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Understanding Parables

This article explores the concept of parables, which are short stories that convey religious and moral truths. It discusses the structure, symbolism, and purpose of parables, using the example of the Good Samaritan. The article also includes a thought-provoking scenario for readers to imagine and reflect upon.

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Understanding Parables

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  1. Understanding Parables

  2. A Parable is a story • Parables are short stories about ordinary events of day-to-day life • They tell us about how to be a good person in the ordinary activities of life

  3. A parable is a comparison • A parable uses a metaphor or simile to explain what God or the Kingdom of God is like • A metaphor is “a word or phrase used to compare two unlike objects, ideas, thoughts, or feelings to provide a clearer description” • A simile is “a figure of speech in which two unlike things are explicitly compared” using the words “like” or “as”

  4. A parable contains a Crisis • Good stories have a beginning, a crisis, and a resolution • Parables challenge us by overturning our expectations of how the characters in the story should have behaved

  5. Religious and Moral Truths • A parable will typically contain either a religious and/or moral truth • Religious truth: “The deeper meaning that God intends to reveal to people” • Moral truth: “The distinction between wrong and right”

  6. A parable has an ending • Sometimes the parable has a happy ending and sometimes they have a tragic ending • A parable is a story about God’s kingdom, that is to say, God’s way of acting among us • Since we can’t know God fully, the parable will tell us what God is like, and what God’s kingdom is like, by using symbols • Parables usually cause us to ask more questions

  7. Why did Jesus tell parables? • Jesus used parables to teach his disciples about the Kingdom of Heaven, or to teach them about how to live in right relationships • Jesus used images or customs in his parables that were familiar to the people of his time

  8. Luke 10:25-37 • [25] On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" • [26] "What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?" • [27] He answered: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" • [28] "You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live." • [29] But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"

  9. Luke 10:25-37 • [30] In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. [31] A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. [32] So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. [33] But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. [34] He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. [35] The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'

  10. Luke 10:25-37 • [36] "Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?" • [37] The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him." • Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."

  11. Analyze • What simile or metaphor did Jesus use in the parable? • What is the religious or moral truth taught in the parable? • Why do you think Jesus chose to include this teaching in his instruction to his disciples?

  12. Imagine… • Imagine you are on your high school’s soccer team and today the team gets to play in the city finals. Being on the team means a lot to you and you can’t imagine missing the game for anything in the world. As you prepare for the game, you find yourself running behind schedule. You will have to walk quickly to the field to make it in time. As you powerwalk to the field, you witness a young girl fall off her bike and badly injure her leg. A mom sees the girl but walks past. The mom has a Costco card in her hand and looks eager to get groceries. A politician walks by but is too busy handing out pamphlets to bother helping the girl. What would you do?

  13. sources • “The Parable of the Good Samaritan.” Retrieved from Jesus Walk Bible Series’ website: http://www.jesuswalk.com/lessons/10_25-37.htm • “Metaphor Dictionary Definition.” Retrieved from yourdictionary.com • “Simile Dictionary Definition.” Retrieved from yourdictionary.com

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