7/24/11

Parables of Jesus in the Bible

These are interpretations of the parables listed in the four Gospels of the Bible (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) according to the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible.

Recorded in one Gospel only:

Matthew

13:24-30
Parable: Weeds among the wheat
Lesson: Good and evil in life

13:44
Parable: The hidden treasure
Lesson: Value in the Bible

13:45-46
Parable: The pearl of great value
Lesson: Salvation

13:47-48
Parable: The full net
Lesson: The all-inclusive Church

18:23-24
Parable: The unmerciful servant
Lesson: Duty of forgiveness

20:1-16
Parable: Laborers in the vineyard
Lesson: The last will be first, and the first last

21:28-32
Parable: The father and two sons
Lesson: Insincerity and repentance

22:1-14
Parable: Marriage of the king's son
Lesson: Necessity for righteousness

25:1-13
Parable: Wise and foolish bridesmaids
Lesson: Careful and heedless preparation

25:14-30
Parable: The talents
Lesson: Use of advantages

25:31-46
Parable: The sheep and the goats
Lesson: Righteousness brings eternal life

Mark

4:26-29
Parable: Growth of a seed of grain
Lesson: Growth in religion

13:34-36
Parable: The watchful doorkeeper
Lesson: Watchfulness

Luke

7:41-50
Parable: The two debtors
Lesson: Gratitude for forgiveness

10:30-37
Parable: The good Samaritan
Lesson: Compassion for all

11:5-8
Parable: The friend at midnight
Lesson: Perseverance in prayer

12:16-21
Parable: The rich fool
Lesson: No anxiety for worldly goods

12:35-40
Parable: The waiting servants
Lesson: Expectancy of the Second Coming

12:42-48
Parable: Faithful and wise steward
Lesson: Conscientiousness in trust

13:6-9
Parable: The barren fig tree
Lesson: Unfruitfulness under grace

14:16-24
Parable: The great banquet
Lesson: Universality of the divine call

14:28-33
Parable: The tower; the warring king
Lesson: Prudence; self-denial

15:8-10
Parable: The lost coin
Lesson: Joy over penitence

15:11-32
Parable: The prodigal son
Lesson: Father's love for returning sinner

16:1-8
Parable: The dishonest manager
Lesson: Faithfulness to trust

16:19-31
Parable: The rich man and Lazarus
Lesson: Hopeless future to the unfaithful

17:7-10
Parable: The farmer and his servant
Lesson: Duty to God

18:1-8
Parable: The unrighteous judge
Lesson: Vindiction by continuing prayer

18:9-14
Parable: Pharisee and tax collector
Lesson: Self-righteousness and humility

19:12-27
Parable: Nobleman and the ten pounds
Lesson: Diligence rewarded, sloth punished

John

6:25-29
Parable: The bread of life
Lesson: Eternal salvation through Christ

10:1-39
Parable: Shepherd and the sheep
Lesson: God revealed through Christ

15:1-27
Parable: Vine and the branches
Lesson: God's love through Christ


Recorded in two Gospels:

Matthew 7:24-27, Luke 6:48-49
Parable: Houses on rock and sand
Lesson: Christ the true foundation

Matthew 13:33, Luke 13:20-21
Parable: The yeast
Lesson: Pervading influence of religion

Matthew 18:12-14, Luke 15:4-7
Parable: The lost sheep
Lesson: Joy over the penitent


Recorded in three Gospels:

Matthew 5:14-16, Mark 4:21-23, Luke 8:16-18
Parable: The lamp under a bushel basket
Lesson: Dissemination of truth

Matthew 9:16-17, Mark 2:19-22, Luke 5:36-39
Parable: New cloth on old garment; new wine in old wineskins
Lesson: Old forms and new faith

Matthew 13:18-30, Mark 4:3-9, Luke 8:5-8
Parable: The sower
Lesson: Exercise of understanding

Matthew 13:31-32, Mark 4:31-32, Luke 13:18-19
Parable: The mustard seed
Lesson: Spread of the Gospel

Matthew 21:33-41, Mark 12:1-8, Luke 20:9-16
Parable: Vineyard and tenants
Lesson: Rejection of Christ by the Jews

Matthew 24:32, Mark 13:38, Luke 21:29-30
Parable: Young leaves of the fig tree
Lesson: Indications of the Second Coming


Other passages sometimes designated as parables:

Matthew 7:3-5, Luke 6:41-42
Parable: The speck and the log
Lesson: Judgment of others

Matthew 9:15, Mark 12:19-20, Luke 5:34-35
Parable: The wedding guests
Lesson: Indication of the Second Coming

Matthew 11:16-17, Luke 7:31-32
Parable: Children at play
Lesson: Rejections of the Gospel

Matthew 12:43-45, Luke 11:24-26
Parable: Seven unclean spirits
Lesson: Sloth in faith

Matthew 13:52
Parable: Old and new treasures
Lesson: Combining old and new

Matthew 21:42-45, Mark 12:10-11, Luke 20:17-18
Parable: The rejected stones
Lesson: God's love of outcasts

Luke 13:25-27
Parable: The shut door
Lesson: Acquaintances meaningless in Heaven

Luke 14:7-11
Parable: Places of honor
Lesson: Humble to be exalted


Footnotes:
Graded Press, ed. "Parables of Our Lord." Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version. Nashville; Burlingame: Thomas Nelson for Cokesbury, 1990. Print.

*Posted for personal, educational, non-commercial use*

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