BIBLE STUDY WEEK # 6 (6/10/14)

The Ministry of Jesus Study
Created by Evangelist Claudia Jordan
Date:  6/10/14
Week Study # 6
 

Title:                          Parables of Jesus                   
Scripture:                  Matthew 13:10-17
Weekly Focus:            Psalm 49:4
Memory Verse:           Matthew 25:1
Bible Reading:             Matthew 25:1-13; Mark 4:3-9; Luke 8:8; 8:9-10; John 10:1-18
 

Getting Started

What is a Parable?
Jesus' parables are short stories that teach a moral or spiritual lesson by analogy or similarity. They are often stories based on the agricultural life that was intimately familiar to His original first century audience. Some aspect of an unfamiliar concept, such as the kingdom of God, was compared to something from everyday life that could easily be understood.
It is the lesson of a parable that is important to us. The story is not important in itself; it may or may not be literally true.  Jesus was the master of teaching in parables. His parables often have an unexpected twist or surprise ending that catches the reader's attention. They are also cleverly designed to draw listeners into new ways of thinking, new attitudes and new ways of acting (Getty-Sullivan, pp. 2-4).

Each of Jesus' parables teaches only one or two important lessons. It is a mistake to look for meaning in every sentence or detail of the story (Lockyer, Parable). If we get bogged down analyzing the details of the parable, we may miss the central point, as in the proverbial saying, "You can't see the forest for the trees."

The Purpose of the Parable:
Parables are told so that only those who really care will come to know the truth. Not so much because they understand the parable, but because they care enough to ask what it means after the story is finished and hang around long enough to have it explained to them. The others don't really care and leave. Remember, the disciples didn't understand the parables, but they asked what Jesus meant after the crowds left. They had a soft and open heart. Understanding is an issue of the heart. Those who have a hard heart, also have closed eyes and closed ears and they don't understand.

 Why Did Jesus Teach in Parables?
10 When he was alone, those who were around him along with the twelve asked him about the parables. And he said to them, To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside, everything comes in parables; 12 in order that 'they may indeed look, but not perceive, and may indeed listen, but not understand; so that they may not turn again and be forgiven. Mark 4:10-12) Jesus' explanation seems harsh and out of character. Was He deliberately trying to hide the truth by speaking in parables? Were the mysteries of the kingdom of God to be known only by the disciples? Both experts and lay persons are puzzled, and many different explanations have been proposed. Jesus quoted from Isaiah 6:9-10. The prophet Isaiah had found that people were so lost in sin that they resented hearing God's Word and deliberately turned away. Jesus experienced the same disappointment and frustration. Thus, the most common interpretation of Jesus' saying is that the people's hardness of heart (pride, arrogance and prejudice) prevented them from understanding and accepting Jesus' teachings.
Interpretation.  By nature, a parable invites the reader or listener to supply the interpretation, and some of Jesus' parables have been interpreted in more than one way. Jesus, Himself, supplied the interpretation for some of His parables. But in other cases, it is left to us to determine the meaning and lesson. Some of the parables are difficult to interpret, but the meaning is clear in most cases. Even Jesus' enemies often understood His parables, even though they did not accept the lesson (Matthew 21:45-46). Jesus' original audience in first century Palestine probably knew exactly what He was saying in most cases. Those of us who are far removed from that time and place need some help from historians and Bible scholars to understand the original cultural context and issues involved.  From historical knowledge and Jesus' other teachings, there is a broad consensus within the mainstream of Christian thought about the meaning of most of the parables.

Let's explore some parables of Jesus now……………

Matthew 25:1-13; "The Ten Virgins"
Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:  But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.  But the wise answered, saying,  Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.  Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

Matthew 25: 14-30;  "The Ten Talents"
For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money.  After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. His lord said unto him; Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Mark 4:2-8 The Sower
And he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine, Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow: And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up. And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth: But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred.

Mark 4:10-20-The Sower
And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable. And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them. And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables? The sower soweth the word. And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts. And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended. And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.

Extra:
Luke, himself a Gentile, speaks to a Gentile audience. Gentiles, unfamiliar with Jewish
Law and tradition, did not believe in the one God before their conversion. Luke explains the Jewish experience of this one God. He explains Jewish faith, practices, covenant and prophecies to a people who did not know about them. He also shows the relationship between Jesus and the history of Israel. Yet, his emphasis is universality - Jesus' salvation is open to all. Consequently, the Gentiles will also be included. Luke emphasizes this universal salvation and argues that it is especially true for the poor, despised, and oppressed people in the world. For Luke, this is a cause for joy and celebration. Luke traces Jesus' ancestry back to Adam, before Abraham, to stress the universality of Jesus' message. He uses his gospel to teach the Gentiles important practices of faith, especially prayer, with which they were unfamiliar. He leaves out passages that might confuse a Gentile audience. He interprets Hebrew words for them. Instead of rabbi, he uses teacher; for scribe – lawyer. Luke is often called the Gospel of Women because of the way he fleshes out the character of key women figures.
 
 
Questions:

1.  What is important about parables?
2.  What is the purpose of parables?
3.  What prevented people from understanding and receiving Jesus' teaching?
4.  What lesson do you get out of the parable of the ten talents?
5.  What lesson do you get out of the parable of the sower?
6.  Have God ever gave you a parable?
 
Reflection Questions:

1.  What personal applications can you make from the parable of the Sower?
2.  Do you understand the way parables work, if so, please explain?
3.  How have your life changed since you've read the parable of the Good Samaritan?
 
Prayer:
Thank you, Lord, for You are a worthy and wise God. Thank You for Your mercy and grace. We ask for wisdom to rightly divine Your Word.  Thank You, Father, that Jesus was made unto us wisdom. Confusion is not a part of our lives. We are not confused about Your will for our lives. We trust in Your and lean not unto our own understanding.  As we acknowledge You in all our ways, thank You for directing our path daily.  We believe  that as we trust in You completely, You will show us the path of life, and as we learn more of Jesus, we will gain knowledge, wisdom, and understanding through Your Word.  Bless our day to be filled with so much care that we will take time for others, reach out to all we meet, and led them down the right path. James 1:5 tells us to ask if we lack wisdom, we ask this in Jesus' Mighty Name, AMEN.