Parables of Jesus PDF

# UNIT VII: THE PARABLES OF JESUS ## Specific Objectives: - Be acquainted with the parables of Jesus. - Identify the central message/lesson of each parable. - Verbalize responses on how to live out the message of the parables. ## What is a parable? - A parable is a short and simple story of compar...

# UNIT VII: THE PARABLES OF JESUS ## Specific Objectives: - Be acquainted with the parables of Jesus. - Identify the central message/lesson of each parable. - Verbalize responses on how to live out the message of the parables. ## What is a parable? - A parable is a short and simple story of comparison. - It is designed to convey a concept to be understood and/or a principle to be put into practice. - The Greek word *parabole* means "to set beside, as in the English word "comparison" or "similitude." - In the Jewish culture of biblical times, things were explained in word pictures. - Word pictures do not draw attention to technicalities (like the Jewish law) but to attitudes, concepts, and characteristics. - Parables also have an emotional impact that makes them more meaningful and memorable to those who are soft of heart. - Jesus used parables to teach spiritual truths by means of earthly situations. - Hence, by using parables, Jesus' teaching remains timeless despite most changes in culture, time, and technology. ## SAMPLE OF JESUS' PARABLES ### 1. The Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:3-8, 18-23; Mark 4:2-9, 13-20; Luke 8:4-9) - This parable is about a sower who scatters seed that falls on four different types of ground. - Jesus' explanation of it highlights four different responses to the gospel. - The seed is "the word of the kingdom." - **Hard ground:** represents someone who is hardened by sin; he hears but does not understand the Word, and Satan plucks the message away, keeping the heart dull and preventing the Word from making an impression. - **Stony ground:** pictures a man who professes delight with the Word; however, his heart is not changed, and when trouble arises, his so-called faith quickly disappears. - **Thorny ground:** depicts one who seems to receive the Word, but whose heart is full of riches, pleasures, and lusts; the things of this world take his time and attention away from the Word, and he ends up having no time for it. - **Good ground:** portrays the one who hears, understands, and receives the Word - and then allows the word to accomplish its result in his life. ### 2. The Parable of the Sheep and Goats (Matthew 25:31-46) - Jesus begins the parable by saying it is about His return in glory to set up His kingdom (verse 31). - **Sheep on Jesus' right hand:** are blessed by God and given an inheritance. - **Goats on Jesus' left hand:** are cursed with eternal hell-fire "prepared for the devil and his angels" (verse 41). - The reason is given: they had opportunity to minister to the Lord, but they did nothing (verses 42-43). - Jesus then ends the discourse with a contrast: "They will go away to an eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life" (verse 46). - The Bible teaches that salvation is by faith through the grace of God and not by our good works (John 1:12; Acts 15:11; Romans 3:22-24; Ephesians 2:8-10). - Jesus Himself makes it clear in the parable that salvation of the "sheep" is not based on their works - their inheritance was theirs (verse 34), long before they could ever do any good works! - The good works mentioned in the parable are not the "cause" of salvation but the "effect" of salvation. - As Christians we become like Christ (Romans 8:29; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Colossians 2:6-7). - The core message of the parable is that God's people will love others. - Good works will result from our relationship to the Shepherd. - Followers of Christ will treat others with kindness, serving them as if they were serving Christ Himself. - Those who are not right with God, and their actions are not for the right purpose - to honor and worship God. ### 3. The Parable of the Two Sons (Matthew 21:28-32) - In the parable, each son is vastly different. - One son is independent, disobedient, and insolent, but after thinking about his ways, returns to carry out his responsibility. - The second is a big talker full of promises but no action. - From these two men, Christ describes on the one hand, sinners of all types, who, when convicted by John the Baptist and Himself, turned away from their iniquities, repented, and obeyed God. - On the other hand are the scribes, Pharisees, and other self-righteous people who feign a zeal for the law but will not receive the gospel. ### 4. The Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30) - It seems reasonable to assume that the owner of the talents, the man travelling into a far country, was a wealthy man. - He entrusts his wealth to three men who become stewards of his money. - Each is given a significant amount of money. - These are stewards entrusted with the care of the money. - The stewards must know the personality and character of their Lord. - He expects them to know Him well enough to apply the spirit as well as the letter of His instructions. - Those that do are richly rewarded, and the others receive severe judgment. - The amount given is based on each steward's ability. - The profitable stewards are praised, given increased responsibilities and invited to enter into the joy of their Lord. - The untrusting steward is scolded, rejected, and punished. - Each individual has been entrusted with resources of time and material wealth. - Everything we have comes from God and belongs to Him. - We are responsible for using those resources so that they increase in value. - As Christians, we have additionally the most valuable resource of all - the Word of God. - If we believe and understand Him, and apply His Word as good stewards, we are a blessing to others and the value of what we do multiplies. - We are accountable to the Lord for the use of His resources. ### 5. The Parable of the Rich Fool (Luke 12:13-21) - The key to understanding this parable is in verse 15 and later summarized in verse 21. - The man in the parable was materially blessed by God; his land produced plentifully" (verse 16). - As God continued to bless the man, instead of using his increase to further the will of God, all he was interested in was managing his increase and accumulating his growing wealth. - So the man builds larger barns in place of the existing ones and starts planning an early retirement. - Unknown to him, this was his last night on planet earth. - Jesus then closes the story by saying, "So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God." - The point of the parable is twofold. - First, we are not to devote our lives to the gathering and accumulation of wealth. - Second, we are not blessed by God to hoard our wealth to ourselves. - We are blessed to be a blessing in the lives of others, and we are blessed to build the kingdom of God. - We are blessed by God, so we can in turn "abound in every good work" and be a blessing in the lives of others. - So, if God has blessed you with material wealth, "set not your heart on it" and "be rich toward God." ### 6. The Parable of the Two Builders (Matthew 7:24-27; Luke 6:47-49) - Jesus told a story about two men: one who built his house upon a rock and another who built his house upon sand. - The house built upon a rock weathered the storm, and the builder is called wise; but the house built on the sand collapsed during the storm, and the builder is called foolish. - Jesus' sermon was not concerned with house construction or building code violations. - However, it suggests that Jesus' words not just get a hearing of them, but the doing of them, too (James 1:22). - It seems at times that everything in the world is set up to make us turn away from God's words. - But a wise man will follow the words of God despite these pressures - not as a way to earn salvation, but because he trusts God. - As we follow the Lord, learning to trust and obey Him, we receive a reward: our "house" is steady and solid, unshaken by circumstances. - The wise man is the believer whose life is built upon the Rock of Christ. ## Suggested Activities: - Divide the class into several groups and let them dramatize the different parables of Jesus. - Have the students write reflections regarding the different parables and relate it to their personal lives.