"Tell Me the Story of Jesus" - The Approach of Jesus' Teaching
Spiritual Questions with Scriptural Answers.
As we close out our short, three-part series on Jesus’ ability as the Master Teacher, we now focus on His style of teaching and preaching.
The most common form of teaching the Lord utilized in His day-to-day ministry was the parable.
What is a Parable?
A parable is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning.
The Greek word, paraballo, means “beside” (para) “to throw” (ballo); therefore, a parable is an earthly story “thrown beside” a heavenly meaning.
In this article, we want to discuss the value of Jesus’ teaching in parables and the responsibility of the hearers to understand and respond properly to what is being taught.
What is the Purpose of a Parable?
Parables could serve the following four purposes:
They could make truth clearer to honest hearts.
They could conceal the truth to dishonest hearts with impure motives.
They could cause the antagonists of truth to consent to certain truths before they realized the application.
They could be engrained in human memory for centuries (ex. “The Good Samaritan,” and “The Prodigal Son” (Luke 15). (Jackson, 125-126).
What to Remember When Studying the Parables.
In studying the parables, there are three important things to keep in mind:
The contextual background.
The details of the parable itself.
The primary pearl of truth (Jackson, 126).
The Parables of Jesus.
The parables of Jesus are classified into seven sections:
Kingdom Parables.
Sinner Parables.
Forgiveness Parables.
Prayer Parables.
Stewardship Parables.
A Service Parable.
Preparedness Parables.
In the following, we will notice one example from each classification.
The Kingdom Parables.
First, consider the parable of “the pearl of great price” (Matt. 13:45-46). This is one of seven parables in this chapter, and while it is brief, its meaning and application is profound: “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it” (Matt. 13:45-46). This “Kingdom Parable” emphasizes the value of the kingdom and one’s zeal in seeking It.
The Sinner Parables.
Second, we look to Luke 15 as we notice three “Sinner Parables” as Jesus spoke of the “lost sheep” (Luke 15:1-7), the “lost coin” (Luke 15:8-10), and the “lost son” (Luke 15:11-31). These three parables all show the value of one soul and the rejoicing that takes place when just one is restored.
The Forgiveness Parables.
Third, we notice the parable of “The Unmerciful Servant” (Matt. 18:22-35). This parable shows the importance of extending forgiveness to others in appreciation of the forgiveness God offers.
The Prayer Parables.
Fourth, we see the “Prayer Parables” emphasizing the attitude, persistence, and focus during prayer. Our example is taken from Luke 18 commonly known as the prayers of the “Pharisee and Publican.” The Pharisee was self-centered and arrogant while the publican was God-centered and humble. It teaches us an important lesson in maintaining the proper attitude in prayer.
The Stewardship Parables.
Fifth, we examine the “Stewardship Parables.” A steward is one who possess something temporarily that belongs to someone else. We are to be good stewards of what God has given us as these parables clearly teach. Our example comes from the “Parable of the Rich Fool” (Luke 12:13-21). He focused on earthly wealth to his own destruction. Jesus emphasized the importance of being rich toward God and laying up treasures in Heaven (Matt. 6:19-21).
The Service Parables.
Sixth, we learn about “service” from Jesus Who answered the question, “Who is my neighbor,” with a timeless parable about “The Good Samaritan” (Luke 10:29-37). After a Jew was beaten and left for dead, it would be assumed that the Priest and Levite who passed by would help him, but they didn’t. A Samaritan, who typically would have nothing to do with a Jew (John 4:9), not only helped the Jew, but went the extra mile taking him to shelter and paying for future expenses. Jesus said, “Go and do likewise.”
The Preparedness Parables.
Seventh and finally, we note the “Preparedness Parables.” My favorite is the “Parable of the Ten Virgins” (Matt. 25:1-13). As the virgins went out to meet the bridegroom, five of them were prepared with oil in their lamps while the other five were foolish because they did not take oil with their lamps. When it was time to meet up with the bridegroom, the foolish virgins were not prepared and, “the door was shut.” One day, “the door of opportunity” will be “shut,” and only those prepared when the bridegroom (Jesus) returns will be ready for eternity.
I encourage you to read these parables and do your own personal study.
Jesus, as the Master Teacher, was able to present lessons in such a way that those hungry for the truth would be filled while those who opposed the truth would be further turned away.
May we be encouraged to respond properly to the teaching from and about Jesus by applying the lessons to our lives and bearing good fruit to the glory of God!
References.
Jackson, Wayne. Jesus Christ: The Master Teacher. Jesus’ Skill In Teaching By Illustration. pgs. 126-127. Christian Courier Publications. Stockton, California. 2013. Print.
Drew Suttles is a minister for the Quitman church of Christ in Quitman, Georgia, and one of my best friends in this world. They live-stream all their Bible classes and sermons on their YouTube channel.
Drew also hosts the “Weathering the Storm” podcast on the Scattered Abroad Network. Drew talks about facing life’s challenges as a child of God. His podcast will be a blessing to your life.
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I enjoyed your article about Jesus' parables, especially how you classified them into 7 categories. Thanks!