Parables

Literary Styles of the Bible: “Stories – The Parables of Jesus”

  1. Narrative (Stories): ________ of the Bible
    a. Our brains are hardwired to take in information through
    __________________________________.
    b. May have a character who ______________.
    c. May explore life’s _____________________.
    d. May involve some kind of _______________.
    e. May end with some kind of ______________.
    f. Most Bible characters are ______________
    ___________________________________.
  2. Slowing Down to ‘Dig’ Into Jesus’ Stories (Parables)

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a. What Jesus says about a Parable’s Purpose…
Matthew 13:10-17
10 Then the disciples came and said to Jesus, “Why do you
speak to them in parables?” 11 And Jesus 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. 12
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. 13 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. 14
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.”
15 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.’
16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for
they hear. 17 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.

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  1. The Story (Parable) of The Sower
    Matthew 13:1-9
    1 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside
    the sea.  2  And great crowds gathered about Him, so that He
    got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood
    on the beach.  3  And He told them about many things in
    parables (stories), saying: “A Sower went out to sow.  4  And
    as He sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds
    came and devoured them.  5  Other seeds fell on rocky
    ground, where they did not have much soil, and
    immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of
    soil,  6  but when the sun rose, they were scorched. And
    since they had no root, they withered away.  7  Other seeds
    fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked
    them.  8  Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain,
    some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.  9  He who has
    ears to hear, let him hear.”
    a. A Parable’s Purpose is to reveal ______
    ___________________________________.

b. A character who wants something…
i. (13:3)
ii. (13:8)

  1. How much?

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c. What to make of…
i. The _________________________
ii. The _________________________
iii. Why some ____________________

Matthew 13:18-23
18  “Hear then the parable of the Sower:  19  When anyone
hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand
it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been
sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the
path.  20  As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the
one who hears the word and immediately receives it with
joy,  21  yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a
while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on
account of the word, immediately he falls away or
stumbles.  22  As for what was sown among thorns, this is
the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world
and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it
proves unfruitful.  23  As for what was sown on good soil, this
is the one who hears the word and understands it. He
indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in
another sixty, and in another thirty.”
d. What are ‘life’s big questions’ and/or conflicts Jesus is
addressing?
i. 13:19
 

  1. What do you know about “paths”?
  2. Jesus reveals what about these “paths” or ears
    or hearts or minds?

ii. 13:20-21

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  1. What do you know about “rocky ground”?
  2. What does Jesus mean when He “pictures” the
    seed as, 13:6, when the sun rose, it was
    scorched in 13:21?

iii. 13:22

  1. What do you know about the cares of the
    world?
  2. How does Jesus picture the cares of this world
    and the deceitfulness of its riches?
  3. What does Jesus say such cares and
    deceitfulness will do to the Word having been
    sown?

iv. What, then, are we to make to the good soil?

  1. 13:8
  2. 13:23
    a. Understands what about “the secrets of
    the kingdom of heaven?” (13:11)

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When it comes to hearing God’s Word, I don’t want to be

When it comes to hearing God’s Word, I do want to be