Parables of Jesus
[Many theologians believe that the parables provide the best introduction
to what Jesus really thought about God. At the time of Jesus, God was one who
rewarded those who obeyed him but one who visited his wrath upon the
disobedient. This God supported his chosen ones in battle against their
enemies, he visited disease and death upon them, their children and their crops
and cattle. Jesus taught us about a God who loved all his earthly children.]
Bread or a Stone?
"Which of you who is a father, if your child has need of bread, will
you give him a stone? Or if your child has need of fish will you give him a
serpent caught in your net if the child foolishly asks for it? If you, then,
being mortal and finite, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much
more will your heavenly Father give his spirit and his blessings to those who
ask him?"
[This is one of the simplest but most powerful of Jesus' parables
because it helps us, as good earthly parents, to understand what a perfect
Father in heaven would or would not do for his children. For any appropriate
situation we can always ask ourselves, "Do I really believe a perfectly
good God would do that?"] [i.e. applied to the atonement doctrine it
provides an unequivocal answer.]
The Good Samaritan.
In answer to a lawyer's question on who is his neighbor, Jesus
said:
"A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when
he fell into the hands of brigands, who robbed, stripped, and beat him, and
departing, left him half dead. Very soon afterwards, a priest came upon the
wounded man, but seeing his sorry plight, he passed by on the other side of the
road. And in like manner a Levite also, when he came along and saw the man, he,
too, passed by on the other side.
Now, about this time, a certain
Samaritan, as he journeyed down to Jericho, came across this wounded man; and
when he saw how he had been robbed and beaten, he was moved with compassion.
Going over to him, he bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine, and setting
the man upon his own beast, brought him here to the inn and took care of him.
And on the morrow he took out some money and, giving it to the host, said:
`Take good care of my friend, and if the expense is more, when I come back
again, I will repay you.'
Now let me ask you: Which of these three turned out to be the
neighbor of him who fell among the robbers?" And when the lawyer perceived
that he had fallen into his own snare, he answered, "He who showed mercy
on him." And Jesus said, "Go and do likewise."
[Note: The influence of tribalism was such at that time that Jews
looked upon all gentiles as 'gentile dogs.' And in their eyes, their relatives,
the Samaritans, were even more despicable. These Jews were discriminatory to
the point that they would not eat a meal if the shadow of a gentile passed
across it.]
The Good Shepherd.
Speaking to a group of Jews, Jesus said: "If a shepherd has a
hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, does he not immediately leave the
ninety and nine and go out in search of the one that has gone astray? And if he
is a good shepherd, will he not keep up his quest for the lost sheep until he
finds it? And then, when he has found his lost sheep, he lays it over his
shoulder and, going home rejoicing, calls to his friends and neighbors,
`Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.' I declare that
there is more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety and
nine righteous persons who need no repentance.
Even so, it is not the will of my Father in heaven that one of
these children should go astray, much less that they should perish. In your
religion God may receive repentant sinners; but in the gospel of the kingdom
the Father goes forth to find them--even before they have seriously thought of
repentance."
[God does not wait for the sinner to come to him. He finds a way to go to
them.]
The man rich in worldly wealth.
"Let me tell you a story of a certain rich man whose
ground brought forth plentifully; and when he had become very rich, he began to
reason with himself, saying: `What shall I do with all my riches? I now have so
much that I have no place to store my wealth.' And when he had meditated on his
problem, he said: `This I will do; I will pull down my barns and build bigger
ones, and thus will I have abundant room in which to store my riches. Then can
I say to my soul, 'Soul, you have much wealth laid up for many years; so now
take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry, for you are now rich and have ample
goods if bad years lie ahead.' "But this rich man was
exceedingly foolish. In providing in abundance for the material requirements of
his mind and body, he had failed to lay up treasures in heaven for the
salvation of his soul. And that very night, his soul was required of him."
[this parable teaches us to get and keep our values right.]
The Laborers in the Vineyard
"The kingdom of heaven is like a householder who was a large
employer of men, and who went out early in the morning to hire laborers to work
in his vineyard. When he had agreed with the laborers to pay them a denarius a
day, he sent them into the vineyard. Then he went out about nine o'clock, and
seeing others standing in the market place idle, he said to them: `Go you also
to work in my vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will pay you.' And they went
at once to work. Again he went out about twelve and about three and did
likewise. And going to the market place about five in the afternoon, he found
still others standing idle, and he inquired of them, `Why do you stand here
idle all the day?' And the men answered, `Because nobody has hired us.' Then
said the householder: `Go you also to work in my vineyard, and whatever is
right I will pay you.'
"When evening came, this owner of the vineyard said to his
steward: `Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last
hired and ending with the first.' When those who were hired about five o'clock
came, they received a denarius each, and so it was with each of the other
laborers. When the men who were hired at the beginning of the day saw how the
later comers were paid, they expected to receive more than the amount agreed
upon. But like the others every man received only a denarius. And when each had
received his pay, they complained to the householder, saying: `These men who
were hired last worked only one hour, and yet you have paid them the same as us
who have borne the burden of the day in the scorching sun.'
"Then answered the householder: `My
friends, I do you no wrong. Did not each of you agree to work for a denarius
a day? Take now that which is yours and go your way, for it is my desire to
give to those who came last as much as I have given to you. Is it not lawful
for me to do what I will with my own? Or do you begrudge my generosity because
I desire to be good and to show mercy?'"
[The parable illustrates the love and mercy of a perfect
God who will receive us whenever we turn to him.]