Jesus EXPLAINED the Kingdom
Sunday, April 21, 2013
OT/NT words translated as “parable”
• “a dark, mysterious saying” (paroimia, as in Jn. 10:6)
• “a similitude or proverb” (mashal, as in Job 27:1)
• “one thing placed beside another” (parabole, occurs about 50 Hmes in NT)
Parables are:
1. revelaHon 2. a picture 3. a clarificaHon 4. an example used to illustrate 5. a short teaching 6. a comparison
Role of Parables:
1. They connect the NATURAL with the SPIRITUAL world.
Role of Parables:
1. They connect the NATURAL with the SPIRITUAL world.
2. They clearly show us the difference between RELIGION & RELATIONSHIP.
Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.
Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: “‘“You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.” For this people's heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’
But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.
Ma9hew 13:10-‐17 (ESV)
Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, “Why do your disciples break the tradiHon of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat.” He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradiHon? For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or his mother, “What you would have gained from me is given to God,” he need not honor his father.’ So for the sake of your tradiHon you have made void the word of God.
You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said: “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’” And he called the people to him and said to them, “Hear and understand: it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.” Then the disciples came and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?”
He answered, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up. Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.” But Peter said to him, “Explain the parable to us.” And he said, “Are you also sHll without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled? But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theb, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.”
Ma9hew 15:1-‐20 (ESV)
Role of Parables:
1. They connect the NATURAL with the SPIRITUAL world.
2. They clearly show us the difference between RELIGION & RELATIONSHIP.
3. They help shape our new KINGDOM reality, to replace our old worldview.
Parables of the Kingdom: Mt. 13
• parable of the sower • parable of the tares • parable of the mustard seed • parable of the leaven • parable of the hidden treasure • parable of the net with good and bad fish