The Parables of Jesus

By Paul Winton Saunders

Parables of Jesus examines Jewish customs during biblical times to reveal lessons on life, living, and walking with the Lord.

You’ll encounter the figures that Jesus used in his stories: the unjust judge who neither feared God or man, the self-righteous Pharisee and the humble publican in the temple, the fickle children in the marketplace, the unforgiving servant, and others exhibiting traits as compassion, jealousy, and greed.

Pastor Paul Saunders makes the point that Jesus was appalled with the hypocritical nature of Jewish religious leadership. They made a great show of righteousness, but their behavior was corrupt—and Jesus was not afraid to call it out.

The parables are brilliant, relevant, pithy, and personally challenging. Jesus uses everyday activities, with which we are all familiar, to illustrate a deeper truth.

Although numerous scholars have written about the parables of Jesus, this book takes a fresh approach, looking at them in context and exploring the relevance they have today.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris AU
• Release date: Oct 9, 2022
• ISBN: 9781796009279

Paul Winton Saunders

Pastor Paul Saunders has been in some form of ministry since 1971 and is passionate about Bible study. A church leader and pastor, he has also managed a Soil Mechanics laboratory. He is married with one child. He is also the author of The Price of Promiscuity.

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Copyright © 2022 by Paul Winton Saunders.

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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

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Rev. date: 11/22/2022

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CONTENTS

Chapter 1Introduction

Chapter 2The Parable of the Salt of the Earth

Chapter 3The Parable of the Lamp under the Bushel

Chapter 4The Parable of Houses Built on Rock and Sand

Chapter 5The Parables of the New Cloth on to an Old Garment and New Wine in Old Bottles

Chapter 6The Parable of the Children in the Marketplace

Chapter 7The Parable of the Divided Kingdom and the Bound Strong Man

Chapter 8The Parable of the Sower

Chapter 9The Parables of the Mustard Seed and the Leaven

Chapter 10The Parable of the Tares of the Field

Chapter 11The Parables of the Hidden Treasure & the Pearl of Great Price

Chapter 12The Parable of Sorting the Netted Catch

Chapter 13The Parable of the Defilement of the Mouth

Chapter 14The Parables of the Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin

Chapter 15The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant

Chapter 16The Parable of the Two Debtors

Chapter 17The Parable of the Labourers in the Vineyard

Chapter 18The Parable of the Two Sons

Chapter 19The Parable of the Wicked Tenants

Chapter 20The Parable of the Wedding Banquet

Chapter 21The Parable of the Fig Tree as a Herald of Summer

Chapter 22The Parable of the Ten Virgins

Chapter 23The Parables of the Talents and the Pounds

Chapter 24The Parable of Seed Time and Harvest

Chapter 25The Parable of the Blind Leading the Blind

Chapter 26The Parable of the Good Samaritan

Chapter 27The Parable of the Friend at Midnight

Chapter 28The Parable of the Rich Fool

Chapter 29The Parables of Wise and Foolish Stewardship

Chapter 30The Parable of the Fruitless Fig Tree

Chapter 31The Parable of Places of Honour at a Wedding Feast

Chapter 32The Parable of the Great Banquet and the Reluctant Guest

Chapter 33The Parable of Counting the Cost

Chapter 34The Parable of the Prodigal Son

Chapter 35The Parable of the Dishonest Steward

Chapter 36The Parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man

Chapter 37The Parable of the Master and His Servant

Chapter 38The Parable of the Widow and the Unjust Judge

Chapter 39The Parable of the Pharisee and the Publican

Chapter 40The Parable of the Door of the Sheepfold

Chapter 41Other Sayings of Jesus

Chapter 42Conclusion

Chapter 1

Introduction

But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples. (Mark 4:34)

All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them. (Matt. 13:34)

That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world. (Matt. 13:35)

I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old. (Ps. 78:2)

And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? (Matt. 13:10)

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. (Matt. 13:11)

Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. (Matt. 13:13)

It is clear from these scriptures that it was Jesus’ intent and practice to teach and preach to the public in parables. There are two main reasons Jesus chose parables. First, as noted in Matthew 13:13, he initially did not want the message he came to deliver to be understood by everyone, especially the infidels. Second is that the rulers of his time were despots and killed anyone who appeared as a threat to their rule. A parable could not directly implicate Jesus in teachings that these rulers took as a threat.

There are about forty parables that Jesus taught recorded in the Gospels. Some of these are difficult to define as parables, while others are clearly parables. It should be understood that Hebrew other than colours has no adjectives. Therefore, it uses simile and metaphor instead. It is almost certain Jesus was mainly using Hebrew consequently He had to resort to that format.

The Bible is unlike any other work. People often find it difficult to interpret. Although this is true to a point (there are passages hard to understand), most of it is clear. The secret to understanding it is to allow it to interpret itself. This commentary seeks to do just that, using a number of scriptures to elucidate the points Jesus was trying to make. Unless otherwise stated, all quotes are from the King James Version.

Presented below are several questions people ask concerning Jesus’ parables.

1. What Is a Parable?

The Hebrew word for parable in the Old Testament is maw-shawl, which means a pithy maxim (usually metaphysical in nature), a simile (as an adage, poem, discourse), by word, like, parable, proverb.

The New Testament Greek word for parable is parbolhν, parabola, from which we derive our word parable. Parabola is a similitude, fictitious narrative of common life conveying a narrative of common life conveying a moral, figure, parable, and proverb.

According to the Oxford Dictionary, a parable is fictitious narrative used to point a moral; or illustrate some spiritual relation or condition; short allegory.

A pithier definition is that a parable is an earthly story to convey a heavenly meaning.

As can be seen from the Hebrew and Greek, a parable covers a broader spectrum than defined by the Oxford Dictionary, which also points out that delineation between a parable and a simile or metaphor is not distinct. Perhaps a parable should be seen as longer than a simile or a metaphor.

The parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11–32) is an allegory which is almost a short story. Other parables that fall into this category are Lazarus and the rich man (Luke 16:19–31), the ten virgins (Matthew 25:1–13), and the parable of the pounds (Luke 19:12–27).

2. How Does a Parable Teach?

Parables use the literary technique known as similes and metaphors. A simile is something which is like something else, and a metaphor says that something is something else. Examples of these are set out below. A biblical example of a metaphor occurs in Matthew 5:14: Ye are the light of the world. An example of a simile is found in Isaiah 53:7: He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb. Matthew 13:33 explicitly refers to the use of parable: Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.

Using parables has certain advantages; they are more likely to be remembered than ideological teaching and dogma.

The Parable of the Prodigal Son deals with backsliding worldliness, repentance, forgiveness, and salvation. All these subjects are hard to teach. This famous parable is better remembered than Jesus’ first preaching message, as recorded in Mark 1:15: And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

3. What is the Purpose of a Parable?

The first reason for using a parable is that it allows a prophet or preacher to censure a powerful personage who would not permit themselves to be found directly at fault. Nathan used the parable of a poor man’s only lamb being taken by a rich sheep owner to reprove David for committing adultery with Uriah’s wife, Bathsheba.

A second reason for using a parable is that it’s a good way of discussing truth with those you know will not understand the point you’re trying to make. It is one way to be understood by the people you are trying to reach.

When Jesus came to preach, the times were troubled, both politically and religiously. The Jewish priesthood hated anyone criticising them. There was brinkmanship between some very powerful factions among the Jews.

These factions included the following:

The Samaritans, with their long, strong religious background, are of particular interest. The Samaritan creed was belief in one God, in Moses the prophet, in the law, and in Mount Gerizim as the place appointed by God for sacrifice. The Jews did not treat them as Gentiles but hated them and their temple at Mount Gerizim. The scriptures allude to many other sects beside these, so the religious fabric was complex.

The Romans ruled over Palestine but chose puppet governments who had more respect from their own people. The families within these governments sought to please Rome at each other’s expense in order to seek the throne. A large part of society had been strongly influenced by Hellenism, which had come from past occupation by the Greeks.

The Romans at that time were totalitarian, but so was the Jewish priesthood. Both used capital punishment to rid themselves of opposition. If Jesus had spoken plainly in public, rather than in parables, his ministry would not have lasted three and a half years. Luke, Chapter 4, records a time when Jesus spoke plainly to the people. Jesus was in a synagogue and read Isaiah 61: 1–2:

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised. (Luke 4:19)

To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. (Luke 4:18).

And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.

(Luke 4:21)

And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong. (Luke 4:29)

Here is a prime example of what happens when Jesus spoke plainly: they wanted to kill him for blasphemy.

In the parable of the wicked tenants (Matt. 21: 1–9, Mark 12: 1–9, Luke 20: 9–16), Jesus taught that the high priest and priesthood, as caretakers of the law, were killing the prophets and finally the owner’s son, Jesus himself. Finally the owner (God) removed them and replaced them with new tenants, which is a prophecy of A.D. 70. The prophetic message underlying this parable was very religio-political. The scripture tells us that the scribes and Pharisees knew that this parable was spoken against them. They would not like to have been told that instant judgement would come upon them from their enemies, the Romans, for killing Jesus. However, if they had taken Jesus to court for treason or blasphemy, he could only be found guilty of telling a story about a landlord.

By using parables, Jesus could teach the mysteries of God’s kingdom to his disciples and followers, keeping the remainder in ignorance.

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. (Matt. 13:11)

The reasons for this are twofold. First, God wants godly people as ministers and disciples, not just anybody. Second, Jesus came to die for our sins and to usher in salvation for any who want it through Christianity and the Holy Ghost.

Many of the Jews of Jesus’ day, were hankering for the overthrow of the Romans and for a messiah to do this. They could only see the kingdom in a carnal sense, that is, the earthly state of Palestine, and not as a spiritual kingdom. So Jesus, by parables, tried to teach about the Kingdom of Heaven above and his role in it as a spiritual high priest. He never taught that he was going to come and rid the land of the Romans as a mighty conquering general.

Many of the parables concern the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus could only use parables when he taught this subject because his audience had never been there. It is extremely difficult to teach people about something they have never seen or experienced.

When the Bible was being translated into the tongues of certain peoples in tropical countries, translators could not find a word in their language to describe snow. So Jesus had an even harder task to describe to people what the Kingdom of Heaven was like.

(4) What Character Do They Take?

Jesus took illustrations from:

(i) Nature

(ii) Familiar Customs of Everyday Life

(iii) Well-Known Events in Recent History

(iv) Real life situations

(v) Children’s Games

(vi) Raw Human Character

Jesus draws on graphic and ideological symbols to illustrate it, when a parable has to teach deep truth.

Some parables are almost truisms and as such need added flair to make the point.

Some parables evoke a question: Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?

Sometimes, Jesus gave the meaning of the parable without prompting.

So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses. Matt. 18:35

Other times, Jesus had to be prompted to give the meaning of the parable.

Sometimes, the conclusion could be drawn without help

(5) How to Interpret a Parable

Christian preachers, in order to enhance their sermons, have striven to find more truth embodied in the parables of Jesus, than was originally intended. Small details have been allegorised so as to teach truths not in the least bit obvious in the stories themselves, and irrelevant to the context in which they are found. One school of thought is that each parable has only one truth illustrated (though there might be considerable difference of opinion as to what that one truth was). The other problem is what constitutes a parable and what is an allegory.

Others have separated the comparatively simple lessons that Jesus meant His parables to convey and the more elaborate meaning given to them by early Christian teachers before the stories finally becomes embodied in the Gospels. What is clear, however, is that the Gospels do not always tell us either the occasion on which a particular parable was first spoken or to whom it was originally addressed. In the case of the parables of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25), the two debtors (Luke 7:41), the children’s game (Luke 7:31–32), and the parable of the pounds (Luke 19:11), the context is clearly given and provides a clue to the interpretation.

Very often, however, it would seem that the stories of Jesus were remembered long after the circumstances that gave rise to them were forgotten; and the evangelists have fitted them into their narratives, sometimes, but not always, suggesting the motive which prompted their original utterance.

Over-elaboration and over-simplification are both to be avoided in the interpretation of the parables (The New Bible Dictionary, pp. 932–33).

Whether it can be argued that Jesus’ parables should be classified as similes, metaphors, allegories, or parables is interesting semantically, but theologically, this is not important. What Jesus’ parables do is to use an illustration of what is understood to explain more fully what is not understood. However, they are only illustrations and cannot be taken as doctrine. If Jesus interprets the parable for us, then that is that, and it is not likely that a second meaning can be seen in it. Much of the Bible is concerned with human nature. It seeks to demonstrate it in many ways. It may be in the form of biography, history, songs, proverbs, or a difficult situation. Much of Bible prophecy is predicting human nature. Many of Jesus’ parables also demonstrate a deep insight into human behaviour.

In some parables, he discussed fig trees and vines. These plants are symbols of Judah and Israel, respectively. In other parables, when Jesus speaks of brothers, he may also be referring to Israel and Judah in conjunction with the obvious meaning of the parable.

Numbers can also be an aid in seeing a deeper meaning. For example, Lazarus being in the tomb four days could be taken to symbolise four thousand years from Adam to Christ.

(This may seem to be drawing a long bow, but in 2 Peter 3:8, it says, "But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the LORD as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day"; my emphasis.)

The wine at the wedding of Cana (John 2:1–10) could represent the Old Covenant running out.

We must expect to encounter difficulties of interpretation of some of these parables. However, the parables are abundantly clear how we should behave in the period between Jesus’ first and second comings. Many parables illustrate that our conduct will have a direct relationship on our current life and what we can expect from God after the Great Judgement.

Many of the parables are concerned with our manner of daily life. Such parables teach us that we are to remain persistent in prayer, to forgive others, to serve our neighbours, to properly use the gifts that God has given to us, to be free from covetousness, to remain morally and spiritually alert, and to be faithful stewards. These are all practical here-and-now principles of daily living.

Many of these parables lay bare the selfish side of humanity, while others give us encouragement to live above it.

The art of composing and telling parables demonstrated by Jesus finds no parallel in literature (Kistimaker).

Chapter 2

The Parable of the Salt of the Earth

Salt: This is commonly understood to be sodium chloride. Our modern table salt is highly refined and purified so its quality as salt will remain the same. However, the salt that Jesus spoke of was the residue salts found in dry lakes and especially the Dead Sea. Although the main ingredient of such salt deposits would be sodium chloride, it could also contain other salts such as potassium, nitrogen, and gypsum (calcium sulphate). Such salts formed in evaporation basins would also contain soil and other contaminants.

In the time of Christ, with the Mediterranean climate (with no refrigeration), meat would become rancid after a few days; therefore, to prevent this from happening, meat had to be salted quickly.

The Old Testament lists several uses for salt:

(1) Covenant between God and Israel

Salt was often utilised in covenant making, probably as symbolic of that which preserves and prevents decay. The hope was that the covenant thus enacted would endure. Salt was an essential element of the ceremonial offerings made to God.

All the heave offerings of the holy things, which the children of Israel offer unto the LORD, have I given thee, and thy sons and thy daughters with thee, by a statute for ever: it is a COVENANT OF SALT for ever before the LORD unto thee and to thy seed with thee. (Num. 18:19)

Ought ye not to know that the LORD God of Israel gave the kingdom over Israel to David for ever, even to him and to his sons by a COVENANT OF SALT?

(2 Chron. 13:5)

(2) Antiseptic

And as for thy nativity, in the day thou wast born thy navel was not cut, neither wast thou washed in water to supple thee; thou wast not SALTED at all, nor swaddled at all. (Ezek. 16:4)

(3) Savours Bland Food

Can that which is unsavoury be eaten without SALT? Or is there any taste in the white of an egg? (Job 6:6)

(4) Cleansing Agent to Be Used in the Tabernacle or Temple

And every oblation of thy meat offering shalt thou season with salt; neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the covenant of thy God to be lacking from thy meat offering: with all thine offerings thou shalt offer SALT. (Lev. 2:13)

For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt. (Mark 9:49)

When thou hast made an end of cleansing it, thou shalt offer a young bullock without blemish, and a ram out of the flock without blemish. (Ezek. 43:23)

And thou shalt offer them before the LORD, and the priests shall cast SALT upon them, and they shall offer them up for a burnt offering unto the LORD. (Ezek. 43:24)

The uses of salt were generally for domestic consumption and not as fertiliser. It is clear from the Luke rendition that it was not suitable for the purpose.

Matthew 5:13 starts with, Ye are the salt of the earth. Here Jesus uses the metaphor that we as his disciples are the salt of the earth, that is, the earth’s cleansing agent or preservative.

The text then goes on to say But if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

Our modern salt could not lose its savour, but the salts of Jesus’ day could. This salt could become waterlogged and the sodium chloride could be leached out. The remaining less soluble salts and perhaps even soil would therefore be unsavoury. This dirty leached salt would only have one use: to act as a stabilising agent for roads. It could no longer be used as a purifying agent or as a food preservative; therefore, as the parable states, it is despised of men and cast out.

In the Mark rendition of this parable, Jesus adds, Have salt in yourselves, which means that we must be potent and always cleansing ourselves. This sentiment is also expressed in the following texts:

For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. (1 Cor. 11:31)

Judge not, that ye be not judged. (Matt. 7:1)

Have peace one with another. (Mark 9:50c)

If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

(Rom. 12:18)

The only extra thought that Luke adds is an expansion of trodden under foot of men (Luke 14:35). "It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; but men cast it out." This is a very strong statement that it is even worse than dung. At least dung can be used to fertilise the soil, but salts would only serve to poison it.

The metaphor here is that a vessel that is no good to God is also cast out by people, for it has no use with them, either.

Luke finishes with (Luke 14:35c), He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. This is a strong statement in the Bible, for it means that the information cited in the adjacent verses is very important.

Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man. (Col. 4:6)

Chapter 3

The Parable of the Lamp

under the Bushel