What are parables in the Bible? What are the 36 parables in the Bible? Check out the parables in the Bible and their meanings. A parable is a story that is told to illustrate a moral truth. The parable must be about a person, place, thing or time in history. It does not have to be literal and may be symbolic as well.
The parables in the Bible usually start with the story of a farmer who has a crop he needs to protect from being taken by thieves. The farmer goes out and buys a fence or wall around his crop to keep the thieves out. Then he goes home and asks himself why he bought the fence or wall in the first place. It seems like such a waste of money! He could have just stayed at home and waited for the thieves to come along, which would have been much cheaper!
The moral is that God wants us to protect our lives by trusting Him so He can help us do what’s right against all odds. This is true whether we’re talking about physical things such as crops or people or spiritual things like faithfulness in marriage or obedience towards God’s Commandments (which are sometimes called laws).
What Is Parables In The Bible
A parable is a story that illustrates a point or important life lesson.
Parables are used in the Bible to teach people about God and his plan for their lives. They are also used to illustrate important lessons that can be applied to our own lives.
Here are some examples of parables in the Bible:
- The Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11–32) This parable illustrates how we should treat people who have sinned against us, or even those who sinned against us as children. It tells us that we should love them no matter what they’ve done and that forgiveness is always possible.
- The Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25–37): This parable tells us how we should treat others when they are in need. It tells us that if someone needs help, then it’s our duty as Christians to help them out, even if it means going against our own opinions about certain things like race or religion.”
What is a parable?
A parable is a simple, yet profound, story or illustration that Jesus used to teach spiritual principles to his audience. Parables are often described as earthly stories with heavenly meanings. They served as a means of conveying important truths in a way that was relatable and understandable to the people of that time.
In the Bible, parables are mostly found in the books of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Jesus used parables to convey the timeless wisdom of God’s kingdom to his disciples and the crowds that followed him. These stories often contained symbolic elements and were meant to provoke thought, challenge assumptions, and inspire change.
Parables in the Bible and their meaning
The Bible contains numerous parables that cover a wide range of themes and teachings. Each parable has a specific meaning and message that Jesus intended to convey to his audience. Let’s explore some well-known parables and their significance:
- The Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32): This parable highlights God’s unconditional love, forgiveness, and redemption. It teaches us that no matter how far we wander from God, He is always ready to welcome us back with open arms.
- The Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37): This parable emphasizes the importance of showing compassion and love to others, regardless of their social status or background. It challenges us to extend mercy and help those in need, just as the Good Samaritan did.
- The Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:1-23): This parable illustrates the different responses people have to the message of God’s kingdom. It encourages us to cultivate receptive hearts and to bear spiritual fruit by embracing and applying God’s Word in our lives.
These parables, along with many others in the Bible, reveal profound truths about God’s character, His kingdom, and how we should live as His followers. They provide valuable lessons and insights into the nature of faith, repentance, grace, and eternal life.
List of parables in the Bible
Parables in the Old Testament
- The Parable of the Trees – Judges 9:8-15
- The Parable of the Ewe Lamb – 2 Samuel 12:1-4
- The Parable of the Thistle and the Cedar – 2 Kings 14:9
Parables in the New Testament
- The Parable of the Sower – Matthew 13:3-23, Mark 4:3-20, Luke 8:5-15
- The Parable of the Mustard Seed – Matthew 13:31-32, Mark 4:30-32, Luke 13:18-19
- The Parable of the Leaven – Matthew 13:33, Luke 13:20-21
- The Parable of the Hidden Treasure – Matthew 13:44
- The Parable of the Pearl of Great Price – Matthew 13:45-46
- The Parable of the Dragnet – Matthew 13:47-50
- The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant – Matthew 18:23-35
- The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard – Matthew 20:1-16
- The Parable of the Two Sons – Matthew 21:28-32
- The Parable of the Wedding Feast – Matthew 22:1-14
Parables of Jesus in Luke
- The Parable of the Good Samaritan – Luke 10:25-37
- The Parable of the Rich Fool – Luke 12:16-21
- The Parable of the Ten Minas – Luke 19:11-27
Examples of parables in the Bible
The Bible is filled with parables that offer valuable lessons and spiritual insights. Here are a few more examples of parables found in the New Testament:
- The Parable of the Mustard Seed (Matthew 13:31-32): This parable describes how the kingdom of heaven starts small but grows into something much greater. It teaches us about the power of faith and the exponential impact it can have.
- The Parable of the Lost Coin (Luke 15:8-10): This parable tells the story of a woman who lost a valuable coin and diligently searches for it until she finds it. It underscores God’s relentless pursuit of every lost soul and His joy when even one person repents.
- The Parable of the Rich Fool (Luke 12:13-21): In this parable, a man accumulates great wealth but is not rich toward God. It serves as a warning against greed and materialism, encouraging us to prioritize eternal treasures over earthly possessions.
These examples illustrate the diverse range of subjects covered by Jesus’ parables, from the nature of the kingdom of God to the importance of using our resources wisely. By studying and meditating on these parables, we can gain a deeper understanding of God’s truths and how they apply to our own lives.
Bible Meaning of Parables
In the Bible, Jesus teaches His disciples and followers by using parables, among other methods. Parables were a way to convey moral, transcendent principles in an allegoric story that people could understand and relate to. A parable is a teaching method using the familiar to illustrate unfamiliar concepts. It is a story or saying that demonstrates a truth using comparison, hyperbole, or a simile.
In Greek rhetoric, people used them for argumentation, clarification, or to prove something. Parables can be one-liners, such as “you are the salt of the earth” from Matthew 5:13 or “do not throw your pearls to pigs” from Matthew 7:6.
According to Crosswalk.com, parables can also represent a picture within a story. This type is called a simple parable and examples are the lost sheep and the lost coin in Luke 15:3-10. Another type is the narrative parable. This is a dramatic story with one or more scenes, as displayed in the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:30-37. Through the parables of Christ, we learn the importance of accountability for our thoughts, actions, and motives.
As described in the Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary, the Bible application of parables can be seen as metaphors:
Jesus’ narrative parables are probably best understood as extended metaphors. The story (the image) is a window through which a larger reality (the referent) is depicted. Understanding the message of a parable is more than identifying its “point, ” though many parables do have a focal point that is reinforced by the parable as a whole. Therefore, it is crucial to comprehend both the story as its original listeners would have understood it and the referent, the larger reality into which it offers insight. Typically, the referent is some aspect of the kingdom of God, the reign of God in people’s hearts, or the realm of God’s sovereignty. In order to let the parable have its full impact, we need to see the referent in a new way through the parable story.
A parable (pronounced PAIR uh bul) is a comparison of two things, often done through a story that has two meanings. Another name for a parable is an allegory.
Jesus Christ did much of his teaching in parables. Telling tales of familiar characters and activities was a favorite way for ancient rabbis to hold an audience’s attention while illustrating an important moral point.
Parables appear in both the Old and New Testaments but are more easily recognizable in the ministry of Jesus. After many rejected him as Messiah, Jesus turned to parables, explaining to his disciples in Matthew 13:10-17 that those who sought God would grasp the deeper meaning, while the truth would be hidden from unbelievers. Jesus used earthly stories to teach heavenly truths, but only those who sought the truth were able to understand them.
Characteristics of a Parable
Parables are typically brief and symmetrical. Points are presented in twos or threes using an economy of words. Unnecessary details are left out.
The settings in the story are taken from ordinary life. Figures of speech are common and used in context for ease of understanding. For example, a discourse about a shepherd and his sheep would make hearers think of God and his people because of Old Testament references to those pictures.
Parables often incorporate elements of surprise and exaggeration. They are taught in such an interesting and compelling manner that the listener cannot escape the truth.
Parables ask listeners to make judgments on the events of the story. As a result, listeners must make similar judgments in their own lives. They force the listener to make a decision or come to a moment of truth.
Typically, parables leave no room for gray areas. The listener is forced to see the truth in concrete rather than abstract pictures.
38 Parables of Jesus And Their Meanings
A master at teaching with parables, Jesus spoke about 35 percent of his recorded words in parables. According to the Tyndale Bible Dictionary, Christ’s parables were more than illustrations for his preaching, they were his preaching to a great extent. Much more than simple stories, scholars have described Jesus’ parables as both “works of art” and “weapons of warfare.”
The purpose of parables in Jesus Christ’s teaching was to focus the listener on God and his kingdom. These stories revealed the character of God: what he is like, how he works, and what he expects from his followers.
Most scholars agree that there are at least 33 parables in the Gospels. Jesus introduced many of these parables with a question. For example, in the parable of the Mustard Seed, Jesus answered the question, “What is the Kingdom of God like?”
One of Christ’s most famous parables in the Bible is the story of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15:11-32. This story is closely tied to the parables of the Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin. Each of these accounts focuses on the relationship with God, demonstrating what it means to be lost and how heaven celebrates with joy when the lost are found. They also draw a keen picture of God the Father’s loving heart for lost souls.
Another well-known parable is the account of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:25-37. In this parable, Jesus Christ taught his followers how to love the outcasts of the world and showed that love must overcome prejudice.
Several of Christ’s parables instruct on being prepared for end times. The parable of the Ten Virgins emphasizes the fact that Jesus’ followers must always be alert and ready for his return. The parable of the Talents gives practical direction on how to live in readiness for that day.
Typically, the characters in Jesus’ parables remained nameless, creating a broader application for his listeners. The parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus in Luke 16:19-31 is the only one in which he used a proper name.
One of the most striking features of Jesus’ parables is how they reveal the nature of God. They draw listeners and readers into a real and intimate encounter with the living God who is Shepherd, King, Father, Savior, and so much more.
Parables In The Bible And Their Meaning
Parables are stories that are used to teach a lesson. They usually use a fictional situation to explain a principle or moral.
In the Bible, Jesus often used parables to teach people about God and how to live their lives. For example, in Matthew 13:3-9 Jesus told a parable about farmers who planted wheat in a field. The field was divided into four parts and each part was planted with different seeds—some seeds were good and some were bad. The farmer wanted all of his crops to grow well so he chose servants who knew how to care for the land and harvest the crop.
The analogy Jesus used here is that God cares for his people and wants them to grow spiritually like good plants grow in healthy soil. The bad seeds represent people who do not follow God’s will and cause problems in society by doing things like stealing or committing adultery (see Matthew 5:27-30).