Parable: a usually short, fictitious story that illustrates a moral attitude or a religious principle (Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary, 1986), A simple story told to illustrate a moral truth (The New Merriam-Webster Pocket Dictionary, 1971), A fable or allegorical relation or representation of something real in life or nature, from which a moral is drawn for instruction (A Dictionary of the English Language by Noah Webster, 1845).
Allegory: The expression through symbolic figures and actions of truths or generalizations about human conduct or experience (The New Merriam-Webster Pocket Dictionary, 1971).
Class Definition: A parable provides a point and is a teaching tool, typically in story form using common everyday occurrences and objects. A parable contains hidden or unexpected messages. A parable often is non-threatening but couches or holds blunt messages. Its meaning is conveyed through mental interaction (i.e. it makes you think and question). You can be the character or see yourself in the parable.
C. H. Dodd Definition (Dodd was a British scholar of the New Testament): The Parable is a metaphor or simile drawn from nature or common life, arresting the hearer by its vividness or strangeness, and leaving the mind in sufficient doubt about its precise application to tease it into active thought (The Parables of the Kingdom, New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1961).
Why Jesus used parables: See Matthew 13:10-17.
The Parable of the... |
References | Notes |
| Barren Fig Tree | Luke 13:6-9 | |
| Candle (Light) Under a Bushel | Matt 5:14-15 (16*) Mark 4:21-22 (18*) Luke 8:16, 11:33 |
|
| Corrupt Judge and the Widow | Luke 18:1-8 | See Pharisee and Tax Collector. Topic=Prayer |
| Counting the Cost/Great Tower | Luke 14:28-33 (28-34*) | |
| Fig Tree & All Trees | Matt 24:32-33 (41-42*) Mark 13:28-29 (45-46*) Luke 21:29-32 (29-31*) |
Also referred to as the Fig Tree of Summer parable |
| Foolish Rich Man | Luke 12:15-21 (18-23*) | |
| Friend at Midnight | Luke 11:5-8 (6-9*) | |
| Good Samaritan | Luke 10:30-37 (31-38*) | |
| Great Supper | Luke 14:7-14 | Discusses Places of Honor and Whom to Invite |
| Hidden Treasure | Matt 13:44 (46*) | |
| House on the Rock & Sand | Matt 7:24-27 (34-35*) Luke 6:47-49 |
|
| Householder/Faithful and Wise Servants | (Mark 13:56-61*) Luke 12:42-48 (44-68*) |
|
| Leaven/Yeast | Matt 13:33 (32*) Luke 13:20-21 (20*) |
|
| Lost Coin | Luke 15:8-10 | See Lost Sheep and Prodigal Son parables |
| Lost Sheep | Matt 18:12-15 (12-14*) Luke 15:4-7 (3-6*) |
See Lost Coin and Prodigal Son parables |
| Marriage Supper | Matt 22:1-14 Luke 14:16-23 |
Also referred to as the Wedding Banquet or Great Banquet |
| Money Given in Trust | Luke 19:13, 15-24 | |
| Mustard Seed | Matt 13:31-32
(30-31*) Mark 4:30-32 (25*) Luke 13:18-19 (19*) |
|
| Net | Matt 13:47-50 (48*) | |
| New Cloth on Old Garment | Matt 9:16 (22*) Mark 2:21 (19*) Luke 5:36 |
See the New Wine parable |
| New Wine in Old Bottles | Matt 9:17 (23*) Mark 2:22 (20*) Luke 5:37-38 (37*) |
See the New Cloth parable |
| Pearl of Great Price | Matt 13:45-46 (47*) | |
| Pharisee and Tax Collector/Publican | Luke 18:10-14 | See Corrupt Judge and the Widow. Topic=Prayer |
| Prodigal Son | Luke 15:11-32 | See the Lost Coin and Lost Sheep parable |
| Rich Man and Lazarus | Luke 16:19-31 | |
| Seed Growing Secretly | Mark 4:26-29 (21-25*) | Similar to Weeds/Wheat & Tares parable |
| Servant Watching/Watchful Servant | Luke 12:35-40 (39-43*) | |
| Sheep & Goats/Last Judgement | Matt 25:31-36 (32-33) | |
| Sheepfold | John 10:1-6 | |
| Shrewd (Unjust) Steward/Manager | Luke 16:1-13 | See Notes Below: |
| Warning
against wealth? Ironic parable? Parallels seeker of wealth to seeker of God's Kingdom?
Follows Prodigal Son and precedes The Rich Man and Lazarus. Measure of oil: 100 baths equal approx. 850 gallons or the yield of 150 trees (worth 1,000 denarii). Measure of Wheat: 100 cors equal approx. 1,000 bushels or the yield of 100 acres (worth about 2,500 denarii). Percentage of forgiven debt differ, but value is about the same (500 denarii). Begging and digging considered undignified professions. The latter performed (usually) by captive slaves or those with no other skills. Source: The IVP (InterVarsity Press) Bible Background Commentary: New Testament by Craig S. Keener (1993). "The dishonest man uses his last opportunity to obligate his master's debtors to himself. Some interpret his actions as eliminating his own personal commission from the debt." Source: The Harper Collins Study Bible: New Revised Standard Version (General Editor: Wayne A. Meeks, 1993).
|
||
| Sower | Matt 13:3-8 (3-7*) Mark 4:3-8 Luke 8:5-8 (5-9*) |
Matt 18-23 (17-21*) Mark 4:13-20 (12-17*) Luke 8:11-15 See Seed Growing Secretly, Mustard Seed, Weeds/Wheat & Tares |
| Talents/Pounds/Minas | Matt 25:14:30 (13-31*) Luke 19:11-27 |
Parables in Matt and Luke are different but similar |
| Ten Maidens/Wise and Foolish Virgins | Matt 25:1-13 | See also: Foolish Rich Man (foolishness vs wisdom) |
| Two Debtors | Luke 7:41-43 (41-43*) | |
| Two Sons | Matt 21:28-32 (26-31*) | |
| Unforgiving (Unmerciful) Servant | Matt 18:23-35 (23-33*) | |
| Unprofitable Servant | Luke 17:7-10 | |
| Vineyard Laborers | Matt 20:1-16 | |
| Weeds/Wheat & Tares | Matt 13:24-30 (22-29*) | Similar to Seed Growing Secretly parable in Mark |
| Wicked Husbandman | Matt 21:33-46 (35-43*) Mark 12:1-12 (1-10*) Luke 20:9-19 (9-16*) |
|
| Wise Steward/Good Man of the House | (Mark 13:54*) Luke 12:42-48 (49-52*) |
|
| * versification from the Holy Scriptures: Inspired Version | ||
| Thanks to Shirley Blackman for her assistance in providing a list of parables recorded in 1, 2, and 3 of the Gospels. | ||
| Revision 8 1/3/99 | ||