THE PARABLES: LESSON GUIDE

I prepared an extensive study on the parables to be given as mid-week lectures at our church, and then COVID-19 hit. So I salvaged most of my work by breaking up the lessons shown in bold below into smaller blog posts. If you should wish to study this subject in a small semester format, you might consider choosing only one or two parables under each category to zero in on. I believe that I have posts on every one of these parables, and they can be located by typing either the subject or the scripture reference into the search function.

My general introduction to the subject can be found under the title: “Parables: Real Toads in Imaginary Gardens.” In addition, note that the Parable of the Prodigal Son is covered in a Part 1 (on the younger son) and a Part 2 (on the older son), and its parallel to the story of Jonah is discussed in “Jonah and the New Testament.”

Introduction to the Parables

Old Testament Parables

    Nathan's Parable to King David (2 Samuel 12:1-6)

    Woman of Tekoa's Parable to King David (2 Samuel 14:1-24)

    The Prophet's Parable to King Ahab (I Kings 20:35-43)

    The Unproductive Vineyard (Isaiah 5:1-7)

    Israel as a Vine (Psalms 80:8-16)

    Transplanted Vine (Ezekiel 19:10-14)

Responses to Grace

    Children in the Marketplace (Luke 7:31-35)

    Two Debtors (Luke 7:36-50)

    Unmerciful Servant (Matthew 18:23-35)

    Pharisee and Tax Collector (Luke 18:9-14)

    Humble Servant (Luke 17:7-10)

Lostness

    Lost Sheep (Matthew 18:12-14; Luke 15:4-7)

    Lost Coin (Luke 15:8-10)

    Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32)

Present Kingdom

    Growing Seed (Mark 4:26-29)

    Soils and the Seed (Matthew 13:3-23; Mark 4:3-20; Luke 8:5-15)

    Mustard Seed (Matthew 13:31-32; Mark 4:30-32; Luke 13:18-19)

    Leaven (Matthew 13:33; Luke 13:20-21)

Israel

    Barren Fig Tree (Luke 13:6-9)

    Wicked Tenants (Matthew 21:33-46; Mark 12:1-12)

    Wedding Banquet and Feast (Matthew 22:1-14; Luke 14:15-24)

    Two Sons (Matthew 21:28-32)

“Immoral” Parables

    Friend at Midnight (Luke 11:5-8)

    Unjust Judge (Luke 18:1-8)

    Unjust Steward (Luke 16:1-11)

    Master and Servant (Luke 17:7-10)

    Workers in the Field (Matthew 20:1-16)

    [Buried Treasure (Matthew 13:44)]

Future Judgment

    Wheat and Tares (Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43)

    Net (Matthew 13:47-50)

    Ten Virgins (Matthew 25:1-13)

    Talents (Matthew 25:14-30; Luke 19:11-27)

    Sheep and the Goats (Matthew 25:31-46)

    Two builders (Matthew 7:24-27; Luke 6:47-49)

    Lazarus and Rich Man (Luke 16:19-31)

Enacted Parables

    OT examples

    Jeremiah:

        Linen Loincloth (13:1-11)

        Potter and the Clay (18:1-10)

        Two Baskets of Figs (Ch. 24)

        Buying a Field (Ch. 32)

    Ezekiel:

       Brick and Siege Works (4:1-8)

      Measured Food and Water (4:9-15)

      Hair Divided (5:1-4)

      Going into Exile (12:1-7)

      Boiling Pot of Meat (24:1-13)

       No Mourning (24:15-27)

    Hosea 1-3

NT Examples

    Cursing of fig tree (Matthew 21; Mark 11)

    Healing the blind man (John 9:1-7)

    Two-Part healing of blind man (Mark 8:22-26)

    Jesus Washing Feet (John 13:1-20)

The Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37)

Short Paired Parables on Discipleship

    Salt of the Earth (Matthew 5:13)

    Candle under a bushel (Matthew 5:14-15; Mark 4:21-22; Luke 8:16-18,11:33-36)

 

    New cloth on old garment (Matthew 9:16; Mark 2:21; Luke 5:36)

    New wine and old bottles (Matthew 9:17; Mark 2:22; Luke 5:37)

 

    Tower Builder (Luke 14:28-29)

    Warring King (Luke 14:30-32)

 

    Water from a spring (James 3:11,12b)

    Fruit from a tree (James 3:12a; Matthew 7:16-20)

 

    Treasure (Matthew 13:44)

    Pearl (Matthew 13:45-46)

John's Parables

    Bread of Life (John 6:30-71)

    Shepherd and the Sheep (John 10:1-30)

    Vine and the Branches (John 15:1-8)

Parables of Watching

    Watchful Servants (Luke 12:35-40)

    Burglar (Matthew 24:42-44)

    Leaves of the Fig Tree (Luke 21:29-30)

    Servant Entrusted with Authority (Matthew 24:45-51; Luke 12:42-46)

    The household watching (Mark 13:34-35)

    The Rich Fool (Luke 12:16-21)