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Week 33: The (Selections from the Four )

When Jesus came to earth, He did not simply arrive on a Thursday, die on a Friday, and rise on a Sunday. Rather, He lived for over thirty years as a full-fledged member of the human race. His earthly ministry is significant for a number of reasons, especially for His prolific teaching about the Kingdom of God.

Jesus and Parables Some scholars list more than 100 sayings of Jesus as parables, but the usual number of Jesus’ teachings that are listed in this category is anywhere between thirty to forty-five (the extras being categorized as or similes, etc.). On the whole, the parables comprise more than 1/3 of the teachings of Jesus. Jesus loved to tell stories!

Definition of a —an earthly story with a heavenly meaning Parables are sayings that teach truth by comparison. The two root words are para (beside) and ballein (to throw) which denotes a throwing or placing beside together for the purpose of making a comparison. It is a story by which something real in life (unlike fables) is used as a means of presenting a moral or spiritual truth.

Why did Jesus teach in Parables? The parables connect the principle about God’s Kingdom into the lives of the hearer by relating it to a principle of everyday life. In the latter part of Jesus’ ministry, His form of public instruction became mostly that of parables. It was becoming clear that the nature of the Kingdom Jesus spoke of was diametrically opposed to the religious leaders’ understanding of the rule of God. So as opposition to Him grew in intensity, so did His parables in their force and number. His purpose in them reflected the conditions which prompted Him to teach in a such a concealing, yet revealing way.

Jesus challenged the people to think by illustrating what God’s economy looked like through simple illustrations of parables. His challenges and teachings were often met by any of these three responses: 1) For those who were hard hearted and closed (in Jesus’ time, usually the religious leaders) the parables served as a kind of consequence for their hardness confirming the decision they had already made.The truth was veiled from them. 2) For those who had an open heart (the crowds in Christ’s day) the parables challenged them to think and drew them toward a decision of following Jesus. 3) For those who were already disciples, the parables served as instructions in the nature of God’s Kingdom.

How to interpret the parables The meaning of the parable has to be studied—it is not the story that is of value but the lesson that it teaches. There are two dangers in interpreting parables. One is ignoring some important features and the other is trying to make all the details mean something. In general, a parable has one central meaning, although there may be a number of lesser supporting truths. But, in most cases, the details of the parable merely serve as the background for the main thought.

The first task in studying the parables (and all of Scripture) is to understand what it actually says. Its meaning and main lesson can then be revealed. Questions to aid in this task are: “What preceded the parable?” “What followed after it?” “What was the conversation about that the parable was a part of?” “Were there questions or objections to which the parable was an effort to answer?” “Who did Jesus tell it to?”

Once we understand what Jesus is saying and what He meant by it, implications for contemporary discipleship emerge. After a head knowledge of the parable is somewhat grasped, further reflection on the theme represented by each parable is helpful through additional Scripture reading, journaling and prayer. Two questions that we should take time to ponder as we read each parable are: “Which part of this story most closely resembles me?” and “What is the response that Jesus is challenging me to make as I read this parable?” Table JESUS’ LAST FEW MONTHS 5 of 11

Description Matthew Mark Luke John Last Few Months 30ad The Transfiguration 17:1-13 9:2-13 9:28-36 -- -- The Healing of the Demon-Possessed Boy 17:14-21 9:14-29 9:37-45 -- -- Jesus’ Foretells His own Death & Resurrection 17:22-23 9:30-32 ------The Miracle of Temple Tax Found in the Fish 17:24-27 ------Teaching on the Greatest in God’s Kingdom 18:1-6 9:33-37 9:46-48 -- -- Whoever is Not Against Us is for Us -- -- 9:38-41 9:49-50 -- -- Teaching on Not Causing Others to Stumble 18:7-11 9:42-50 ------The Parable of the Wandering Sheep 18:12-14 ------Teaching on Accountability 18:15-20 ------Parable of the Unmerciful Servant 18:21-35 ------Jesus is Rejected in Samaria ------9:51-56 -- -- The Cost of Following Jesus 8:18-22 -- -- 9:57-62 -- -- Jesus Teaches at the Feast of Tabernacles ------7:1-39 The People Divided Over Jesus ------7:40-53 The Woman Caught in Adultery ------8:1-11 Dispute about the Authority of Jesus ------8:12-59 Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind ------9:1-41 The Parable of the ------10:1-21 Conflict Over Jesus’ Claims ------10:22-39 Jesus’ Ministry Beyond the Jordan ------10:40-42 Jesus Sends Out the Seventy-Two ------10:1-16 -- -- The Seventy-Two Return ------10:17-24 -- -- The Parable of the Good Samaritan ------10:25-37 -- -- At the Home of Martha and Mary ------10:38-42 -- -- Jesus’ Teaching on Prayer ------11:1-13 -- -- Jesus Heals & the Pharisees’ Blasphemy 12:22-45 -- -- 11:14-36 -- -- The Six Woes Pronounced on the Pharisees ------11:37-54 -- -- Warnings and Encouragements about Believing ------12:1-12 -- -- The Parable of the Rich Man ------12:13-21 -- -- Do Not Worry for Earthly Possessions ------12:22-34 -- -- Readiness for Christ’s Return ------12:35-48 -- -- Christ will Cause Division ------12:49-53 -- -- Interpreting the Signs of the Times ------12:54-56 -- -- Right Judgment and Reconciliation ------12:57-59 -- -- Necessity of Repentance ------13:1-5 -- -- The Parable of the Unfruitful Tree ------13:6-9 -- -- The Healing of the Woman on the Sabbath ------13:10-17 -- -- The Parable of the Mustard Seed ------13:18-19 -- -- 30ad The ------13:20-21 -- --

What Are the Parables About? Thirty-Three Reading Plan The general theme is the Kingdom of God. :1-52 It’s Like… Three sub-themes stressed in the parables are: :1-35 Primacy of Forgiveness • The Character of God’s Kingdom :21-34 Seeds & Sea Mt. 13:31-33; 13:44-46; Lk. 13:18-21; etc :25-37 The Good Samaritan • The Character of God Himself :13-21 The Rich Fool Mt. 20:1-16; Lk. 15:1-7; 15:8-10; 15:11-32; etc :7-24 Humility & the Jilted Invite • The Character of the King’s Followers :1-32 Lost Sheep, Coin & Son Lk. 10: 25-37; 18:1-8; 18:9-17; etc