JESUS TEACHES IN PARABLES

Level: Form 2 (KCSE)

Topic: THE GALILEAN MINISTRY

Sub-Topic: Jesus’ Works of Compassion

• A parable is a simple illustrative story that teaches a moral or spiritual lesson(s).

• Some parables are referred to as allegories meaning that they are more detailed and elaborate e.g. parable of the sower, the parable of the wheat and tares and the parable of the rich land owner.
• A parable can have one or several meanings.

JESUS TEACHES IN PARABLES

Jesus used parables in his teachings for the following reasons:

1. To attract listeners because the stories were enjoyable.
2. It was a common teaching method at that time.
3. To make his listeners think for themselves and make individual judgment/to enable listeners to think critically.
4. To make it easy for the people to understand the complicated theme of the unseen kingdom.
5. To avoid direct confrontations with the Pharisees, the scribes and the Sadducees.
6. To isolate serious and keen listeners from the rest of the group.
7. He was to keep His identity a secret until He finalizes His mission.
8. To fulfill the O.T prophecies.
9. This helped in shaping their altitudes to Jesus and in bringing them to a closer and a new relationship with him.
10. The use of parables made the teachings of Jesus quite interesting.  Jesus was a gifted teacher and story teller.
11. By using parables, those who heard would easily remember them and be able to refer to    them.
12. Jesus used parables as a way of making them respond to the teachings.

The characteristics of Jesus’ Parables

1. Parables are stories.
2. They deal with familiar situations/ they are derived from familiarn situations.
3. They are vivid/ short.
4. They lead to a climax/ they start simple but leading to the main objective/ main point.
5. They marshal comparisons/ puzzles/ proverbs.
6. They present a parallel between spiritual reality and everyday happenings which is not immediately obvious/ they are told in relation to the kingdom of God.
7. Sometimes are related to a surprise element/ sometimes they end unexpectedly.
8. Some lack introduction.
9. They are usually unexplained/ they need to be explained/ had hidden meaning.
10. They are told with a distinct objective/ purpose.
11. Allegorical elements are not excluded but not dominant.

Reasons why a Christian in Kenya today may find it difficult to understand the parables in Luke’s Gospel

1. Kenyan culture is different from that of 1st Century Palestinee.g. Kenyans are not familiar with grape growing, use of wineskins and the four seasons.
2. The original setting or meaning has not been preserved and thus Christians lack clues to their meaning.
3. The parables often have to be explained and thus they loose their directness and immediate meaning.
4. The circumstances in which these parables were told are different.
5. The Kingdom of God to which many of them relate is difficult and a controversial subject.
6. Many different meanings have been suggested; often these are allegorical and the alternatives are at times confusing.
7. Not all situations Chritians we do know about the parables help them to understand and apply them e.g. the parable of the Patch and Wineskins designed to show that Judaism and Christianity could not be patched together. The connection is hard to see and one has to search for a compparable case in the Kenyan stuation.
8. African story telling has social interpretation while parables of Jesus have spiritual truth.
9. The parables often take up Jewish ideas, concepts and traditions which are not familiar to Chistians today e.g. the idea of Israel as a vineyard.
10. Christians do not know what to do with the parables; should they just try to understand what they signified in the time of Jesus or in the early Church or try to see a message for themselves. The interpretation of the parables will depend on the individual understanding and position.
11. Vernacular translations of the Bible such as vineyard to “shamba” or garden may help in understanding the parable but distorts the original meaning of the parable.

(a) The parable of the Sower - Luke 8:4 – 15

• Jesus told the parable of the Sower to a crowd who had come to listen to Him as He preached the gospel.

• He told them a story about a farmer that went to sow seeds. They fell on different soils as follows:
  • Along a path where they were trodden or eaten up by birds.
  • On rocky ground where the plants dried up.
  • Among thorny bushes, where the plant was choked up by thorns.
  • On fertile soils, where the plant grew and yielded a hundred fold.

Jesus interpreted the parable in the following way:

• The seed is the word of God.
• The seeds along the path are those who have heard, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts that they may not believe and be saved.
• The ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word receive it with joy, but these have no root, they believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away.
• The ones that fall among thorns are those who hear, but as they go on their way, they are choked by the cares/ riches/ pleasures of life and their fruit does not mature.
• The ones in the good soil are those who on hearing the word, hold fast in an honest and good heart and bring forth fruit  with patience.

Lessons Christians learn from the Parable:

1. Christians should spread the word of God to others.
2. Christians should avoid worldly pleasures that may hinder them from true Christianity.
3. Christians should remain faithful to the word of God and blessings shall be given to them.
4. The spreading of the word of God faces many obstacles which lead to lack of spiritual nourishment.

 (b) The parable of a lamp under a bowl.- Luke 8:16 – 18

Jesus used a parable to illustrate the work of the disciples. The parable is as follows:

• No one can light a lamp and cover it with a bowl or hide it under a bed.
• Instead they should put it on a stand to illuminate a room.
• Jesus is the light.
• The disciples are those on whom the light shines upon.
• The parable illustrates the work of the disciples.
• The disciples had a duty to pass on what they had learnt from Jesus to other people and not to keep to themselves i.e. the disciples had to spread the word of God.
• They had to have steadfast conviction so that they preach God’s word to bear good fruit.
• Jesus cautioned the disciples that their mission involved “giving” in order to “receive” i.e. if they did not preach God’s word and bear fruit they would loose even the little measure of spiritual knowledge that had been given to them. Therefore, those who lack faith cannot accomplish anything.
• The disciples would be blessed if they succeeded in their mission, with more knowledge. That those who have faith in Jesus shall be added and shall receive grace in abundunce.

Lessons learnt from the parable

• Christians should strive to love the word of God.
• They should guide others to the light of the kingdom through the word of God; the truth will be revealed to the whole world.

c). Jesus’ true family - Luke 8:19 – 21

• Those opposed to his Messianic title wanted to use this occasion to ridicule him.
• Jesus reaction shows that true faith is spiritual not earthly.
• His family covers all people and not blood relatives.
• Jesus family comprises those who hear and act on his word.
• Christians form a family whose kingdom of God and Jesus is the head.

What to expect in examinations

State five reasons why Jesus used parables in his teaching. (5 marks)

KCSE PAST CRE PAPER 2 QN 2(A)

• Jesus used parables in order to attract listeners/audience.
• He wanted to provoke his listeners to think for themselves/make individual judgement.
• In order to isolate serious/keen listeners from those who were not.
• He wanted to keep his identity secret.
• The use of the parables was to avoid direct confrontation with JEWISH RELIGIOUS LEADERS.
• It was a demonstration of his wisdom.
• It was a common method of teaching.

State SEVEN reasons why Jesus used parables in His teachings. (7 marks)

• was a popular method of teaching during His time.
• To provoke his listeners into critical thinking.
• Explain unfamiliar messages for His listeners to understand.
• In order to identify people seriously looking for the kingdom of God.
• To challenge His listeners and stimulate their imaginations
• Avoid direct conflict with Jewish leaders
• To stimulate the interest of his listeners/ Avoid boredom
• For listeners to remember the facts learnt.
• It had been foretold by the prophets.

What is the meaning of parable of the sower in Luke 8:11-15 (7mks)

• The seed is the word of God
• The sower is Jesus.
• The ground represent the hearers of the word and how they respond to it
• The seeds that fell on the footpath represent people who hear the message, but do not safeguard     it and the devil can come into them and take the message away.
• The seed that fell on the rocky ground represent those people who only accept the message on the surface but, when faced with temptations they abandon it because they have a shallow faith.
• The seeds that fell among the bushes or thistles grew for a while a while but soon got choked hence their growth was interfered with. These represent those who receive the word of God and they become believer for sometimes. However, they mix their faith with  worries, riches and pleasures of this world.
• The seeds that fell on good soil represent people who hear the word of God, believe in it and live according to its teachings. Such people allow God to rule their hearts.
• When  temptations come their way, they are able to resist and remain followers of God's word.

What lessons can a Christian learn from the parable of the sower? (6mks)

• Christians should not allow the pleasures and riches of this world to hinder them from practicing the word of God.
• Christians should not despair when preaching the word of God.
• Christians should be the good soil which bring forth good fruits
• Christians should stand firm in the faith
• Christians should resist the temptation of worldly pleasures.
• Christians can't serve two masters at the same time that is worldly pleasures and God. 

Identify the teachings of Jesus on the parable of the Sower. (6 marks)

• The parable teaches Christians how to hear and receive the word of God.
• The word of God is preached to all people, who receive it differently.
• There are those who hear the word but they are not able to withstand temptations and so abandon it.
• Other people hear the word but they give devil a chance to take it from them.
• There are other people who hear the word but they allow worries, riches and pleasures of the world to take it from them.
• There are those who hear the word, believe it and practice its teachings.

Explain Jesus teachings on the growth of the kingdom of God using parables. (8 marks)

• he used parable of the unfruitful fig tree i.e. he came to give sinners time to repent so as to get to the kingdom of God.
• In parable of mustard seed, Jesus showed that the kingdom of God starts from a humble beginning.
• In the parable of the yeast, he showed the kingdom grows secretly in the hearts of people.
• In the parable of the pearl, he showed kingdom of God is precious.
• In the parable of the sower, he taught kingdom of God belongs to those who hear the word of God and do according to it.

Narrate the parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke’s Gospel. (Lk 10: 25 – 37)

• He told / narrated a story of a man who was attacked by robbers on his way from Jerusalem to Jericho.
• The man was seriously injured and left for the dead.
• A priest passed by and ignored him.
• A levite also passed by but paid no attention as well.
• However, when a Samaritan found the injured he had compassion on him and nursed his wounds and took him to an inn and paid for his expenses. He promised to come back and paid for the remaining expenses.
• Jesus asked the lawyer to say who among the three had proved a neighbor to the injured man.
• The lawyer answered that it was the Samaritan.
• Jesus told the lawyer to go and do as the Samaritan had done.

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