In classical Greek, the noun parabolē meant “juxtaposition, comparison, illustration”; in the New Testament, the word parable is applied to a story that seeks to drive home a point the storyteller wishes to emphasize by illustrating it from familiar situations in the life of the listener.
When we hear the word parable, immediately we think of the stories told by Jesus. Jesus used parables in His preaching to the crowds that flocked to hear Him, in His debates with the scribes and Pharisees, and in His instruction and teaching of the disciples. The use of parables was Jesus’ regular method of divulging Truth. Matthew 13:34 tells us, “Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; He did not say anything to them without using a parable.” Jesus Himself told the disciples that His use of parables was an effective way of revealing Truth to the spiritual and ready mind while at the same time concealing it from others (see Matthew 13:11).
Jesus’ parables brought His teaching to life – the details of His stories were vivid, enabling hearers to see what He was saying to them, making it easy for them to relate it to what they were accustomed to in their everyday lives. Each parable of our Lord Jesus drives home one major point – the most distinctive being the parables of the Kingdom of God, which embody the Kingdom and bear testimony to Jesus and His mission.
In studying the parables of Jesus, keep in mind that His parables are not mere illustrations but are integral to the whole ministry of Jesus Christ and can be seen as being in three distinct categories:
- Didactic Parables – parables that contain a moral message or teach a moral lesson
- Evangelical Parables – parables that express personal conversion through faith in Christ
- Prophetic and Judicial Parables – parables that foretell coming events by divine inspiration and relate to the administration of divine justice.
Our response to Jesus’ parables is in fact our response to the Kingdom and to Jesus Himself, so it is prudent for us to gain understanding of the Truth contained in His parables. We must therefore seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit who guides us into all Truth (John 16:13).
Amen †
Parables ©2013 Shelley Johnson 13-Jul-13
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