Lessons from Bible Parables Bend 1-7-12

Introduction – As we begin a new calendar year, we are also beginning a new Bible study series (or mini-series, depending on how many sessions we end up with).

SPS – I decided to borrow the title of this series from the previous one (“Lessons from the Letters”) and call it “Lessons from Bible Parables.” We will begin by defining what is meant by a parable, and discuss how parables are used in the Bible. As we go along we will put a magnifying glass on the parables to make sure we understand accurately what they say, clarify and expand their meaning, and then determine how we can apply the information in our lives today. Another similarity with our previous Bible study series is that Jesus often uses the expression "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” in reference to His parables. The Hebrew word for “parable” (mashal) means “to be like or comparable to.” It can refer to a proverb, metaphor, riddle, allegory or other forms of figurative or symbolic language.

There are two Greek words for parable in the New Testament: 1. parabolē (48 occurrences, also used in LXX to translate mashal) – “to represent or stand for something; likeness or resemblance” • literally “to throw beside”—suggesting nearness for the purpose of comparison for likeness or difference by placing two things side by side. • “The kingdom of heaven is like… (subject of next Bible study). • Also used for short, pithy sayings. NKJ Luke 4:23 He said to them, "You will surely say this proverb [Greek parabolē] to Me, 'Physician, heal yourself! Whatever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in Your country.' " NKJ Luke 6:39 ¶ And He spoke a parable [Greek parabolē] to them: "Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into the ditch? 2. paroimia (5 NT occurrences—John 10:6; 16:25,29 [twice] and 2 Peter 2:22) a. re. 2 Peter 2:22 “a short saying in fixed form, emphasizing some general truth - 'proverb, saying.'” (Louw-Nida lexicon). NLT 2 Peter 2:20-22 20 And when people escape from the wickedness of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and then get tangled up and enslaved by sin again, they are worse off than before. 21 It would be better if they had never known the way to righteousness than to know it and then reject the command they were given to live a holy life. 22 They prove the truth of this proverb: "A dog returns to its vomit." And another says, "A washed pig returns to the mud (“wallowing in the mire” – NKJV)." b. re. passages in John – “a brief communication containing truths designed for initiates, veiled saying, figure of speech, in which esp. lofty ideas are concealed (BDAG lexicon).

NKJ John 10:1-6 ¶ "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 2 "But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 "To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 "And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 "Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers." 6 Jesus used this illustration [“parable” – KJV, Gr. paroimia], but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them. NKJ John 16:25-29 25 ¶ " These things I have spoken to you in figurative language [paroimia]; but the time is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figurative language [paroimia], but I will tell you plainly about the Father. 26 "In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I shall pray the Father for you; 27 "for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from God. 28 "I came forth from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I leave the world and go to the Father." 29 ¶ His disciples said to Him, "See, now You are speaking plainly, and using no figure of speech [paroimia]! Purposes of parables?

NKJ Matthew 13:10-13 ¶ And the disciples came and said to Him, "Why do You speak to them in parables?" 11 He answered and said to them, "Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 "For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. 13 "Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. “Jesus' answer cannot legitimately be softened: at least one of the functions of parables is to conceal the truth, or at least to present it in a veiled way” (The Expositor’s Bible Commentary). NKJ Mark 4:10-13 ¶ But when He was alone, those around Him with the twelve asked Him about the parable. 11 And He said to them, "To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables, 12 "so that 'Seeing they may see and not perceive, And hearing they may hear and not understand; Lest they should turn, And their sins be forgiven them.' " However, there are other purposes of parables in the Bible. Dake’s Annotated Bible lists 7: 1. To reveal truth in interesting form and create more interest. 2. To make known new truths to interested hearers. 3. To make known mysteries by comparison with things known. 4. To conceal truth from disinterested hearers and rebels at heart. 5. To add truth to those who love it and want more of it. Matthew 13:12 12 "For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. 6. To take away from those who hate and do not want it (same passage). 7. To fulfill prophecy. NKJ Matthew 13:13-15 13 "Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 "And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: 'Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, And seeing you will see and not perceive; 15 For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.' Here are some additional comments about the meaning and purposes of parables (from All the Parables of the Bible by Herbert Lockyer : Parables are simply extended similes or illustrations.”

“A common aspect of life is employed for the illustration of a higher truth. “An essential feature of the parable lay in the bringing together of two different things so that the one helped to explain and to emphasize the other.” “A parable has been described as ‘an outward symbol of inward reality’.” • “…an earthly story with a heavenly meaning.” “In a parable, an image is borrowed from the visible world and is accompanied by a truth from the invisible or spiritual world.” “The parables display a pre-ordained harmony between things spiritual and things material. Material objects are used to express spiritual truths and reveal that nature is more than it seems. Nature is a book of symbols—a fact that Tertullian had in mind when he wrote, ‘All things in nature are prophetic outlines of Divine Operations….” The point is that God deliberately planned and designed the physical creation to serve as “parables” to teach spiritual truths. NKJ Romans 1:18-20 18 ¶ For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse….

Examples of material objects used in Bible parables [QUOTE, Lockyer, p. 22-23] Here are arguably the two most famous parables in the Old Testament: 1. The 23rd Psalm NKJ Psalm 23:1-6 A Psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. 3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the LORD Forever. This classic psalm is a prime example of how parables can teach us valuable spiritual truths, inspire us and encourage us by the use of the material creation.

The classic book on this subject is A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by Phillip Keller, who draws on his experience as a sheepherder as well as observations from the sheepherding culture in East Africa, where he spent his early childhood. • He comments in the introduction on the value of learning spiritual lessons from the material creation [QUOTE]. We can go through this book during this series and insert additional material from other sources. 2. Nathan the prophet’s parable to King David. NLT 2 Samuel 11:1-27 ¶ In the spring of the year,1 when kings normally go out to war, David sent Joab and the Israelite army to fight the Ammonites. They destroyed the Ammonite army and laid siege to the city of Rabbah. However, David stayed behind in Jerusalem. 2 ¶ Late one afternoon, after his midday rest, David got out of bed and was walking on the roof of the palace. As he looked out over the city, he noticed a woman of unusual beauty taking a bath. 3 He sent someone to find out who she was, and he was told, "She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite." 4 Then David sent messengers to get her; and when she came to the palace, he slept with her. She had just completed the purification rites after having her menstrual period. Then she returned home. 5 Later, when Bathsheba discovered that she was pregnant, she sent David a message, saying, "I'm pregnant."

6 ¶ Then David sent word to Joab: "Send me Uriah the Hittite." So Joab sent him to David. 7 When Uriah arrived, David asked him how Joab and the army were getting along and how the war was progressing. 8 Then he told Uriah, "Go on home and relax.1 " David even sent a gift to Uriah after he had left the palace. 9 But Uriah didn't go home. He slept that night at the palace entrance with the king's palace guard. 10 When David heard that Uriah had not gone home, he summoned him and asked, "What's the matter? Why didn't you go home last night after being away for so long?" 11 Uriah replied, "The Ark and the armies of Israel and Judah are living in tents,1 and Joab and my master's men are camping in the open fields. How could I go home to wine and dine and sleep with my wife? I swear that I would never do such a thing." 12 "Well, stay here today," David told him, "and tomorrow you may return to the army." So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem that day and the next. 13 Then David invited him to dinner and got him drunk. But even then he couldn't get Uriah to go home to his wife. Again he slept at the palace entrance with the king's palace guard. 14 ¶ So the next morning David wrote a letter to Joab and gave it to Uriah to deliver. 15 The letter instructed Joab, "Station Uriah on the front lines where the battle is fiercest. Then pull back so that he will be killed."

16 So Joab assigned Uriah to a spot close to the city wall where he knew the enemy's strongest men were fighting. 17 And when the enemy soldiers came out of the city to fight, Uriah the Hittite was killed along with several other Israelite soldiers. 18 Then Joab sent a battle report to David. 19 He told his messenger, "Report all the news of the battle to the king. 20 But he might get angry and ask, 'Why did the troops go so close to the city? Didn't they know there would be shooting from the walls? 21 Wasn't Abimelech son of Gideon1 killed at Thebez by a woman who threw a millstone down on him from the wall? Why would you get so close to the wall?' Then tell him, 'Uriah the Hittite was killed, too.' " 22 ¶ So the messenger went to Jerusalem and gave a complete report to David. 23 "The enemy came out against us in the open fields," he said. "And as we chased them back to the city gate, 24 the archers on the wall shot arrows at us. Some of the king's men were killed, including Uriah the Hittite." 25 "Well, tell Joab not to be discouraged," David said. "The sword devours this one today and that one tomorrow! Fight harder next time, and conquer the city!" 26 ¶ When Uriah's wife heard that her husband was dead, she mourned for him. 27 When the period of mourning was over, David sent for her and brought her to the palace, and she became one of his wives. Then she gave birth to a son. But the LORD was displeased with what David had done.

NLT 2 Samuel 12:1 ¶ So the LORD sent Nathan the prophet to tell David this story: "There were two men in a certain town. One was rich, and one was poor. 2 The rich man owned a great many sheep and cattle. 3 The poor man owned nothing but one little lamb he had bought. He raised that little lamb, and it grew up with his children. It ate from the man's own plate and drank from his cup. He cuddled it in his arms like a baby daughter. 4 One day a guest arrived at the home of the rich man. But instead of killing an animal from his own flock or herd, he took the poor man's lamb and killed it and prepared it for his guest." 5 David was furious. "As surely as the LORD lives," he vowed, "any man who would do such a thing deserves to die! 6 He must repay four lambs to the poor man for the one he stole and for having no pity." 7 ¶ Then Nathan said to David, "You are that man! The LORD, the God of Israel, says: I anointed you king of Israel and saved you from the power of Saul. 8 I gave you your master's house and his wives and the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. And if that had not been enough, I would have given you much, much more. 9 Why, then, have you despised the word of the LORD and done this horrible deed? For you have murdered Uriah the Hittite with the sword of the Ammonites and stolen his wife. 10 From this time on, your family will live by the sword because you have despised me by taking Uriah's wife to be your own.

11 "This is what the LORD says: Because of what you have done, I will cause your own household to rebel against you. I will give your wives to another man before your very eyes, and he will go to bed with them in public view. 12 You did it secretly, but I will make this happen to you openly in the sight of all Israel." 13 Then David confessed to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." • Psalm 51 is David’s prayer of repentance for his sins involving Bathsheba. Why was Nathan’s story effective? How was he able to penetrate David’s defense system? 1. He “came in the back door” so to speak. 2. He picked a topic near and dear to David’s heart – sheep (since David had been a shepherd). 3. His story also appealed to David’s sense of fairness. 4. He engaged David’s emotions before David knew the purpose of the story. 5. The combination resulted in anger and a sentence of punishment from David’s lips, again, before Nathan revealed him as the real culprit. 6. David was immediately able to make the connection. Here is another lesser known parable directed toward King David: NLT 2 Samuel 14:1-23 ¶ Joab realized how much the king longed to see Absalom. 2 So he sent for a woman from Tekoa who had a reputation for great wisdom. He said to her, "Pretend you are in mourning; wear mourning clothes and don't put on lotions.1 Act like a woman who has been mourning for the dead for a long time. 3 Then go to the king and tell him the story I am about to tell you." Then Joab told her what to say.

4 ¶ When the woman from Tekoa approached the king, she bowed with her face to the ground in deep respect and cried out, "O king! Help me!" 5 "What's the trouble?" the king asked."Alas, I am a widow!" she replied. "My husband is dead. 6 My two sons had a fight out in the field. And since no one was there to stop it, one of them was killed. 7 Now the rest of the family is demanding, 'Let us have your son. We will execute him for murdering his brother. He doesn't deserve to inherit his family's property.' They want to extinguish the only coal I have left, and my husband's name and family will disappear from the face of the earth." 8 ¶ "Leave it to me," the king told her. "Go home, and I'll see to it that no one touches him." 9 "Oh, thank you, my lord the king," the woman from Tekoa replied. "If you are criticized for helping me, let the blame fall on me and on my father's house, and let the king and his throne be innocent." 10 "If anyone objects," the king said, "bring him to me. I can assure you he will never complain again!" 11 Then she said, "Please swear to me by the LORD your God that you won't let anyone take vengeance against my son. I want no more bloodshed." "As surely as the LORD lives," he replied, "not a hair on your son's head will be disturbed!"

12 ¶ "Please allow me to ask one more thing of my lord the king," she said."Go ahead and speak," he responded. 13 She replied, "Why don't you do as much for the people of God as you have promised to do for me? You have convicted yourself in making this decision, because you have refused to bring home your own banished son. 14 All of us must die eventually. Our lives are like water spilled out on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. But God does not just sweep life away; instead, he devises ways to bring us back when we have been separated from him. 15 "I have come to plead with my lord the king because people have threatened me. I said to myself, 'Perhaps the king will listen to me 16 and rescue us from those who would cut us off from the inheritance 1 God has given us. 17 Yes, my lord the king will give us peace of mind again.' I know that you are like an angel of God in discerning good from evil. May the LORD your God be with you."

18 ¶ "I must know one thing," the king replied, "and tell me the truth." "Yes, my lord the king," she responded. 19 "Did Joab put you up to this?" And the woman replied, "My lord the king, how can I deny it? Nobody can hide anything from you. Yes, Joab sent me and told me what to say. 20 He did it to place the matter before you in a different light. But you are as wise as an angel of God, and you understand everything that happens among us!"

21 ¶ So the king sent for Joab and told him, "All right, go and bring back the young man Absalom." 22 Joab bowed with his face to the ground in deep respect and said, "At last I know that I have gained your approval, my lord the king, for you have granted me this request!" 23 Then Joab went to Geshur and brought Absalom back to Jerusalem. • In their book, The Language of Love, authors Gary Smalley and John Trent explain how what they call an emotional “word picture” can serve as a communication tool by using a story or object to activate both the emotions and the intellect of a person so that the person doesn’t just hear your words but experiences them at the emotional level. • So Nathan’s parable and other Bible parables could be called “word pictures.”

• QUOTE, “Parables of the Old Testament” (from The Book of Life set) It could be said that a parable (or emotional word picture) is worth a thousand words. • Smalley & Trent’s book tells how you can use emotional word pictures (or parables) to get your point across to someone who might not otherwise be receptive. • Jesus used this communication tool to the ultimate effectiveness in convicting and exposing the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees. • We may take a session of this series to analyze those examples.

Conclusion – I hope that this introduction will whet your appetite for what I hope you will find to be a profitable and inspiring series as we go through some of the parables of the Bible.