Class Notes

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The Parables in Biblical Narrative

Intro

• One of the most well-known and common ways that Jesus communicated was through stories, or in Greek, parabole.
• Parabole in Greek means something “cast alongside” something else. Jesus’ parables were stories that were “cast alongside” a truth in order to illustrate that truth.
• Jesus’ parables were teaching tools used as analogies.
• A common description of a parable is that it is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning.

 
How to Read the Parables

• Throughout history, stories were used to teach students about morality, religion, philosophy.
• But Jesus used parables to teach us about Himself and His mission.
• Jesus’ mission was to announce that the Kingdom of God was arriving on earth as it is in heaven.

 
Types of Parables:
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1. The Surprise of God’s Kingdom

• The Jewish Scriptures promised that one day, God would come to rule His people as King.
• So the Israelites were expecting the Kingdom of Heaven will be reestablished and that will result in their liberation from the Roman occupation.
• But Jesus was a poor, traveling prophet, healing the sick, inviting people to follow Him. And He said that this was the arrival of God’s Kingdom and that didn’t fit people’s expectations.

 
2. God’s reversed values

• Jesus’ parables show how the least important people in the world are actually the most important people to God, especially those who are poor and of low status.
• money and status are irrelevant to God who offers his mercy to everybody.

 
3. God’s Kingdom requires a decision

• Jesus often criticized Israel’s leaders because they mistook their kingdom for God’s.
• So, He warned them frequently about choosing the Kingdom of Heaven instead of their own agenda.
• Jesus knew that if Israel kept on their current path, they would be destroyed by Rome. And so in using parables He’s forcing people to make a decision about His offer of God’s Kingdom.
• Are people going to reject Him, ignore Him, or trust and follow Him?

Remember

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Parables...

• explain Jesus’ identity and mission.
• were preserved by Gospel writers so that every generation of Jesus’ followers can read and ponder on how God’s Kingdom is still at work today.