Parables

The message of the Bible is timeless. Jesus' parables are "spiritual lessons" for the growth and development of Righteous Godly Character in a Trusting, Faithful man -- as well as being illustrations of the coming Kingdom [Government] of God.

Matthew Henry is often a good place to go for glimpses into the spiritual aspect of what the Bible is saying to God's Children. The bottom line is that "human nature" [the "carnal mind" - the "spirit" in man] is "HOSTILE" and rebellious to God, His ways and His laws [see Rom.8:7]... and that the Bible points to a time when God will "change" it.

"...WE SHALL ALL BE CHANGED." (I Cor.15:51)

"...all the days of my appointed time will I wait, TILL MY CHANGE COME." (Job 14:14)

Regarding the relevance of the "Good Samaritan" parable for today - Matthew Henry says:

"...If we speak of Eternal Life, and the way to it, in a careless manner, we take the name of God in vain. No one will ever love God and his neighbor with any measure of pure, spiritual love, who is not made a partaker of converting Grace. But the proud heart of a man strives hard against these convictions. Christ gave an instance of a poor Jew in distress, relieved by a good Samaritan. This poor man fell among thieves, who left him about to die of his wounds. He was slighted by those who should have been his friends, and was cared for by a stranger, a Samaritan, of the nation which the Jews most despised and detested, and would have no dealings with. It is lamentable to observe how selfishness governs all ranks; how many excuses men will make to avoid trouble or expense in relieving others.

"But the true Christian has the law of love written in his heart. The Spirit of Christ dwells in him; Christ's image is renewed in his soul. The parable is a beautiful explanation of the law of loving our neighbor as ourselves, without regard to nation, party, or any other distinction.

"It also sets forth the Kindness and Love of God our Saviour toward sinful, miserable men. We were like this poor, distressed traveler. Satan, our enemy, has robbed us, and wounded us: such is the mischief sin has done us. The blessed Jesus had compassion on us. The believer considers that Jesus loved him, and gave His life for him, when an enemy and a rebel; and having shown him Mercy, He bids him go and do likewise. It is the duty of us all, in our places, and according to our ability, to succor, help, and relieve all that are in distress and necessity."

(Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary: Luke 10:25-37; The good Samaritan)

The world is still in dire need of this kind of Love and Compassion. Perhaps now more than ever. The biggest problem in the world has always been a SPIRITUAL one. The timeless spiritual lessons of God's Word [especially the parables] will always be relevant to any time and any generation of men... until Jesus returns and "changes" us all.

The Buddha did teach with parables, mostly using metaphors of things the people of his time dealt with everyday, and quite often with whatever was most prominent in his world -- for example there is the Path, and the groundless ground, and lots of discussion of water.

Most of the fantastic tales like the Jatakas and stories about the Buddha walking on water (or teleporting across it) were added to the suttas later. And because the Buddha's tales pre-date Christianity by at least a couple of centuries, some scholars say that many of the tales about Jesus in the Bible were inspired by Buddhist stories.

Plus so many other ways as well. Studying nature give Buddist"s insight as well. Here is an example of a Buddist parable. (Or commentary) ...... Whatever happens in your life, JOYFULL or PAINFUL, do not be swept away by reactivity. Be patient with yourself and don"t lose youe sense of perspective. Whichever of the two occurs , be patient.

Buddha is different from other religious leaders such as Jesus cause he got ability to see early lifes of his soul by that way he can easily tell stories which are commonly known as "Early Lifes' Stories",and Buddha is NOT a person but a state that anyone can reach so I guess you probably said about Gautama Buddha.

cause only one person can reach the Buddha state at one specific period mostly that person is known as Buddha.

You can not be a Jesus,but you can be a Buddha if you work hard that's the democracy of Buddhism.the next Buddha who is known as Maitri will born in 30,000AD according to Legend and many Buddhist Scriptures.

History became legend, legend became myth.!

This story Jesus told tells of a rich man who had two sons. One decided to take his inheritance and went away squandering it on prostitutes and such like. When the money ran out he was reduced to feeding pigs (unclean animals to the Jews) and was starving until he came to his senses and went back to his father hoping that he would take him back as a slave. However, instead of punishing him, the father went out to meet his son, welcomed him back as a son, and threw a party. The other son was upset at this, but the rich man rebuked the son saying that everything he had was now his as his brother had wasted his inheritance. So he would get what was rightly his anyway. But as for the other son, as the rich man put it, "My son who was 'dead' is now alive! He was lost but now he is found!"

In the story, the rich man represents God. The lost son is us - as we have rebelled against God because of our sin. The other son is those people who think that they deserve more than they should because they appear to live a righteous life. The inheritance is the Kingdom of God - heaven - that God has promised us if we love him.

The story tells us that, should we stray away and rebel against God, as long as we come to our senses like the lost son, and return to him in penitence, then God will not punish us like the rich man should have punished his son for wasting the inheritance. instead, like the father in the story, God will meet us coming back to him, forgive us and rejoice that we have repented and turned back to him once more.

As Jesus put it "there is more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than 99 righteous people who need no repentance"

I think Jesus told this parable primarily for the Jews. The first interpretation of the parable is the Father represents God, the oldest son represents the scribes and Pharisees and the youngest son represent the Israel. If you look at the context of the parable:

Luk 15:1 Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him.

Luk 15:2 And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, "This Man receives sinners and eats with them."

Luk 15:3 So He spoke this parable to them, saying:.......................

Compare the attitude of the Pharisees ( why is he spending time with sinners and tax collectors) with the attitude of the eldest son ( why is he spending money on that useless no good son).

Israel (youngest son) at this stage of their history are far from the relationship God intended for them to have with Him .

Jesus tells them in the parable if they return to worshiping God, God will accept them. The music, dancing, rejoicing would have taken place if Israel had accepted Jesus as the Messiah.

When Jesus tells this parable some Pharisees and scribes are also listening:

Luke 15:1 Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him.

Luke 15:2 And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, "This Man receives sinners and eats with them."

Jesus first tells a parable about a lost sheep, a lost coin and then he tells the parable of the lost son. All these parble are directed at the scribes and the Pharisees.

In the parable the father represents God, the youngest son represents Israel and the oldest son represents the scribes and Pharisees.

The youngest son leaves his father, just as Israel turned from God. The youngest son when he sees his error returns to his father. (If Israel had accepted Jesus as the Messiah this parable would not have been needed)

The oldest son is prejudiced towards the youngest son because the youngest son is treated well, given a lot of attention etc by the father.

In the gospels we can see Jesus paid a lot of attention to the ordinary people, Jesus was calling them and all Israel to repentance. The scribes and Pharisees of the day were jealous because they thought they were the spiritual men of Israel and Jesus should have paying attention to them.

Another answer:

Here is Matthew Henry's "concise comment" on the Prodigal Son:

11-16 The parable of the prodigal son shows the nature of repentance, and the Lord's readiness to welcome and bless all who return to him. It fully sets forth the riches of gospel grace; and it has been, and will be, while the world stands, of unspeakable use to poor sinners, to direct and to encourage them in repenting and returning to God. It is bad, and the beginning of worse, when men look upon God's gifts as debts due to them. The great folly of sinners, and that which ruins them, is, being content in their life-time to receive their good things. Our first parents ruined themselves and all their race, by a foolish ambition to be independent, and this is at the bottom of sinners' persisting in their sin. We may all discern some features of our own characters in that of the prodigal son. A sinful state is of departure and distance from God. A sinful state is a spending state: wilful sinners mis-employ their thoughts and the powers of their souls, mispend their time and all their opportunities. A sinful state is a wanting state. Sinners want necessaries for their souls; they have neither food nor raiment for them, nor any provision for hereafter. A sinful state is a vile, slavish state. The business of the devil's servants is to make provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof, and that is no better than feeding swine. A sinful state is a state constant discontent. The wealth of the world and the pleasures of the senses will not even satisfy our bodies; but what are they to precious souls! A sinful state is a state which cannot look for relief from any creature.In vain do we cry to the world and to the flesh; they have that which will poison a soul, but have nothing to give which will feed and nourish it. A sinful state is a state of death. A sinner is dead in trespasses and sins, destitute of spiritual life. A sinful state is a lost state. Souls that are separated from God, if his mercy prevent not, will soon be lost for ever. The prodigal's wretched state, only faintly shadows forth the awful ruin of man by sin. Yet how few are sensible of their own state and character!" (Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary: Luke 15; the Prodigal Son)