43 Parables of Jesus

By Steven Smith

Unlock the timeless wisdom of the Bible's most captivating stories with this in-depth study guide on the parables and allegories of the Gospels. Crafted for believers and seekers alike, this guide takes you on an enriching journey through the teachings of Jesus as recorded in the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Whether you're a seasoned

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sherwood Press
• Release date: Mar 24, 2024
• ISBN: 9781964189321

Book preview

43 Parables of Jesus

From the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John

Steven Smith

Sherwood Press

Copyright © 2023 by Sherwood Press

All rights reserved.

No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher or author, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law.

Contents

Introduction

1.General Themes in Matthew's Parables

2.The Sower (Matthew 13:3-9, 18-23)

3.The Weeds Among the Wheat (Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43)

4.The Mustard Seed (Matthew 13:31-32)

5.The Leaven (Matthew 13:33)

6.Hidden Treasure (Matthew 13:44)

7.The Pearl of Great Price (Matthew 13:45-46)

8.The Net (Matthew 13:47-50)

9.The Unforgiving Servant (Matthew 18:21-35)

10.The Laborers in the Vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16)

11.The Two Sons (Matthew 21:28-32)

12.The Wicked Tenants (Matthew 21:33-46)

13.The Wedding Feast (Matthew 22:1-14)

14.The Ten Virgins (Matthew 25:1-13)

15.The Talents (Matthew 25:14-30)

16.The Sheep and the Goats (Matthew 25:31-46)

17.New Cloth on an Old Garment & New Wine in Old Wineskins (Matthew 9:16-17)

18.The Lost Sheep in Matthew (Matthew 18:12-14)

19.General Themes in Mark's Parables

20.The Sower (Mark 4:3-9, 13-20)

21.The Seed Growing Secretly (Mark 4:26-29)

22.The Mustard Seed (Mark 4:30-32)

23.New Cloth on an Old Garment & New Wine in Old Wineskins (Mark 2:21-22)

24.General Themes in Luke's Parables

25.The Sower (Luke 8:5-15)

26.The Lamp Under a Jar (Luke 8:16-18)

27.The Wise and the Foolish Builders (Luke 6:46-49)

28.The Mustard Seed (Luke 13:18-19)

29.The Leaven (Luke 13:20-21)

30.The Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37)

31.The Friend at Midnight (Luke 11:5-8)

32.The Rich Fool (Luke 12:16-21)

33.The Barren Fig Tree (Luke 13:6-9)

34.The Great Banquet (Luke 14:15-24)

35.The Lost Sheep (Luke 15:3-7)

36.The Lost Coin (Luke 15:8-10)

37.The Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32)

38.The Dishonest Manager (Luke 16:1-13)

39.The Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31)

40.The Unjust Judge (Luke 18:1-8)

41.The Pharisee and the Tax Collector (Luke 18:9-14)

42.The Ten Minas (Luke 19:11-27)

43.New Cloth on an Old Garment & New Wine in Old Wineskins (Luke 5:36-39)

44. General Themes in John's Parables

45.The Good Shepherd (John 10:1-18)

46.The Vine and the Branches (John 15:1-17)

47.Wrap up

Introduction

The New Testament contains numerous parables attributed to Jesus, but the exact number of parables varies depending on the criteria used for defining what constitutes a parable, as well as the version of the Bible one consults. Many of these parables appear in the Synoptic Gospels: Matthew, Mark, and Luke. The Gospel of John contains fewer parables, and they are typically more allegorical in nature. Some are shorter and more akin to proverbial sayings, while others are more elaborate. But, for the sake of 'getting them all,' I also included those passages.

In the Gospel of Matthew:

The Sower

The Weeds Among the Wheat

The Mustard Seed

The Leaven

Hidden Treasure

The Pearl of Great Price

The Dragnet

The Unforgiving Servant

The Laborers in the Vineyard

The Two Sons

The Wicked Tenants

The Great Banquet

The Wedding Feast

The Ten Virgins

The Talents

The Sheep and the Goats (sometimes considered a parable)

New Cloth on an Old Garment and New Wine in Old Wineskins

The Lost Sheep (a different version from Luke's)

In the Gospel of Mark:

The Sower

The Seed Growing Secretly

The Mustard Seed

New Cloth on an Old Garment and New Wine in Old Wineskins

In the Gospel of Luke:

The Sower

The Lamp Under a Jar

The Wise and the Foolish Builders

The Mustard Seed

The Leaven

The Good Samaritan

The Friend at Midnight

The Rich Fool

The Barren Fig Tree

The Great Banquet

The Lost Sheep

The Lost Coin

The Prodigal Son

The Dishonest Manager

The Rich Man and Lazarus

The Unjust Judge

The Pharisee and the Tax Collector

The Ten Minas

New Cloth on an Old Garment and New Wine in Old Wineskins

In the Gospel of John:

The Good Shepherd (often considered an allegory)

The Vine and the Branches (often considered an allegory)

When you account for additional parables or parabolic sayings that are sometimes included, the count