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Parables: Jesus’ Lessons

Parables: Jesus’ Lessons . What are parables. Jesus often used parables to teach people about the Kingdom (Matthew 13:34 ) . The word "parable" literally means "a comparison." Usually, a parable is a short, simple story -- but always with a deeper, spiritual meaning. What are parables.

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Parables: Jesus’ Lessons

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  1. Parables: Jesus’ Lessons

  2. What are parables • Jesus often used parables to teach people about the Kingdom (Matthew 13:34). • The word "parable" literally means "a comparison." Usually, a parable is a short, simple story -- but always with a deeper, spiritual meaning.

  3. What are parables • The people and events in the parable represent things that are much more important that they seem to be on the surface, and the story teaches an important lesson. Many of the stories we learned as children are really parables intended to teach us something: the Three Pigs, for example, or the Grasshopper and the Ants.

  4. The use of parables is one of the most significant characteristics of Jesus’ teaching style. • He had a way of connecting God to the everyday experiences of his listeners so that his teachings could be easily understood and remembered. • Almost all of his parables shared the same three characteristics:

  5. Based on Everyday • The basic story elements in Jesus’ parables came from the everyday cultural reality of his listeners: farming, shepherding, children playing, adults working in their trades. • This way, even the most ordinary person could become a witness to Jesus’ message. Likewise for us today, it is helpful to draw parallels between our own experiences and those of the people Jesus was addressing to fully understand them.

  6. Metaphorical • In order to explain complex ideas like God’s love and the Kingdom of God to his listeners, Jesus’ parables often used metaphors. • Objects and roles that were familiar to his listeners (seeds, sheep, fish, water, etc) would become symbols for other ideas (God, God’s people, heaven, etc)

  7. A Surprise Ending • In developing a parable, Jesus would often take a common occurrence of the day and add a surprising twist to it at the end. These twists would keep his listeners alert and catch them off-guard to leave a lasting impression. • The idea was to make people think critically about his lessons and their application to daily life.

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