parables

NOTE ~ In this study some references to Bible passages will be given as book, chapter, and verse citations only. When you wish to read the full text, it is recommended that you go to the Bible Gateway where you may easily enter the Bible passage citation and read the passage in your favorite version of the Bible.

These keynote Bible passages provide the spiritual foundation for this topic

Seeing and Hearing
Matthew 13:10-17 ~~ And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.
Mark 4:10-12 ~~ 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.
Luke 8:9-10 ~~ And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be? And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.

All Parables
Mark 4:13 ~~ And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?

Our Father's Gift to Us

Luke 12:30-32 ~~ For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

What Is A Parable?

Most definition sources say that a parable is a COMPARISON, and that is what we must keep in mind, because there are other similar kinds of comparisons (analogies, similies, metaphors, allegories, etc) which are also found in the Bible. "Parable" is typically defined in the Dictionary as "A comparison; specif., a short ficticious narrative from which a moral or spiritual truth is drawn; as the parables of Christ". However, Jesus expects us to know that there are more parables (comparisons) than just those that are spoken (verbal) ~ (Mark 4:13).

In essence, a parable is similar to two parallel lines. If you will notice, both words begin with "para". The same dictionary defines "para" as "A prefix meaning beside in its senses: 1. Beside, along side of, beyond, aside from, amiss, as in parallel, paragraph, paraphrase, parody".

A parable is by nature an "analogy"; which is defined as "A relation of likeness, between two things or of one thing to or with another, consisting in the resemblance not of the things themselves but of two or more attributes, circumstances, or effects." Therefore, we will be learning from parables that were expressed in miracles, events, and other kinds of biblical passages, as well as from those which were spoken by our Lord Jesus ~~ that is: both spoken and demonstrated.

Type the word "parable" in the "Websters Online Dictionary" at the end of this page and be absolutely amazed at what you will find.

Other Parables (Comparisons)

The Parable of The Ten Virgins
(Matthew 25:1-13) (John 1:1-5) (John 3:1-8) (Matthew 5:14-16)
(John 4:13-14 and 23-24)

WHAT IS THIS PARABLE ABOUT? ~~~ The necessity of being filled with the Holy Spirit and being a light unto the world.

WHAT IS BEING COMPARED? ~~~
1 - The vessel represents each of us.
2 - The oil represents the Holy Spirit.
3- The lamp represents our witness of the regeneration by Jesus Christ (shining His light into the world).
4 - The bridegroom represents the Lord Jesus Christ.
5 - His coming represents the end of the age.
6 - The marriage represents our (wise virgins') mystical marriage (unification) with Jesus Christ.

WHAT IS BEING IMPLIED? ~~~ We must receive Jesus' baptism (washing) with the Holy Spirit and we must also "drink" of (become filled with) the Holy Spirit. We must be neither lukewarm, nor ensnared by the cares of this world, nor out of fellowship with our Lord Jesus (The Word Of God) (John 1:14 and Revelation 19:11-13). We must remain faithful unto death, endure unto the end, and enter the resurrection with joy unspeakable and full of glory.

The Miraculous Feeding of the 5000
(Matthew 14:14-21) (Mark 6:34-44) (Luke 9:12-17) (John 6:1-13)

WHAT IS THIS MIRACLE ABOUT? ~~~ Evangelism.

WHAT IS BEING COMPARED? ~~~
1 - The bread represents the Word of God that was made flesh (John 1:14) and was sacrificed (broken) on the cross for us.
2 - The fishes represent a fluid medium in which they have life (The life giving Holy Spirit is fluid in nature).
3 - Jesus' disciples represent His church, the spiritual body of Christ.
4 - The multification of the bread and fishes while being distributed represents the work of the Holy Ghost in the world.
5 - The starving multitude represents a world of lost souls.
6 - The twelve baskets of fragments represent the inexhaustibility of God's unfailing supply.

WHAT IS BEING IMPLIED? ~~~ The work of God's church (the spiritual body of Christ) is to constantly receive and share God's holy word and gospel of salvation under the teaching, inspiration, and guidance of the Holy Ghost.

The Lazarus Event

WHAT IS THIS EVENT ABOUT? ~~~ Mankind's 4000 years in hopeless spiritual death, and God's rescue into his eternal spiritual kingdom by Jesus Christ the King.

WHAT IS BEING COMPARED? ~~~
1 - The grave represents death.
2 - The darkness in the grave represents Satan's dark spiritual realm of death.
3 - The four days represent 4000 years since man's fall in the Garden of Eden.
4 - The voice of Jesus calling Lazarus forth exemplifies evangelism for us to do.
5 - The graveclothes represent sinful thoughts and habits and spiritual ignorance.
6 - Jesus' disciples represent the body of Christ (His church).
7 - Jesus' command, "Loose him, and let him go", assigns responsibility to His church to nurture new converts in shedding the "graveclothes" and growing into spiritual maturity in the body of Christ.

WHAT IS BEING IMPLIED? ~~~ We should invest our entire belief and trust in Jesus Christ who told us, "I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?"

The Flood and Noah
(Genesis chapters 6-9) (1Peter 3:17-22) (Luke 17:26-37)

WHAT IS THIS HISTORICAL HAPPENING ABOUT? ~~~ The first step in God's regeneration of mankind with the baptism principle, leading from a carnal depravity through successive steps into an ultimate spiritual purity in a new heaven and new earth.

WHAT IS BEING COMPARED? ~~~
1 - A wicked mankind representing a sin-ridden soul.
2 - The flood representing a baptism.
3 - The water representing the Holy Spirit.
4 - The ark representing the body of Christ
5 - The rainbow symbolizing the beauty of holiness and a new covenant with God.
6 - Noah's family representing a new creation. (2Corinthians 5:17)

WHAT IS BEING IMPLIED? ~~~ With God all things are possible. God can be grieved by misconduct. God will continue to eliminate the bad and replace it with an elevated good.

John 21:25 ~~~ And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.

1Corinthians 2:9-14 ~~
9 ~ But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
10 ~ But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
11 ~ For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
12 ~ Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
13 ~ Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
14 ~ But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spitit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

The Sower Matthew 13:3-23, Mark 4:2=20, Luke 8:4-15	New Cloth & New Wine Matthew 9:16-17, Mark 2:21=22, Luke 5:36-38	The Tares Matthew 13:24-30	The Mustard Seed Matthew 13:31-32, Mark 4:30-32, Luke 13:18-19
The Leaven Matthew 13:33, Luke 13:20-21	Hidden Treasure & Pearl of Great Price Matthew 13:44-46	The Drawnet Matthew 13:47-50	The Lost Sheep Matthew 18:12-14, Luke 15:3-7
The Unforgiving Servant Matthew 18:23-35	The Vineyard Laborers Matthew 20:1-16	The Wedding Feast Matthew 22:2-14	The Wise and Foolish Virgins Matthew 25:1-13
The Talents Matthew 25:14-30	The Absent Householder Mark 13:33-37	The Good Samaritan Luke 10:30-37	The Rich Fool Luke 12:16-21
The Watchful Servants Luke 12:35-40	The Great Supper Luke 14:16-24	The Lost Coin & Lost Son Luke 15:8-32	The Pharisee and the Publican Luke 18:9-14

Cleansing a Leper Matthew 8:2, Mark 1:40, Luke 5:12	Centurion's Servant Healed Matthew 8:5, Luke 7:1	Peter's Mother-in-law Healed Matthew 8:14, Mark 1:30, Luke 4:38	Stilling the Storm Matthew 8:23, Mark 4:35, Luke 8:22
Demoniac and Swine Matthew 8:28, Mark 5:1, Luke 8:26	Paralytic Healed Matthew 9:2, Mark 2:3, Luke 5:18	Raising the Ruler's Daughter Matthew 9;18-25, Mark 5:22-43, Luke 8:40-56	Withered Hand Healed Matthew 12:9, Mark 3:1-5, Luke 6:6
Blind and Mute Healed Matthew 12:22, Luke 11:14*	Feeding Five Thousand Matthew 14:13, Mark 6:30, Luke 9:10, John 6:1	Walking On the Sea Matthew 14:25, Mark 6:48, John 6:19	Gentile Woman's Daughter Healed Matthew 15:21, Mark 7:24
Feeding Four Thousand Matthew 15:32, Mark 8:1	Epileptic Boy Healed Matthew 17:14, Mark 9:17, Luke 9:38	Coin In Fish's Mouth Matthew 17:24	Two Blind Men Healed Matthew 20:30, Mark 10:46, Luke 18:35
Unclean Spirit Cast Out Mark 1:23, Luke 4:33	Huge Catch of Fish Luke 5:1	Widow's Son Raised At Nain Luke 7:11	Infirm Bowed Woman Healed Luke 13:11
Water Turned Into Wine John 2:1	Healing the Man Born Blind John 9:1	The Raising of Lazarus John 11:1-45	Second Miraculous Catch of Fish John 21:1

	Webster's Online Dictionary with Multilingual Thesaurus Translation