| PARABLE | Math (23) | Mark (9) | Luke (28) | ||
| C | Lamp under bowl | 514,15 | 421,22 | 816 1133 | Let your light shine |
| C | Wise and foolish builders | 724-27 | 647-49 | Wise hear words and obey | |
| P | New cloth on old coat | 916 | 221 | 536 | Times change |
| P | New wine in old wine-skins | 917 | 222 | 537,38 | Times change |
| I | Cancelled debts | 741-43 | To Simon: see result of forgiveness | ||
| C | Sower and soils | 133-8,18-23 | 43-8,14-20 | 85-8,11-15 | It matters how we hear |
| C | Weeds among wheat | 1324-30,36-43 | It matters how we hear | ||
| I | Good Samaritan and neighbour | 1030-37 | Lawyer asks who is my neighbour? | ||
| D | Persistent asking for friend in need | 115-8 | Teach us to pray. Ask, seek, knock | ||
| C | Rich fool builds for today | 1216-21 | Build for today or eternity | ||
| C | Unfruitful fig tree manured | 136-9 | Unless you repent it will be too late | ||
| C | Mustard seed | 1331,32 | 430-32 | 1318,19 | Kingdom of God grows |
| C | Growing seed (harvest near) | 426-29 | Seed grows, sower does nothing | ||
| S | Yeast | 1333 | 1320,21 | Seed grows, baker does nothing | |
| C | Hidden treasure | 1344 | Kingdom of God most valuable | ||
| C | Valuable pearl found | 1345,46 | Kingdom of God most valuable | ||
| C | Net | 1347-50 | Catches many types of fish | ||
| C | Treasures old and new | 1352 | Kingdom of God is a great treasure | ||
| P | Humble at wedding feast exalted | 147-14 | Invite the sick, the poor and needy | ||
| P | Invitation to wedding refused | 1416-24 | Who invited, when chosen refused? | ||
| C | Counting cost of completing project | 1428-33 | Give up all to become a disciple | ||
| P | 1 lost sheep | 1812-14 | 154-7 | 1 sinner repents - Heaven rejoices | |
| P | Searching for lost coin | 158-10 | 1 sinner repents - Heaven rejoices | ||
| P | Lost son returns | 1511-32 | Rejoicing, but elder son angry | ||
| D | Shrewd manager | 161-6 | Use worldly goods wisely; value God | ||
| D | Dives and Lazarus | 1619-31 | Great chasm. Content without God | ||
| D | Master and obedient servant | 177-10 | Even obedient servants unworthy | ||
| D | Persistent widow and unjust judge | 182-8 | Never give up on prayer | ||
| D | Pharisee, tax collector - forgiveness | 1810-14 | God have mercy upon me, a sinner | ||
| I | Unmerciful servant | 1823-34 | Peter. Be always ready to forgive | ||
| C | Workers in vineyard | 201-16 | Equal rewards for 1st and last | ||
| P | Two sons, willing and unwilling | 2128-32 | Elders need to repent to enter | ||
| P | Tenants kill son and heir | 2133-44 | 121-11 | 209-18 | Kingdom of heaven given to others |
| P | Invitation to wedding ignored | 222-14 | Pathetic excuses; rejected | ||
| D | Fig tree (time is near) | 2432-35 | 1328,29 | 2129-31 | But my word will never pass away |
| D | Watchful house-owner | 1335-37 | 1235-40 | Always be ready for return of Christ | |
| D | Wise and wicked servants | 2445-51 | 1242-48 | Leaders; beware of power | |
| D | 5 wise and 5 foolish virgins | 251-13 | Foolish were not ready & not known | ||
| D | 5, 2 and 1 talent men rewarded | 2514-30 | 1912-27 | Law leads us to Christ. Gal 324 | |
| D | Sheep and goats separated | 2531-46 | Help the poor; but not for reward |
There are no Parables recorded in John's Gospel
To C=Crowd D=Disciples P=Pharisees I=Individual S=Synagogue
Ask a Jew a question, and he will often answer with another question or a story.
Why did Jesus use parables to teach? And what do they teach?
They teach the secrets of the kingdom of heaven. Math 1311
Secrets shared, but only with those who want to hear.
Prophets saw / heard, but only in the distance. Math 1317 Heb 1113-16
Come all who are thirsty. Is 551-7 Jn 856 Jer 2910-13 Joel 232 Math 77
How much do we yearn for the righteous kingdom of God? And its secrets!
Most begin, “The kingdom of heaven is like a ...”.
Jesus said, "Whoever has will be given more, ... Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away.
This is why I speak to them in parables." Math 1312,13 e.g.
Sower - Math 131-9 What happens when anyone hears the message about the kingdom ... Math 1318
Seed on path, rocky places, among thorns, or on good soil.
Good Foundations - Math 724-29 Obvious truth, but reason given is less so:
= Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice.
Parables spoken to crowds, to Pharisees, to disciples and to individuals to inform, warn, or encourage.