Jesus used parables to teach about the Kingdom of Heaven. Parables connect natural concepts to spiritual truths and reveal the difference between religion and relationship. Jesus spoke in parables to those outside so they would not understand, while explaining the meanings to his disciples. He rebuked religious leaders for prioritizing tradition over God's commands.

2. Jesus
EXPLAINED
the
Kingdom
Sunday,
April
21,
2013

3. OT/NT
words
translated
as
“parable”
• “a
dark,
mysterious
saying”
(paroimia,
as
in
Jn.
10:6)
• “a
similitude
or
proverb”
(mashal,
as
in
Job
27:1)
• “one
thing
placed
beside
another”
(parabolē,
occurs
about
50
Hmes
in
NT)

4. Parables
are:
1. revelaHon
2. a
picture
3. a
clarificaHon
4. an
example
used
to
illustrate
5. a
short
teaching
6. a
comparison

5. Role
of
Parables:
1. They
connect
the
NATURAL
with
the
SPIRITUAL
world.

6. Role
of
Parables:
1. They
connect
the
NATURAL
with
the
SPIRITUAL
world.
2. They
clearly
show
us
the
difference
between
RELIGION
&
RELATIONSHIP.

7. Then
the
disciples
came
and
said
to
him,
“Why
do
you
speak
to
them
in
parables?”
And
he
answered
them,
“To
you
it
has
been
given
to
know
the
secrets
of
the
kingdom
of
heaven,
but
to
them
it
has
not
been
given.
For
to
the
one
who
has,
more
will
be
given,
and
he
will
have
an
abundance,
but
from
the
one
who
has
not,
even
what
he
has
will
be
taken
away.
This
is
why
I
speak
to
them
in
parables,
because
seeing
they
do
not
see,
and
hearing
they
do
not
hear,
nor
do
they
understand.

8. Indeed,
in
their
case
the
prophecy
of
Isaiah
is
fulfilled
that
says:
“‘“You
will
indeed
hear
but
never
understand,
and
you
will
indeed
see
but
never
perceive.”
For
this
people's
heart
has
grown
dull,
and
with
their
ears
they
can
barely
hear,
and
their
eyes
they
have
closed,
lest
they
should
see
with
their
eyes
and
hear
with
their
ears
and
understand
with
their
heart
and
turn,
and
I
would
heal
them.’

9. But
blessed
are
your
eyes,
for
they
see,
and
your
ears,
for
they
hear.
For
truly,
I
say
to
you,
many
prophets
and
righteous
people
longed
to
see
what
you
see,
and
did
not
see
it,
and
to
hear
what
you
hear,
and
did
not
hear
it.
Ma9hew
13:10-­‐17
(ESV)

10. Then
Pharisees
and
scribes
came
to
Jesus
from
Jerusalem
and
said,
“Why
do
your
disciples
break
the
tradiHon
of
the
elders?
For
they
do
not
wash
their
hands
when
they
eat.”
He
answered
them,
“And
why
do
you
break
the
commandment
of
God
for
the
sake
of
your
tradiHon?
For
God
commanded,
‘Honor
your
father
and
your
mother,’
and,
‘Whoever
reviles
father
or
mother
must
surely
die.’
But
you
say,
‘If
anyone
tells
his
father
or
his
mother,
“What
you
would
have
gained
from
me
is
given
to
God,”
he
need
not
honor
his
father.’
So
for
the
sake
of
your
tradiHon
you
have
made
void
the
word
of
God.

11. You
hypocrites!
Well
did
Isaiah
prophesy
of
you,
when
he
said:
“‘This
people
honors
me
with
their
lips,
but
their
heart
is
far
from
me;
in
vain
do
they
worship
me,
teaching
as
doctrines
the
commandments
of
men.’”
And
he
called
the
people
to
him
and
said
to
them,
“Hear
and
understand:
it
is
not
what
goes
into
the
mouth
that
defiles
a
person,
but
what
comes
out
of
the
mouth;
this
defiles
a
person.”
Then
the
disciples
came
and
said
to
him,
“Do
you
know
that
the
Pharisees
were
offended
when
they
heard
this
saying?”

12. He
answered,
“Every
plant
that
my
heavenly
Father
has
not
planted
will
be
rooted
up.
Let
them
alone;
they
are
blind
guides.
And
if
the
blind
lead
the
blind,
both
will
fall
into
a
pit.”
But
Peter
said
to
him,
“Explain
the
parable
to
us.”
And
he
said,
“Are
you
also
sHll
without
understanding?
Do
you
not
see
that
whatever
goes
into
the
mouth
passes
into
the
stomach
and
is
expelled?
But
what
comes
out
of
the
mouth
proceeds
from
the
heart,
and
this
defiles
a
person.
For
out
of
the
heart
come
evil
thoughts,
murder,
adultery,
sexual
immorality,
theb,
false
witness,
slander.
These
are
what
defile
a
person.
But
to
eat
with
unwashed
hands
does
not
defile
anyone.”
Ma9hew
15:1-­‐20
(ESV)

13. Role
of
Parables:
1. They
connect
the
NATURAL
with
the
SPIRITUAL
world.
2. They
clearly
show
us
the
difference
between
RELIGION
&
RELATIONSHIP.
3. They
help
shape
our
new
KINGDOM
reality,
to
replace
our
old
worldview.

14. Parables
of
the
Kingdom:
Mt.
13
• parable
of
the
sower
• parable
of
the
tares
• parable
of
the
mustard
seed
• parable
of
the
leaven
• parable
of
the
hidden
treasure
• parable
of
the
net
with
good
and
bad
fish