Willmington, Harold

English

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Liberty UniversityDigitalCommons@LibertyUniversityThe Second Person File Theological Studies3-2018An Introduction to the Parables of Jesus ChristHarold WillmingtonLiberty University, hwillmington@liberty.eduFollow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/second_personPart of the Biblical Studies Commons, Christianity Commons, Practical Theology Commons,and the Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion CommonsThis The Parables of Jesus Christ is brought to you for free and open access by the Theological Studies at DigitalCommons@Liberty University. It hasbeen accepted for inclusion in The Second Person File by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@Liberty University. For more information,please contact scholarlycommunication@liberty.edu.Recommended CitationWillmington, Harold, "An Introduction to the Parables of Jesus Christ" (2018). The Second Person File. 85.http://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/second_person/85AN INTRODUCTION TO THE PARABLES OF JESUS CHRIST  • A LISTING OF JESUS’ PARABLES 1. Flavored salt versus flawed salt  .......................................... (Mt. 5:13; Mk. 9:50; Lk. 14:34) 2. Don't darken your light  ......................... (Mt. 5:14-16; Mk. 4:21-22; Lk. 8:16-17; 11:33-36) 3. The ultimate evil eye: attempting to lead with impaired sight  .. (Mt. 7:3-5; Lk. 6:39-42) 4. Two gates, two goals .......................................................................................... (Mt. 7:13-14) 5. The solid rock versus the shifting sand ...................................... (Mt. 7:24-27; Lk. 6:46-49) 6. Facts on fasting and feasting  ................................. (Mt. 9:14-15; Mk: 2:18-20; Lk. 5:33-35) 7. Never put the new on or in the old  ...................... (Mt. 9:16-17; Mk. 2:21-22; Lk. 5:36-39) 8. A generation of gripers  ............................................................... (Mt. 11:16-19; Lk. 7:29-35) 9. Little love, great love: forgiving the 50 and the 500  ...................................... (Lk. 7:41-50) 10. A kingdom divided, a strong man subdued ……………… (Mt. 12:25-29; Mk. 3:23-30)  11. Seven spirits and a swept house  ........................................... (Mt. 12:43-45; Lk. 11:24-26) 12. The sower, the seed, and the soil  (Mt. 13:3-9, 18-23; Mk. 4:3-8, 13-20; Lk. 8:5-8, 11-15) 13. The secret of the seed  ...................................................................................... (Mk. 4:26-29) 14. Satan's tares in the Savior's soil  ......................................................... (Mt. 13:24-30, 36-43) 15. The mighty mustard seed  ................................ (Mt. 13:31-32; Mk. 4:30-32; Lk. 13:18-19)  16. The cook's leaven and the kingdom of heaven  ............................................... (Mt. 13:33) 17. Finding a fortune in a field  ................................................................................ (Mt. 13:44) 18. The price paid for a pearl  .............................................................................. (Mt. 13:45-46) 19. Sorting out a sea catch  ................................................................................... (Mt. 13:47-50) 20. A trained man and his treasure  ......................................................................... (Mt. 13:52) 21. Not the entrance but rather the exit: a diagnosis of defilement (Mt. 15:10-20; Mk. 7:14-23) 22. The forgiven who wouldn't forgive ............................................................. (Mt. 18:23-35) 23. How to know your neighbor  ........................................................................ (Lk. 10:30-37) 24. Secrets for success: asking, seeking, and knocking  ..................................... (Lk. 11:5-10)  25. A fool in a fix  ................................................................................................... (Lk. 12:16-21) 26. On being ready for the returning redeemer  ............................................... (Lk. 12:35-48) 27. On knowing the divine weather forecast  ................................ (Mt. 16:1-3; Lk. 12:54-56)  28. On being a winner at the banquet dinner  ..................................................... (Lk. 14:7-14)  29. Two fools and a henpecked husband  .......................................................... (Lk. 14:15-24) 30. Whether a building or a battle, count the cost  ........................................... (Lk. 14:28-33) 31. The missing sheep, the misplaced silver and the miserable son  ............... (Lk. 15:1-32)  32. What the godless can teach the godly  ........................................................... (Lk. 16:1-13) 33. When Hades petitioned Paradise  ..............................................................   (Lk. 16:19-31) 34. When our best is but the least  ........................................................................ (Lk. 17:7-10) 35. A widow and a weary judge  ............................................................................ (Lk. 18:1-8) 36. A haughty Pharisee and a humble publican  .............................................. (Lk. 18:10-14)  37. Hourly workers and daily wages  .................................................................. (Mt. 20:1-16) 38. Two invested wisely, one wickedly ............................................................. (Lk. 19:11-29) 39. Two sons: one said "no," but did, the other "yes," but didn't  ................... (Mt. 21:28-32)  40. Some vicious vinekeepers  .................................. (Mt. 21:33-45; Mk. 12:1-12; Lk. 20:9-16)  41. The wedding guest with no wedding garment  ........................................... (Mt. 22:1-14) 42. The fruitless fig tree  ........................................................................................... (Lk. 13:6-8) 43. The fig tree and the future  ............................. (Mt. 24:32-35; Mk. 13:28-31; Lk. 21:29-33)  44. Watch and work, for we know not when  ........................... (Mt. 24:42-44; Mk. 13:32-37)  45. Virgins, vessels, and vigilance  ........................................................................ (Mt. 25:1-13) 46. A traveler, three stewards, and eight talents  ............................................. (Mt. 25:14-30)  47. Separating the sheep from the goats  ........................................................... (Mt. 25:31-46)  • The Classification and Number Identification of Jesus' Parables       Classification                                                                                        Parable  Identification      Baking ......................................................................................................................................... 16      Building World ............................................................................................................................ 5      Business World .......................................................................................................................... 32      Compassion ............................................................................................................................... 23      Criticism ....................................................................................................................................... 8      Defilement .................................................................................................................................. 21      Demonic World ................................................................................................................... 10, 11      Discernment ............................................................................................................................... 27      Discipleship ............................................................................................................................... 30      Employee and Employer Relationships .......................................................................... 37, 40      Farming ........................................................................................................ 12, 13, 14, 15, 42, 43      Father and Son Relationship ............................................................................................. 31, 39      Final Judgment  ....................................................................................................... 14, 19, 45, 47      Fishing ........................................................................................................................................ 19      Forgiveness ............................................................................................................................ 9, 22      God's Love for the Church....................................................................................................... 18      God's Love for Israel ................................................................................................................. 17      Good Works, Testimony ........................................................................................................ 1, 2      Hell ........................................................................................................................................ 25, 33       Kingdom of Heaven .............................................................................. 12-16, 22, 37, 41, 45, 46      Life's Choices ............................................................................................................................... 4      Master and Servant Relationships .............................................................................. 26, 34, 46      Praying, Persistence ...................................................................................................... 24, 35, 36      Second Coming ....................................................................................................... 26, 43, 44, 45      Shepherding ............................................................................................................................... 47      Social World ............................................................................................................................... 29      Weddings ................................................................................................................... 6, 28, 41, 45 • The definitions involved (various suggestions) A. The word parable literally means, "a placing alongside of." B. It is a truth carried in a vehicle. C. It is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning. D. It is a narrative which uses earthly elements to teach spiritual truths. E. It is a true-to-life story to illustrate or illuminate a truth.  • The importance involved A. One third of Jesus' teachings as recorded in the Gospels were in parabolic form. B. Nearly one fourth of Jesus' parables were related during the last few weeks of His life.  • The purpose involved A. To reveal great spiritual truths to the sincere heart "And the disciples came, and said unto him, why speakest thou unto those in parables? He answered and said unto them, because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven..." (Mt. 13:10, 11) B. To conceal great spiritual truths from the insincere heart "Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand." (Mt. 13:13) C. To fulfill prophecy "All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world." (Mt. 13:34-35) D. To emphasize His authority "And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes." (Mt. 7:28-29) "The officers answered, Never man spake like this man." (Jn. 7:46)  E. To clarify and illustrate the kingdom of Heaven  Of all the subjects illustrated by Jesus' parables, the kingdom of Heaven was the most     frequently referred to by far. 1. Distinguished from the kingdom of God a. On rare occasions the kingdom of God is used interchangeably for the kingdom of heaven (millennial meaning). Compare Mk. 1:14-15 with Mt. 3:1-2. (See also Acts 1:3, 6.) b. The most common meaning, however, is a reference to the new birth. (See Jn. 3:3, 5; Acts 8:12; 19:8; 20:25; 28:23, 31; 1 Cor. 15:50.) 2. Definition of the kingdom of heaven a. First meaning –That general rule of the Father from heaven over the affairs of men from creation to the Millennium. Both saved and unsaved belong to this kingdom. (See Dan. 4:17, 32; Mt. 8:12; 22:2, 25:1.) b. Second meaning – That specific rule of the Son from Jerusalem over the affairs of men during the Millennium. Only saved people will enter this kingdom. (See Mt. 6:10, 13; 25:34; 26:29.)   

An Introduction to the Parables of Jesus Christ

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An Introduction to the Parables of Jesus Christ

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