“Who doesn't love the parables? You know there's a solution, but you have to do some work to find it.” (John Bytheway)
Jesus’ parables are short stories that teach
a moral (or spiritual lesson) by comparison to something else. They are often based
on the agricultural life of Jesus’ day that would have been familiar to His
first century audience. Jesus was the master of teaching in parables.
Parables are cleverly designed to draw
listeners into new ways of thinking, new attitudes, and new ways of acting. Each
of Jesus' parables teaches only one or two important lessons. It is a mistake
to look for meaning in every sentence (or detail) of the story.
If you get weighed down analyzing the details
of the parable, you may miss the central point of the meaning of the parable. Most
scholars agree that there are forty-seven parables. Matthew has twelve, Mark
has two parables, and Luke has eighteen unique parables. Matthew and Luke share
seven additional parables while Matthew, Mark, and Luke share eight.
Example Stories: Example stories
make no comparison between two groups of people or sects of society but instead
directly provide a clear example of behavior that should be followed or avoided
in a certain situation.
Perhaps the most
well-known example of this is the Parable of the Good Samaritan, in which a
Samaritan assists an injured Jew. The two were considered enemies by society,
and the story teaches the distinctive "love your neighbor" ethic of
Christianity.
Extended Comparisons: Extended comparisons
are even longer parables than similitudes, but they still do not take on any
kind of narrative form to teach their lesson.
Narrative Parables: Narrative parables
contain a visible story arch that develops characters and demonstrates in
detail the impact of the plot upon the characters.
Non-Christian Parables: Almost every religious text contains parables
of some kind which seek to reinforce the meaning of scripture. There have been
cases in modern literature of stories referred to as parables for their moral
advocacy.
Similes: The shortest type of
a parable is a simile, which is a simple comparison utilized throughout
literature with "like" or "as" being the connecting word.
Similitude: A similitude is a
lengthened simile, which uses a more complex description to illustrate the
contrast.
Of Jesus’ many parables, consider this synopsis of “The Parable of the Sower”
found in Matthew 13:1-23, Mark 4:1-20, and Luke 8:1-15:
Jesus told this
parable to a crowd who had come to listen to Him as He preached.
This story about was
about a farmer sowing his seeds. The seeds fell on three different types’ soils
as follows:
· On a
path where the seeds were stepped on (or eaten up by birds)
· On
rocky ground where the seeds dried up
· Among
thorny bushes, where the seed had no opportunity to grow
· On
fertile soil, where the seed grew and yielded much
Application of “The Parable of the Sower:”
Listen (the seed snatched away)-In listening to
someone you can learn much more about them as you grow in Christian wisdom. The
seed stands for those who completely fail to grasp Jesus’ teachings so that the
Bible takes no root at all in them. You
may hear sermons, listen to podcasts, and read devotional books. Many people
hear, but who is listening? That’s what Jesus wants you to do.
Receive (the seed with no root)-The seed falling on
rocky ground reminds you that it is easier to be enthusiastic about Jesus until
you need to make life changes. Sometimes people believe that preaching is not
an effective way of ministering to people of Christ. Preaching (other form
of communication) has never been statistically very effective. The narrow way
out of a worldly life and into divine freedom and peace is simply difficult. You
have the opportunity to receive Jesus gifts of salvation, grace, forgiveness,
and strength. You have to fully receive Him. It’s a whole person change
from the outside to inside.
Focus (the seed among thorns)-Spiritual leaders
rise and fall into the background because they are only human. When you put people,
stuff, or accomplishments above God than those things have become an idol. Life
productivity begins with regular prayer and Bible
reading. Scripture encourages you to line with the wisdom of biblically-sound
preachers and teachers. People are fallible, but God is infallible and unchanging.
Being distracted with life can suffocate abundance in Christ.
Respond (the seed on good soil)-A good crop is the
product of hard work and rain. You can control the work element, but not the
rain. Our faith is a collection of meticulous habits (Bible study, prayer, confession, and trust in God). You continue to
listen for His voice, understand that you cannot control everything in your
life, and trust in God’s goodness. Take every thought captive because Satan is sure
to twist what you say and into something negative.
Following Christ
isn’t easy. Your battle with the devil is physical, mental, and spiritual. You
must constantly remember that all the good things you have because of Jesus
cannot be taken away from you. You can be easily distracted though. Even after
a person has heard the Bible with
joy, the devil does his best to take it away the message they’ve heard, and
bring them to uselessness and destruction.
Jesus used parables because they were…
· Memorable
· Relatable
· Surprising
· Timeless
· Useful
“Jesus did not
give the parable to teach us how to live. He gave them, I believe, to correct
our notions about who God is, and who God loves.” (Philip Yancey)[i]
[i] Adapted from:
· “4 Amazing Insights from Jesus’
“Parable of the Sower” by Meg Bucher
· “JESUS TEACHES IN PARABLES” by ATIKA
SCHOOL
· “The Parables of Jesus” by the
Christian Bible Reference Site
· “Types of Parables” by Pen & the
Pad
· “What Is the Meaning behind Parables?” by
Jessica Van Roekel
· “Please explain: Why did Jesus use
parables to teach? "by Forward in Christ
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