During the ministry of Jesus, He began teaching the people in parables. A parable is simply a fictitious short story told to illustrate a moral attitude or a religious principle. In other words, it is an example. When asked why He taught the people using examples, Jesus answered His disciples by saying in Matthew 13:11-17 [Simple English], 11. “You have been chosen to learn the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but these secrets have not been given to others. 12. The person who has something will get more. However, what will happen to the one who has nothing? Even what he has will be taken away from him! 13. This is why I use stories when I talk with them, so that they look, but do not see, and they listen, but they do not understand. 14. They have made Isaiah's prophecy come true: ‘You will certainly hear, but you won't understand! You will certainly see, but you won't understand! 15. The heart of this people has become hard. They have ears, but they do not listen. They have shut their eyes. Otherwise, they would see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their minds, and then turn. I would heal them.' 16. You are very blessed to see what you now see, and to hear what you now hear. 17. I am telling you the truth: Many prophets and good men wanted to see what you now see, but they did not see it. And they wanted to hear what you now hear, but they did not hear it.”
As Christians, it would behoove us to study these parables, these examples, in order to teach us more about God and how to better our own lives. Although the number varies as to how many parables Jesus spoke due to some people counting some parables as two or three separate, small illustrations while another person views these as one continuous story, there are roughly 40 parables Jesus left behind for us. These 40 illustrations can be broken down into the following categories: Parables Regarding Entry into the Kingdom, Parables Regarding Israel and Judaism, Parables Regarding the Christian’s Walk in this Life, and Parables Regarding Jesus’ Return and Final Judgment. From these categories it also is quite easy to create sub-categories. For instance, under the category of Parables Regarding the Christian’s Walk in this Life one could make sub-categories called Love, Humility and Persistence in Prayer. Therefore, if someone was to ask you what you thought Jesus might say about a particular situation, such as feeling resentment over someone else’s success, you could easily turn them to the Parable of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15:11-32 and see how the older son in this story is depicted. Or you could teach them their need to exercise humility by leading them to the Parable of the Lowest Seat at the Feast, and see how it is more important that we let God raise us than worrying about what others think of us. By doing so, you will be able to fulfill Peter’s command that is applicable to all who are the children of God: “Always be ready to give an answer of defense to anyone who asks you why you have hope inside you” (1 Peter 3:15 [Simple English]).
As Christians, it would behoove us to study these parables, these examples, in order to teach us more about God and how to better our own lives. Although the number varies as to how many parables Jesus spoke due to some people counting some parables as two or three separate, small illustrations while another person views these as one continuous story, there are roughly 40 parables Jesus left behind for us. These 40 illustrations can be broken down into the following categories: Parables Regarding Entry into the Kingdom, Parables Regarding Israel and Judaism, Parables Regarding the Christian’s Walk in this Life, and Parables Regarding Jesus’ Return and Final Judgment. From these categories it also is quite easy to create sub-categories. For instance, under the category of Parables Regarding the Christian’s Walk in this Life one could make sub-categories called Love, Humility and Persistence in Prayer. Therefore, if someone was to ask you what you thought Jesus might say about a particular situation, such as feeling resentment over someone else’s success, you could easily turn them to the Parable of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15:11-32 and see how the older son in this story is depicted. Or you could teach them their need to exercise humility by leading them to the Parable of the Lowest Seat at the Feast, and see how it is more important that we let God raise us than worrying about what others think of us. By doing so, you will be able to fulfill Peter’s command that is applicable to all who are the children of God: “Always be ready to give an answer of defense to anyone who asks you why you have hope inside you” (1 Peter 3:15 [Simple English]).
No comments:
Post a Comment