The Parables of Jesus: A Simple Guide to 16 Stories and What They Mean Today
Photo by Roman Ziomka on Pexels Think about the last sermon you heard. Can you remember its three main points? Most of us can't. But you probably remember a story the preacher told. Jesus knew this about people. When he wanted to teach the most important truths there are, he didn't hand out a list. He told stories about a farmer throwing seed, a woman who lost a coin, and a son who wasted his inheritance and came home broke. Two thousand years later, those stories are still some of the best known in the world. This guide explains what a parable is, why Jesus taught this way, and what sixteen of his best-known parables mean for ordinary life today. "He that hath ears to hear, let him hear." (Mark 4:9, KJV) What is a parable? A parable is a short story taken from everyday life that carries a deeper meaning about God and about us. The word comes from the Greek parabolē , "to throw alongside." Jesus puts an ordinary picture next to a spiritual truth, ...