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Parables
A parable is any brief story involving human characters illustrating a lesson. Parables of Jesus are a key part of the teachings of Jesus. Ask and answer here about the parables of various cultures of the world, their origin and interpretation.
545 Questions
What is the moral lesson of the parable the prodigal son?
You can be forgiven, no matter how bad you have been, or how much you have messed up.
ANSWER:
The parables of Jesus are usually concerned with spiritual truths rather than morals. Parables are a way of teaching spiritual truths. The spiritual truth is hidden in stories of everyday life - "an earthly story with a heavenly meaning." The real meaning of the parable is hidden to those who are not seeking spiritual truth or are not willing to think about the parable.
The parable of the Lost Son is the third parable in a group of three parables - The Lost Sheep, The Lost Coin and the Lost Son. These three parables are about God's love for people who are lost and, in the context of the parables, God's love for the 'lost' nation of Israel.
The lost son has come unto repentance. When one improves their state, it is better than if they had been good that whole time, simply because they are making progress. The older brother should not have been jealous, but happy that his brother was making progress.
The parable of the lost son is about people coming to the realization that they are lost and turning to God for forgiveness.
The lost son is the repentant sinner, the elder son represents the scribes and pharisees (the religious) of Jesus' time.
The parable is teaching that whatever condition we are in and we realize our condition and turn to God He will forgive and accept us.
Luke 15:10 - 32
(though verses 4 - 9 are relevant too, as they're being amplified by the following story, often called "the parable of the prodigal son".
IMO, the bottom line - "It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found." (verse 32) is a pretty clear restatement of the idea in verse 7 ("I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.").
Answer:
The parable of the Prodigal Son is a parable directed to the nation of Israel. When Jesus tells this parable some Pharisees and scribes are listening as well as a multitude of people:
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: .........................
In the parable the father represents God, the youngest son represents Israel and the oldest son represents the scribes and Pharisees.
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 the scribes and Pharisees of the day were jealous because they thought they were the spiritual men of Israel. They were put out that Jesus "received sinners" they thought Jesus should have been spending time with them - they were the spiritual ones.
If Israel had repented, accepted Jesus as the messiah and returned to true worship of God (not legalism through obeying evry degree of the Law) then there would have been singing and dancing - as in the parable
What are the lost sheep of israel?
The Bible says that the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin settled in what was to become the kingdom of Judah, while the other ten tribes settled in the area of the kingdom of Israel
In 722, the kingdom of Israel was destroyed by the Asyrian Empire and the people dispersed over the Near East. Because the former Israelites assimilated into their host cultures and gradually lost their separate identities, they are sometimes referred to as the "ten lost tribes of Israel". Some people, unwilling to believe that the entire population of Israel would have so willingly adopted the religion and culture of non-Abrahamic people, continue to hope that somewhere in the Middle East, or elsewhere, will be found a group of people still practising an idealised worship of God and waiting to be returned to their former home.
What are the things that can lead a Christian to fall?
In general terms, sins. In particular, any of the main 7 sins:
Pride
Gluttony
Lust
Sloth
Wrath
Greed
Envy
Opinion
The Letter of James addresses this subject in Chapter 1 verses 12 through 15.
"Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man. But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death."
Some say Christians can lose their salvation and must be born again and again if they fall away. Others say that true believers can not lose their salvation through sin, but they can apostatize or walk away from their salvation. I believe salvation begins at the moment of conversion and continues for eternity. In Philippians 1:6 it says " Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ". Jude 24 guarantees that God "is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy." Christian may stumble and fall but we have a wonderful reassurance from Jesus in John 10:27-29 " My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand."
King James version.
What is the first parable told in the thirteenth chapter of Matthew?
The first parable that Jesus taught may not be specifically known. We know from the gospel of Luke (the only gospel that claims to be chronologically ordered) that the first recorded parable of Jesus is the parable of the sower. This can be found in the eight chapter of the book bearing his name.
However, Jesus previously used lanauge that would have been common in parables (for example, designating Peter and the other disciples "fishers of men"). In all probability, Jesus used parables frequently; however, the parable of the sower is the first mentioned.
What is the moral lesson of the Parable of the Lost Coin?
it means dont take life for granted-
or
The Parable of the Lost Coin is one of the parables of Jesus. It appears in only one of the Canonical gospels of the New Testament. According to Luke 15:8-10, a woman searches for a lost coin. It is a member of a trilogy on redemption that Jesus tells after the Pharisees and religious leaders accuse him of welcoming and eating with "sinners."[1] The other two are the Parable of the Lost Sheep, and the Parable of the Lost Son or Prodigal Son.
Contents
[hide]
1 Narrative
2 Interpretation
3 Depictions
4 See also
5 References
6 External links
Narrative
As recounted in Luke 15, a woman with ten silver coins (Greek drachmae) loses one. She then lights a lamp and sweeps her house until she finds it, rejoicing when she does:
Or what woman, if she had ten drachma coins, if she lost one drachma coin, wouldn't light a lamp, sweep the house, and seek diligently until she found it? When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found the drachma which I had lost.' Even so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner repenting."
--- Luke 15:8--10, World English Bible
On finding the lost coin, the woman shares her joy with her neighbors (etching by Jan Luyken).
Interpretation
Joel B. Green notes that the woman described is a poor peasant, and the ten silver coins, corresponding to ten days wages, "likely represent the family savings."[2] The coins may also have been the woman's dowry, worn as an ornament.[3][4] Both theories may be true, and either one explains the urgency of the woman's search, and the extent of her joy when the missing coin is found.
Like the parable of the Ten Virgins, this is a parable about women which immediately follows, and makes the same point as, a preceding parable about men.[5] In the Greek, the "friends and neighbors" are female.[6]
Green suggests that the invitation to the "friends and neighbors" may reflect a celebratory meal, which recalls the meals Jesus is accused of sharing with "sinners."[2] The woman's diligent activity in searching may symbolise either Jesus' own activity or that of God the Father.[3] The rejoicing of the angels is understood to be rejoicing along with God.[4]
Depictions
This parable has been depicted by several artists, including John Everett Millais, Jan Luyken, Domenico Fetti, and James Tissot.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Parable of the Lost Coin
See also
Ministry of Jesus
References
^ Richard N. Longenecker, The Challenge of Jesus' Parables, Eerdmans, 2000, ISBN 0802846386, p. 201.
^ a b Joel B. Green, The Gospel of Luke, Eerdmans, 1997, ISBN 0802823157, p. 576.
^ a b Ben Witherington, Women in the Ministry of Jesus: A study of Jesus' attitudes to women and their roles as reflected in his earthly life, Cambridge University Press, 1987, ISBN 0521347815, p. 39.
^ a b I. Howard Marshall, The Gospel of Luke: A commentary on the Greek text, Eerdmans, 1978, ISBN 0802835120, p. 603.
^ The parable of the Ten Virgins follows the parable of the Faithful Servant, and this parable follows the parable of the Lost Sheep.
^ Mary Ann Beavis, The Lost Coin: Parables of women, work, and wisdom, Continuum, 2002, ISBN 1841273139, p. 36.
External links
Biblical Art on the WWW: The Lost Coin
[hide]v · d · eParables of Jesus
[hide] Canonical / New Testament
Synoptic
Gospels
Barren Fig Tree • Budding Fig Tree • Counting the cost • Drawing in the Net • Faithful Servant • Friend at Night • Good Samaritan • Great Banquet • Growing Seed • Hidden Treasure • Lamp • Leaven • Lost Coin • Lost Sheep • Master and Servant • Minas • Mustard Seed • New Wine into Old Wineskins • Pearl • Pharisee and the Publican • Prodigal Son • Rich Fool • Rich man and Lazarus • Sower • Strong Man • Talents • Tares • Ten Virgins • Tree and its Fruits • Two Debtors • Two Sons • Unjust Judge • Unjust Steward • Unforgiving Servant • Wicked Husbandmen • Wise and Foolish Builders • Workers in the Vineyard
[hide] Non-Canonical / Disputed
Thomas
Assassin • Empty Jar (eleven other parables have New Testament parallels)
Christianity Portal
This parable is about the nation of Israel. The parable is also connected with the parable of the lost sheep and the parable of the lost son.
Jesus came to call Israel to repentance and many of his parables are about this. The parable of the lost coin is not about the church/christians though many people do apply the parables to people being 'saved'.
The parable teaches us to not be ashamed of what we are given, but to at least try, HARD.
An essential part of the teaching of Jesus was?
Jesus came first of all to the nation of Israel
Matthew 15:24 But He answered and said, "I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."
So His teaching was for the back slidden nation of Israel. For example the parables of The Lost Sheep, The Lost Coin and The Lost Son all refer to the nation of Israel. Jesus' teaching stressed repentance and turning to God. Jesus also forbade His disciples to go anywhere else other than to Israel:
Matthew 10:5,6 These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying: "Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
After Jesus' death and resurrection the situation changed the way was now open for all people, Jew or Gentile, to come to God on the basis of Jesus' death being a suitable sacrifice to appease the righteous wrath of God:
John 1:29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
Basically the teaching is the same repent and turn to God only now a person is made acceptable to God because of the death of Jesus as the Lamb of God.
1John 5:11,12 And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.
What does the parable of the good Samaritan teach about prejudice?
That people's goodwill and kindness is in no way connected to their beliefs, ethnic heritage or social class. Prejudice is a product of all our accumulated biases and discriminating mind. Compassion is our innate goodness.
In the story of the prodigal son , the son was looking after swine and ate with them Please note he was a Jew , and for a Jew this was unclean . The boy did not just repent , he got up and went home to the father and aid that he had sinned before god and man and was not worthy to be his son.
Who were the ancestors of the Samaritans of Jesus' day?
The Samaritans, or Samarians, came from the province of Samaria, formerly the Hebrew kingdom of Israel before its destruction in 722 BCE. The Samaritans would have been of mixed race, descendants of the original Israelites and the immigrants whom the Assyrians brought in to replace the Israelites who had been deported. They shared a common Hebrew heritage with the Jews.
What lesson did Jesus teach with the parable of the Good Samaritan?
The parable of the Good Samaritan is about a man who get's mugged and robbed on his way to the city. Someone, who is walking on the same road, see him and walks right by him. Then a priest comes along, but he walks by also. Then a Samaritan walks by and sees him. He binds the man's wounds, sets him on his horse, and takes him to the city. In the city, the Samaritan takes the man to an Inn and pays for the man's stay.
I wish I knew where it is found in the Bible, but I'm no help there. Sorry
Luke 10:25-37
The priest could not help the man because then he would be ritually unclean and could not enter the temple to do his job for several weeks until he completed a ritual cleansing involving many baths and prayers and sacrifices. It was too much trouble.
There were also others mentioned that passed and did not help, for reasons of less significance than the priest.
The Samaritan had much less to lose in offering help due to his low social standing.
What does the story of the prodigal son teach?
The parable has nothing to do with religion.
The parable was told as a rebuke to the scribes and Pharisees of Jesus' time. Jesus came to call the nation of Israel to repent but the scribes and Pharisees thought Jesus should be talking with them the "spiritual leaders" not the common people.
The father in the parable represents God and shows His desire for Israel to repent and turn to Him.
People often use this parable to illustrate how God is waiting for people to repent and turn to Him. But this not the primary interpretation.
Why did Jesus use a Samaritan in the parable of the Good Samaritan?
Some Jewish people despised the Samarians [Samaritans] and the idea of the story is to not judge anyone for maybe it is possible to be saved from death from your so called worst enemy...also Jesus said that "if You only like those who like You then what reward is there in that"...Jesus also said "if You do not humble yourself like a little child then you may never even enter the Kingdom of Heaven"... I think Jesus was trying to say that everyone is inclusive in God's world and there are no special cases we are all God's children and thus for equal...Jesus also told the Zealot's that they should forgive all the people who persicute and murder You ie "the Romans" "forgive them all" "The lion shall lie down for the lamb"
What are stories used by Jesus to teach lessons?
Jesus taught through what are known as "parables" - little stories that are meant to teach lessons or instill principles. Interpreters of the Bible used to consider these parables allegorical, with each element having is own representation in life, but modern scholars believe that each parable makes only one singular important point.
Where did Jesus' tell the parable of the lost sheep?
The Parable of the Lost Sheep appears in the Gospels of Matthew (18:12–14) and Luke (15:3–7). These gospels were originally anonymous, so we do not know who wrote them, in spite of the attributions to Matthew and Luke later in the second century. These gospel accounts are believed to have been copied from the hypothetical 'Q' document, which was also anonymous. Thus, we do not know who first wrote this parable.
Who is a disciple of Jesus in the Good Samaritan story?
Jesus shared the illustration of the "Good Samaritan" in answer to a man who inquired of him, "Who really is my neighbor?" Jesus had previously stated the it was necessary to love one's neighbor in order to obtain everlasting life. The individuals in the illustration were not reminiscent of any actual historical figures, rather Jesus chose such to further emphasize his point. Jews of that time were not favorable toward Samaritans, in fact they would have no dealings with them. (Joh 4:9,48) Had Jesus mentioned directly that Samaritans and other non-Jews were included in the command to love one's neighbors, the man may not have accepted this and most of the audience would probably have been turned off as well. The Samaritan pictured true followers of Christ, who would "work what is good toward all," regardless of social class, race, or nation or belief.-Galatians 6:10.
When did the apostle Paul's missionary journeys begin?
Paul's First Missionary Journey In Acts 13:2,3, Paul and Barnabas, gathered with other disciples at Antioch of Syria, were called by God to their first missionary journey: "Separate me Barnabas and Saul (Paul) for the work whereunto I have called them." The disciples fasted and prayed before sending them forth on their journey, whereby they took a ship to Cyprus. According to Professor E.E. Ellis, PhD of Bethel Seminary, the first journey started in AD 46, ending with their return to report to the church at Syrian Antioch in AD 49, a duration of about three years. The ministry took place solely on Cyprus and what is modern Asia Minor in the southern provinces of Pamphylia, Pisidia and Lycaonia. Paul was stoned and left for dead at Lystra of Lycaonia, but the disciples prayed and he rose up, continuing his ministry in the region before returning to the home church. In terms of distance the total journey, as a round trip, would have been between 900 to 1000 miles. While the Acts account is widely accepted, some believe that an earlier journey was Paul's first missionary journey. The account is found in Galatians.
Is there any conflict in the story of the prodigal son?
The brother who stayed home was jealous, because the brother who spent his half of their father's fortune was welcomed home afterwards, and a party held for him. (It was worth half his fortune to the father, if the prodigal son had truly learned his lesson.)
When was the prodigal son written?
Jesus is thought to have told many parables, such as the parable of the Prodigal Son, in order to teach the moral truths behind the parables. Jesus probably never really spoke these parables, because most or all of them were created by writers long after his death so as to give substance to Jesus' teachings. This is as true of the parable of the Prodigal Son as of other New Testament parables.
The Parable of the Prodigal Son appears in the Gospels of Luke (15:11-32). Like all the New Testament gospels, Luke was originally anonymous, so we do not know who the author really was, in spite of the attribution to Luke later in the second century.
MK12 1 to 12. JESUS USES A PARABLE WHAT WAS HIS PURPOSE IN THE PARABLE WHO ASK HIM THIS QUESTION?
If you go back to Mark 11:27, the passage that precedes Mark 12 makes it clear who his audience was. The chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders asked him, "By what authority are you doing these things?" In response he first asked, "John's baptism-was it from heaven, or from men? Tell me!" They were not able to respond to him because they did not want to admit that John the Baptist had spoken the truth about Jesus, or denounce him in front of their followers who loved John.
Jesus' purpose was to illustrate to all the sins that this group was committing and that their ancestors committed. In the parable, the owner of the vineyard represents God, the vineyard represents the status of being his people, and the tenants represent many of the Jews. Each servant represents a prophet sent to the Jews to communicate to them from God and express his wishes. Almost all of them were eventually killed by those who did not want to follow the Lord, just as in the parable.
So God sent his son, Jesus to them. However, as the parable illustrates, they eventually decide that they want to kill him also that they may be simply left alone. So that is what they did. The parable is not focused on the son but on what happens to the tenants, and so that is why his resurrection is not mentioned.
The parables ends with what happens to the tenants who refused to listen to any of the messengers. In the end, they are killed and sent out. In the same way, all who tried to take part in God's family and be God's people but are not willing to follow him will lose the status they wished to gain. He quotes, "The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone," because that is what was happening. They were rejecting Jesus, but he was actually the most important of all.
Why is the story of Jonah considered to be a parable?
I am not so sure the Story of Jonah is a parable - a short, comparative tale to relay an important message. The Scripture presents Jonah as a real person who had an unusual event happen to him. Even today, Japanese fisherman have discovered a live human inside a large fish (whale in this case).
Because they asked Jesus for a sign of His Messiahship, He told them the only sign would be that of Jonah - a comparison or 'parable' of what was about to occur. As Jonah was 3 days and 3 nights in the belly of the great fish, Jesus would be 3 days and 3 nights in the belly of the Earth - the grave or hell.
Those who speculate on His dying on a Friday afternoon and rising on an early Sunday morning, apparently denounce this one and only sign given. No matter how one counts, you will never arrive at 3 twelve hour days and 3 twelve hour nights.
What is the cost and how prints where made?
The cost of prints can vary widely depending on factors such as the medium, size, and artist's reputation. Traditional prints, like lithographs or etchings, are made by transferring ink from a prepared surface onto paper. In contrast, digital prints involve using high-quality printers to reproduce images directly from digital files. Both methods require different materials and processes, influencing the final price.
How is the prodigal son explained in the contemporary time?
The parable of the Prodigal Son can be found in the Gospel of Luke chapter 15. The parable is one of three Jesus told in reply to the Pharisees and scribes when they complained saying ........"This Man receives sinners and eats with them." Luke 15:2.
The father in the parable represents God. The youngest son represents Israel and the oldest son represents the Pharisees and the scribes.
The attitude of the scribes and Pharisees in Jesus' day was like the attitude of the oldest son in the parable.
The explanation today is the same
What did the prodigal son do with his inheritance money?
One thought:
Luke 15:13 doesn't tell us ALL that he did, but mentions that this younger son "...got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living."(NIV)("riotous living"KJV/"extravagant living"CEB). A little further on in Luke 15:30 we get a little more insight from his older brother's discussion with his father. In it, he describes 'the prodigal' as "...this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes.." From these accounts we can get a pretty fair idea of WHAT he did with his inheritance money.
What does story of prodigal son mean?
In the story of the prodigal son , the son is man the father is God. And it means God. And God is waiting and watching from a long for man to repent and return. Please note the father hugged the son even when he was dirty and stinking. We to are like that with all our sin.
Answer:When Jesus is talking to people some Pharisees and scribes are also there. They complain that Jesus is always with the common people.
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."
Luke 15:3 So He spoke this parable to them, saying: .........................
So Jesus tells the parable:
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 - Israel at this stage is far from the relationship that God intended then to have with Him.
Jesus is calling Israel back to the relationship God intended for them.
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 the scribes and Pharisees of the day were jealous because they thought they were the spiritual men of Israel. They were put out that Jesus "received sinners" they thought Jesus should have been spending time with them - they were the spiritual ones.
This is the direct interpretation of the parable but we can see that the father was waiting for the youngest son to return and so God waits for people to repent and turn to Him.
