Psychology of Parables

By Dennis A McIntyre

We are introduced to parables by Jesus as a way of sharing a story with a deeper meaning. Often these were used to help his followers understand concepts about heaven, discipleship, and other teachings. This is a study about how Jesus used parables to avoid confrontation, while still providing lessons to his followers. The Psychology of Parables

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bennett Media and Marketing
• Release date: Nov 25, 2022
• ISBN: 9781957114453

Dennis A McIntyre

Dennis A. McIntyre served as an electrical engineer and technical writer for over forty years. After losing his wife to cancer, Dennis used writing to fill the void. He published his first autobiographical work titled "Legacy of Love," in 2008. "Coffee Shop Ministries" followed as a collection of individual true stories. In 2021, Dennis republished three novels and a children's book called "The Acorn and the Oak Tree," which commemorated his wife. Dennis currently lives in Dacula, Georgia and enjoys using his gifts of encouraging and writing for God's glory. His main goal for writing involves drawing people into closer relationships with the Lord and one another.

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Psychology_of_Parables_Cover_eBook.jpg

The

Psychology

of

Parables

Dennis A. McIntyre

Foreword

The story of the Prodigal Son, found in the fifteenth chapter of Luke, has been used often in sermons to help people recognize and understand that God is waiting for them with open arms. It tells us that we can make decisions and choose actions that turn us away but that our creator is patiently waiting for us to return. We are told that our choices can lead us to utter despair and when everything we attempt turns to failure, we have a father who welcomes us back with great joy. That joy is so great that our father wants to share it with everyone around.

This parable is a wonderful story of our father’s love for his creation, but is that really what it was all about? Jesus came to seek and save the lost, so it would make sense that this illustration is a form of confirmation. Nevertheless, I believe there is so much more than that. Who was Jesus talking to? Why would he tell that parable to them? What were the conditions that led up to the event? Parables are earthly stories with spiritual significance. Throughout this manuscript answers to these and other questions will be presented for consideration. Perhaps, together we can find some new truths and reasons to celebrate with Jesus.

Jesus used parables as earthly stories with spiritual meanings. This is especially important two thousand years later. Although the stories used common associations of his day, like sheep, lamp oil, or silver coins, we can still apply them to our lives today. In order to fully grasp the eternal implication, however, we need to look at all of the events that led to their sharing. In the process, we may learn a lot about on how to deal with people who have an agenda that is leading them away from eternity with Jesus.

The New International Version (NIV) of the bible is used unless otherwise indicated.

Contents

The Parable of the Wayward Son 7

Why Was Jesus Sharing This Story? 11

So Why Use Parables? 13

Who Were in the Audience? 21

Pharisees 31

Sadducees 37

Scribes 41

The Insights of Jesus 45

The Psychology of Jesus 53

The Stage is Set 59

Matthew’s Account 63

Mark’s Account 65

John’s Account 67

Luke’s Account 69

The Parable of the Lost Sheep 71

The Parable of the Lost Coin 77

The Wayward Son 83

Who was the Wayward Son? 95

The Parable of the Shrewd Manager 99

What Would Jesus Do? 105

Where Are We Today? 117

What Will You Do With Jesus? 123

The Parable of the Wayward Son

This account has also been referred to as The Prodigal Son.

Luke 15: 11- 31

11 Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons.

12 The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.  

13 "Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living.

14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need.

15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs.

16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.  

17 "When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death!

18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.

19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.’

20 So he got up and went to his father. "But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

21 "The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

22 "But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.

23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate.

24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

25 "Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing.

26 So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on.

27 ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’

28 "The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him.

29 But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends.

30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’

31 " ‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours.

32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ "

"And Jesus continued begins the account. He was talking to a group of people and then shared this parable. If the story was designed to answer a direct question, we could have seen the words, He answered by telling them this story. If we are to take an honest look at scripture, it is wise to consider the events that led up to it, the participants, the setting, and the culture at the time. We can easily add our own thoughts or applications to scripture to serve our own purposes and at the same time take things way out of context. Therefore, we need to seek answers to some basic questions before coming to any reasonable conclusions. The concept of seeking" is another of God’s rich desires for us to do. So let us seek answers together.

Questions to ponder:

□ What brought the Sinners and tax collectors to hear the words of Jesus?

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□ Who do you think they thought Jesus was?

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□ Read Luke 15: 1 – 3. Is there any indication that the general audience knew why Jesus was sharing parables with them?

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□ Do you think the audience listened to each parable as if it applied directly to them? (Why or why not)

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□ Are there any indications that Jesus planned this encounter?

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Why Was Jesus Sharing This Story?

If we look back at the beginning of the account, we read these words:

Luke 15: 1 – 3

1 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear him.

2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.  

3 Then Jesus told them this parable: …

Jesus knew everyone in the audience and every motive in their hearts. He came as God in the flesh. The Jewish religious leaders were muttering (some accounts use the word murmuring) among themselves, regarding the class of people who made up the bulk of Jesus’ audience. I can picture these leaders gathering in clusters in the back of the crowd with voices not much higher than a whisper. Jesus had a message for everyone to hear, which focused on the antics and, perhaps, wee voices at the back of the crowd. In one sense, he was performing rumor control. When a rumor gets momentum, it is much harder to stop. In other words, Jesus wanted to address the issue, about why he would speak to an audience of sinners, head on.

Questions to ponder:

□ How do you think the crowd would have reacted to being referred to as sinners?

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□ Do you think the crowd thought of the religious leaders as righteous and without sin?

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□ If these leaders came forward and spoke in Jesus place, would they have been given the same reverence?

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In addition, Jesus had a short period of time (about three years) to get the message out. His words had eternal significance. Therefore, urgency was necessary, and any defiance needed to be dealt with quickly. We might ask the question, "Why didn’t Jesus single out the Jewish leaders and answer their questions directly? This work will take an in depth look at this very question. The more we look into the ministry of Jesus, the more we can learn about how we can deal with others more effectively today. There are times when we need to take a direct stand on an issue. When someone asks about what I believe regarding eternity, I rarely beat around the bush with an answer. I praise God that I live in a country where we have the freedom of expression. Those asking the question do not have to agree, but they will know where I stand. In this account, the muttering came from hearts filled with jealousy and fixed agendas.

A direct answer could be like entering a debate. Jesus could have gathered the leaders aside and held a small meeting, without the rest of the people able to hear what was said,