a people for the present/coming King and kingdom of God. b.To clarify how one lives in that
kingdom. Therefore, as you read and study a parable, you want to ask
yourself how it prepares a person for the kingdom of God and/or how one
should live in the kingdom of God. V.
Understanding the Parables
Given the typically brief, colorful nature of the parables, it
would seem to be an easy task to understand them. Yet, according to Gordon Fee, “… for all their charm and
simplicity, the parables have suffered a fate of misinterpretation in the
church second only to the Revelation.”
Applying the following suggestions should help us understand what
Jesus wants us to learn and apply from His parables. 1. Don’t get frustrated when you can’t seem to understand
them. Frequently the disciples
needed Jesus’ help understanding the parables, Mt 13:36, so ask Christ
(prayer) for help in understanding the parable. 2. Remember - the parables were meant to be
understood, even Jesus’ enemies understood, Mt 21:45, so have confidence -
you can understand! 3. First, see if
Jesus explains the parable, Mt 13:18, then see if the author
of the gospel explains it, Lk 18:1. 4. Finally, use the usual
methods for understanding the text: a. Read
the parable several times, at least once out loud. b. Identify
the audience and setting/context. c. Identify
the question or problem being addressed, i.e. “Who is my neighbor?” d. Identify
the key people or points of reference, i.e. the 4 seeds… e. Consider
how the audience would identify with the story, ask yourself, “What would
they hear?” f. Consider
how they would apply it to their lives. g. Finally,
apply the lesson of the parable to your life. Summary - In
John 6:63, Jesus said, “The words I have spoken to you are spirit and
they are life.” Our prayer is
that your study, application and teaching of the parables of Jesus will
bring you and others the spirit and life Jesus referred to. May God bless you and may God be
glorified as you go through this study guide - The Parables of Jesus. |