A. WHAT IS A PARABLE?
1. A parable is a story.
a. Actions that lead to a conclusion.
b. Actors who are people.
c. Narrative or interaction.
2. That is true to life. Parables are not myths about flying horses, or talking objects in nature.
3. But not a historical event. The story did not actually happen but could have happened.
4. Given to teach a spiritual truth. Not to entertain.
5. Based on similarities.
B. DESCRIPTION
1. A miracle is the truth of God in works. A parable is the truth of God in word. There is teaching in miracles, but no miraculous acts in the parables.
2. One of Christ’s most popular forms of teaching. “Without a parable He did not speak to them” (Matthew 13:34).
3. The infinite God (unlimited) condescended to convey infinite truth to finite man (limited) by using parables that included familiar events, places, things, and different types of people.
4. Extended parables were not used after the Lord’s death. Why?
5. The word parable comes from (parabolé) meaning (para) “beside” (bolé) “to cast or throw down.” A parable is “the placing of one thing by the side of the other.”
6. The purpose was an application of truth from parallel observation. “Explain this parable to us” (Matthew 15:15). Jesus applied, “Now learn this parable from the fig tree …” (Matthew 24:32-33).
7. Popular definition, (a) outward expression of inner reality, (b) a metaphorical figure that teaches spiritual truth by contrast or similarity.” Most people remember, “a heavenly story with an earthly meaning.”
C. WHY JESUS USED PARABLES
1. Enduring. People tend to remember stories better than abstract ideas or propositional truth. Jesus gave an application and said, “Therefore, I speak to them in parables.” The word therefore implies Jesus’ plain language had been ineffective.
2. Motivation. To make new truth interesting to His hearers.
3. Keep attention. To arrest and hold the attention of His hearers.
4. Insight. To make His hearers think through the principle. “What men think out for themselves, they never forget.” ~Cosmo Lange
5. Hide. To conceal truth from the disinterested or those in rebellion against Him. “Why do You speak to them in parables? … Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given” (Matthew 13:10-11).
D. HOW TO INTERPRET PARABLES
1. The context points to the interpretation. A lawyer asked of Jesus, “who is my neighbor?” (Luke 10:29). So Jesus gave the parable of the Good Samaritan to answer the question.
2. The introduction or conclusion by Jesus points to the interpretation. Jesus asked the layer, “which of these three do you think was neighbor?” (Luke 10:36).
3. Look for the main focus of the parable. The parable teaches an obvious action, that a neighbor is not one close to you or related to you. “To be a neighbor, you must act neighborly.”
4. Do not force an interpretation of the parable on every point of the story, “do not make it walk on all fours.”
5. Augustine forced every point, (a) down from Jerusalem, Adam left God’s presence, (b) Jericho, a city of morality, (c) thieves, the devil, (d) beat him, persuaded Adam to sin, (e) the priest and Levite, the Old Testament could not save, (f) binding the wounds, restrain sin, (g) oil-good hope, wine-fervent spirit, (h) the beast, the flesh of Christ, (i) the inn, the church, (j) the morrow, after the resurrection.
The details are like drapery in a room or scenery on a stage. “Every comparison must halt somewhere.” ~Habershon
6. Do not minimize the details that support the one interpretation. The details are more than parts that make up the whole. Every part is important to understand the whole (the one interpretation) and without them the parable would be deficient.
7. Each parable has its own lesson which is based on the original intent of the Lord.
a. The meaning will be reinforced by the similarity between the story and the interpretation.
b. The similarity must be real, not imaginary.
8. A parable has one interpretation, but many applications. “All the Bible is for all of us, but it is not all about us.” ~Graham Scroggie
“Interpretation is limited to the original intent of Jesus. Application is not limited, it tells us how God works in our life, to express emotion in response to His truth, and to decide to obey His principles.” ~Habershon
E. SIX PARABLES WE WILL STUDY
1. The Good Samaritan – Luke 10:25-37 – Be a friend to the needy.
2. The Persistent Friend – Luke 11:1, 5-13 – Have mighty expectations in prayer.
3. The Unjust Judge – Luke 18:1-8 – You need continued, unending prayer.
4. The Pharisee and the Publican – Luke 18:9-14, God answers the prayers of those who ask with the right heart attitude.
5. Be a responsible steward – Luke 19:12 ff - if you are going to serve God, be responsible for all that you are and seek to do.
6. A Rich Fool – Luke 12:13-24 -
If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:
Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you prayed that prayer, God heard you and saved you. I personally want to welcome you to the family of God and rejoice with you.
Dr. Towns’ email is eltowns@liberty.edu.
Video presentations of the PBC are available online at trbc.org/pbc
Go to hopenow.tv for the current program schedule
