parables

Throughout the Gospels Jesus constantly speaks in parables, though he’s willing to explain them to his inner circle. In the Gospel According to Matthew 13:1–23 (NABRE), Jesus discusses his use of parables with his followers and suggests that he deliberately uses them to make his message unclear. When evaluating this passage, it’s useful to understand exactly what a parable is. The Greek word παραβολή (parabole) is made up of two parts—the prefix παρα (para-), which means “next to” or “beside,” and the word βολή (bole), which means “throw.” A parable literally refers to things that are thrown next to one another or compared.

How do Jesus’ comparisons throw different concepts together and offer both truth and confusion, as he suggests in this week’s readings? Jesus’ parables focus on everyday occurrences or experiences to which his audience easily can relate. They seem wholly accessible. The difficulty is that Jesus then compares these common and universal experiences to almighty God and to the reign of God, a comparison that was foreign to Jesus’ listeners. Jesus’ parables make God ordinary. For those who do not share Jesus’ view of his Father, these contrasts provide much more confusion than clarity.

How do you see God? How does that perception impact your reading of Jesus’ parables?

related topics: Hades; insipid

you also may like our study of Saul, David & Solomon (digital only)
The United Kingdom of Israel: Saul, David & Solomon Foreshadow Christ the King, a 28-lesson Catholic Bible study with an imprimatur, provides an in-depth look at the First and Second Books of Samuel to learn how the lives of the monarchs Saul, David, and Solomon point ahead to the kingdom of heaven. The unified reign of King David is seen as a foreshadowing or type of the unity that is one of the four marks of the Church—the kingdom of God—established by Jesus Christ. Click here to view a sample of the first lesson.

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