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"Humanity alone is 'sacred'. Human life is the only reality that has a
status above that of "created things."
Jacques Ellul, The Subversion
of Christianity, Wm. B. Erdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids, MI
, p. 56.
Some of the Parables Explained
07/15/2018
Below are most of the parables found in the synoptic Gospels. Omitted are
the more simple and direct analogies, objects lessons, and the parables that
Jesus himself explained. The commentary and interpretations given are
generally not the traditional ones, but are compatible with the Kingship of
the Heavens Gospel.
Aspects and features of parables in general
The true nature of the Hebrew parable construct that Jesus sometimes
used is probably not completely understood, but a few
things are clear:
1. Parables can be different from analogies, and are not meant necessarily to give us a
one to one symbolic correspondence or substitution code for real aspects
2. Parables can be used to portray AND veil the truth, and Jesus actually
claimed to do the latter at times.
3. Parables are usually designed to enlighten and give insights
4. Parables can be designed and used to induce critical thinking and discussion
5. There are different categories of parables that Jesus produced,
such as those designed to:
a. Illustrate insights and truths
b. Correct thinking, attitude or course of action
c. Induce a course of thinking or action
d. Affirm a Gospel induced
position or behavior
6. The broken spirit or mentality of Man on earth was too wounded,
depressed and/or depraved to even consider what Jesus was talking about
and offering. See Thomas 28. Many of the
parables are "Kingship of the Heavens" parables intended to
induce an understanding that had not previously entered into the mind of Man on earth. See:
Kingship of the Heavens
7. Parables should NEVER be used to produce, or be the basis for
doctrines, as that should be in the domain of "common sense" applied to
the paradigm and non-parable teachings of Jesus. However, parables may affirm and/or
induce more understanding of doctrinal issues.
8. It would be surprising if a couple or a few of the sayings and parables were not of
Pharisaical origin but offered to the synoptic compiler and then
recorded as having been used or repeated by Jesus. It would also be
surprising if the parables have come down to us
verbatim—there are some minor differences between the different
synoptic recordings—but the interpreter and provider of the commentary
below does not find any significant problems with the content. The
premise and claim is that by combining the duplicated synoptic accounts, nothing
significant is lost and something better is gained.
9. It is somewhat enlightening to note the
elements used
by Jesus in his parables, analogies and metaphors. These included
clothes, food and drink, trees, plants, seeds and grains, servants and
rulers, buildings and materials, fish, animals and livestock, coins and
treasure, etc., all common to the culture. If the Israelites and Jews
had been a seafaring people, these elements probably would have been or
included boats and ships, ropes and sails, keels, rudders and masts,
harbors, winds, waves and storms; and Davy Jones's locker instead of Hades.
Correcting and "inducing" parables pertain to human thinking, action or behavior,
and relate to what God would like us to think and not think, do and not do.
These parables cannot be interpreted properly without understanding that
the primary things that God wants us to do are to seek the truth and
believe what Jesus says, and thereby understand. All other aspects of
attitude and behavior are supposed to follow naturally from THIS course of action.
48-BLIND LEAD THE BLIND
Luke 6:39-42 Mt 7:3-5 He told them a
parable: "Is a blind man able to lead a blind man, won't they both fall
into the ditch? A disciple is not above his teacher, but every one
having been matured will be like his teacher. Why do you see the twig
in your brother's eye, but don't consider the log that is in your own
eye? Or how can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me take out the
twig in your eye,' yourself not seeing the log in your own eye? You
hypocrite, first take the log out of your eye, and then you will see
clearly to take out the twig in your brother's eye."
Site Commentary: Note that eyes and seeing relate to apprehending and
understanding. This parable clearly indicates that we should not come on
as teachers or reformers UNTIL we understand the truth, God, and
ourselves! Doesn't this mean that it is inappropriate to preach, to
argue, to use anything other than reasonable discussion to come into
unity?
49-BUILD ON THE ROCK
Luke 6:46-49 Mt 7:24-27 "Why do
you{pl} call me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do what I say? Every one coming
to me and hearing my words and doing them, I will compare to a prudent
man, I will show you{pl} what he is like. He is like a man building a
house, who dug, and deepened, and laid the foundation upon rock. Down
came the rain with a flood happening, the winds blew and the stream
broke against that house, and could not shake it, it had been founded on
the rock. But he who heard my words and did not perform is likened to a
man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. Down came the
rain, the waters came up, the wind blew, and the stream broke against
that house, and immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was
great."
Site Commentary: This parable practically explains itself in a way that no
one can misunderstand in general, but seemingly almost no one actually
performs. The reasonable (righteous) Jesus is clearly the rock and
HIS words, message, and deeds are the materials,
but most want to extend the meaning to include letting other so-called
prophets and apostles speak for God, usually in the form of "Holy
Scriptures".
58-PARABLE OF GROWING GRAIN
Mark 4:26-29" And he said, "Thus is the
kingship of God, as if a man should scatter seed upon the ground, and
should sleep and rise night and day, and the seed should sprout and grow
as he knows not how, for the earth bears fruit of itself, first the
plant, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. But when it yields
the fruit, immediately he puts forth the sickle, because the harvest
stands ready."
Site Commentary: This "Kingship" parable is included because it is so very
encouraging. The parable can be interpreted in two different and
probably equally valid ways. Either Jesus is the sower and the kingship
develops immediately upon the seed planted by him producing the fruit in
us, or we are the sower in our own minds and hearts, and the Kingship
comes to us upon the seed bearing its natural fruit. Either way,
wouldn't the Kingship be imminent?
59-GOOD SEED, BAD SEED
Matthew 13:24-30" Another parable he put before
them, saying, "The kingship of the heavens is likened to a man sowing
good seed in his field; but during the sleep of the men, his enemy came
and sowed darnel among the wheat, and went away. So when the plants
sprouted up and bore grain, then the darnel appeared also. Approaching,
the servants of the householder came and said to him, 'Sir, did you not
sow good seed in your field? How then has it darnel?' He said to them,
'An enemy, man, did this.' The servants said to him, 'Having gone out,
will you have us collect them?' But he said, 'No; lest in gathering the
darnel you{pl} may uproot the wheat along with them. Let both grow
together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers
to collect the darnel first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but
bring together the wheat into my granary.''"
Site Commentary: Isn't the sower Jesus, and doesn't the "good seed"
represent the insights, concepts, doctrines, ans truths that he presented and
explicated? Doesn't the darnel represent bad doctrines or
conceptions (Sin) about God, NOT living beings? The harvest for
all doctrines was at the crucifixion and resurrection; the good concepts
and doctrines were then fully demonstrated and the sinful concepts of God were
proven false, both for all time.
60-PARABLE OF THE MUSTARD SEED
Matthew 13:31,32 Mk 4:30-32 Lk
13:18,19 He presented them with another parable, saying, "The
kingship of God is like unto what? And to what may I compare it? The
kingship of the heavens is like a grain of mustard seed which, upon
taking, a man sowed in his field; it is the lesser of all seeds on
earth, but when it is grown is greater than all the plants, and becomes
a tree producing large branches, so that the birds of the sky come and
roost in its branches."
Site Commentary: Depending on your position regarding
universal salvation (universalism), this "kingship" parable can be
interpreted in two different ways. Either the sower is Jesus bringing
the availability of the kingship to the field of the world and all mankind, or, the sower is the individual
looking at, hearing and considering the message of Jesus, and then
incorporating it into his belief. The former would seem to imply
universalism whereas the latter would imply that all of a person's
legitimate needs and desired would be fulfilled. At the end, BOTH the
corporate and individual interpretations may be valid, but the latter
one MUST be valid.
61-PARABLE OF LEAVEN IN FLOUR
Matthew 13:33-35 Mk 4:33,34 Lk 13:20,21 He told them
another parable. "To what may I compare the kingship of God? The
kingship of the heavens is like leaven which, upon taking, a woman hid
in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened."
Site Commentary: See the above commentary for the parable of
the mustard seed. Also, when you understand the character of God, the
nature of the Kingship and its being imminent, THAT understanding influences, affects
and changes everything in your thinking and your life.
63-LAMP OF UNDERSTANDING
Luke 8:16-18; 11:33 Mk 4:21-25 "No one having lit a lamp covers it with a container, or puts it under a
couch, but puts it on a stand, that those entering may see the light.
For nothing is hidden which will not be revealed, nor secret, which will
not be known and come to be revealed. If anyone has ears to hear, let
him hear." Then he explained to them, "Be careful how and what you{pl}
hear. By what measure you{pl} measure it will be measured to you{pl}.
And it will be increased to you{pl}, the ones hearing. For whoever may
have, it will be given to him, and who has not, even what he seems to
have will be taken away."
Site Commentary: The "lamp" is our intellect, judgment and
critical thinking ability, and any concepts entering our domain should
be subject to it. As Jesus explains it, isn't this parable a stark and
significant inducement to be intellectually responsible in fostering our
understanding and belief system?
64-LAMP OF THE SOUL
Luke 11:34-36 Mt 6:22,23 "The lamp
of the body is the eye. So, when your eye is sound and focused, your
whole body is brightened; but if your eye is bad, your whole body is
dark. If then the light in you{pl} is darkness, how great the
darkness! Watch then, lest the light in you{pl} is darkness. If then
your whole body is brightened, having no dark part, all will be bright,
as when a lamp with its shining illumines you{pl}."
Site Commentary: See the above commentary for the lamp of
understanding. If we are not intellectually responsible by being honest,
attentive, rational,
logical and reasonable, with objectivity, critical thinking and good judgment, how completely
dark we truly are!
104-PARABLE OF FRIEND AT MIDNIGHT
Luke 11:5-8 And he said to them,
"Which one of you{pl} shall have a friend and will go to him at midnight
and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves, since a friend of mine
has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing that I may set before him';
and the one within answering may say, 'Don't cause me bother; the door
now has been shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up
and give to you'? I tell you{pl}, even if he will not give to him,
rising up because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity,
rising, he will give to him as many as he needs."
Site Commentary: Even a stranger or a
non-friend will usually respond to a neighbor or a fellow citizen in a
time of need. Isn't the implication of this parable that
God should be inclined to support us even more, and for more than one
reason? This parable screams the question, "Why isn't it happening?"
114-SEVEN MORE EVILS COME BACK
Matthew 12:43-45 Lk 11:24-28 "When
the corrupt spirit (mentality)
goes out of a man, it passes through arid places seeking rest, but it
finds not. Then it says, 'I will return to my house from which I
came.' And coming it finds it empty, being swept, and being decorated.
Then it goes and takes with it seven other mentalities more corrupt than
itself, and entering they dwell there; and the last situation of that
man becomes worse than the first. Thus will it be also with this evil
generation."
Site Commentary: Maybe it doesn't need
saying again, but this parable CANNOT legitimately be used to justify
the thinking that the "spirits" are living beings. This parable is quite appropriately assuring
us that it isn't enough to stop believing wrong things, to just come out
of a false religion. The vacuum will then either be filled with the
truth or just a different form of falsehood and nonsense.
Evidently,
Jesus was applying this parable to his followers including the
"disciples". They were not really getting their heads into the issues, not
asking him good, relevant questions, not listening to his entire message and believing it.
For the most part, these followers proved to be impervious to the
understanding that Jesus was trying to foster, and yet took
it upon themselves to be God's representatives. The end result was that
only a few came to their senses after the resurrection, but the rest
not only died or were killed, but they and their
misunderstandings became the basis for the world's
largest and most powerful yet false religion. The disciples failure to pay
more attention, to ask relevant questions and to understand that Jesus was
the demonstration of GOD, is nothing short of outrageous, and as such they
will be embarrassed until the whole sordid mess is forgotten. They will
NEVER be regarded as greater than Mary the prostitute and FRIEND of Jesus!
121-PARABLE OF BUILDING LARGER BARNS
Luke 12:16-21 And he spoke a parable to them,
saying, "The land of a certain rich man produced well. He reasoned
within himself, saying, 'What may I do, for I have nowhere to gather my
crops?' And he said, 'I will do this: I will raze my barns, and I will
build larger; and there I will gather all my produce and my goods. And
I will say to myself, Self, you have ample goods laid up for many years;
take rest, eat, drink, be glad.' But God said to him, 'Fool! This night
they demand your psyche <usual life> from you; and that which you have
prepared, to whom will it be?' So is the one treasuring for himself,
not being rich toward God."
Site Commentary: Whether you apply this parable to tangible
financial riches or "virtuous" deeds and accomplishments, neither of
these developments will deliver the kingship of the heavens to you. It
is ironic that the Jews of Jesus' day were facing an invasion by Rome in
about twenty five years, which included the devastation of Jerusalem and the
destruction of the temple.
122-BLESSED ARE SERVANTS AWAKE
Luke 12:35-40 "Let yourself be dressed and
your lamps burning, and be like men awaiting their master, when he
returns from the feasts, so that knocking, they will open to him at
once. Blessed those servants whom the master, coming, will find
watching; truly, I say to you{pl}, he will gird himself and have them to
recline, and coming up he will serve them. If he comes in the second
watch, or even comes in the third, and finds them so, blessed are those
servants! But know this, that if the housemaster had known at what hour
the thief was coming, he would have watched and not let his house be
broken into. You{pl} then be prepared; for the Son of man passes at a
time you{pl} don't expect."
Site Commentary: The disciples and followers of Jesus were
almost to a man still intoxicated with the old religion, the old
paradigm, the old thinking, and thereby too stupefied to be intellectually
responsible and spiritually alert. Wasn't this parable an attempt by
Jesus to inspire them to wake up and pay attention?
Thomas verse 28 has Jesus saying, "I took
my place in the midst of the world, and I appeared to them in flesh. I
found all of them intoxicated; I found none of them thirsty. And my
life <psyche> became afflicted for the sons of men, because they are
blind in their hearts and do not have sight; for empty they came into
the world, and empty too they seek to leave the world. But for the
moment they are intoxicated. When they shake off their wine, then they
will repent."
125-PARABLE OF THE TALENTS
Matthew 25:14-30 "For it is as if a man going
abroad called his own servants and entrusted to them his property; to
one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each
according to his ability; and then went away. He receiving the five
talents, going, traded with them and he gained five other talents.
Likewise, he receiving the two talents gained two other talents. But he
receiving the one talent, going, dug in the ground and hid his master's
silver. So after a long time the master of those servants comes and
takes account with them. And coming forward, he receiving the five
talents brought the other five talents, saying, 'Master, you delivered
five talents to me; behold another five talents I gained over them.'
His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you were
faithful over a few, I will set you over many; enter into the joy of
your master.'
"And also coming forward, the one
receiving the two talents said, 'Master, you delivered two talents to
me; behold another two talents I gained over them.' His master said to
him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over
a few, I will set you over many; enter into the joy of your master.'
Also coming forward, the one having
received the one talent said, 'Master, I knew you to be a severe man,
reaping from where you did not sow, and gathering from where you did not
scatter; fearing this and going away, I hid your talent in the ground.
Behold, you have yours.' But his master answered him, 'You miserable
and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I sowed not, and
gather where I scattered not? Then it behooved you to have put my money
with the bankers, and coming I would have received my own again with
interest. Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him having
the ten talents. For to him having, all will be given, and he will
abound; but from the one having not, even what he has will be taken from
him. And throw out the worthless servant into the outer darkness; there
will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'"
Site Commentary: Remember that the endeavor that Jesus
wants from us is to seek the truth, believe what HE says, and then
UNDERSTAND. The promise is that the "God Attitude" will teach us all
things and lead us into ALL the truth. The talents in the parable
represent facets of the truth, and there is just no reasonable excuse
for just settling on whatever truth you have (burying it). Is not the
slothful servant the one who does not press forward, expand his own, and contribute to
the total understanding of the truth?
126-PARABLE OF SHEEP AND GOATS
Matthew 25:31-46 "When the Son of man comes into
his glory, and all the holy doctrines with him, then he will sit on his
glorious seat of power, and before him will be gathered all the nations,
and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the
sheep from the goats, and he will set the sheep at his right hand, but
the goats at the left. Then will the King say to those at his right
hand, 'Come, blessed of my Father, inherit the kingship prepared for you{pl}
from the foundation of the world. For I hungered and you{pl}
gave to eat, I thirsted and you{pl} gave me drink, I was a stranger and
you{pl} took me in; naked, and you{pl} clothed me, I was sick and
you{pl} visited me, I was in prison and you{pl} came to me.'
"Then the righteous will answer him,
saying, 'Master, when did we see you hungering, and fed you, or
thirsting, and gave you drink; and when did we see you a stranger and
took you in, or naked, and clothed you? And when did we see you sick or
in prison, and come to you?' And answering the King will say to them,
'Truly, I say to you{pl}, even as you{pl} did it to one of the least of
these my brothers, you{pl} did it to me.'
"Then he also will say to those at
his left, 'Depart from me, those cursed, into the fire
of all ages prepared for the diabolical one and his doctrines; for I
hungered and you{pl} gave me nothing to eat, I thirsted and you{pl} gave
me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you{pl} did not take me in,
naked and you{pl} did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you{pl} did
not visit me.'
"Then they also will answer him,
'Lord, when did we see you hungering, or thirsting, or a stranger, or
naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister to you?' Then he
will answer them, saying, 'Truly, I say to you{pl}, as you{pl} did it
not to one of the least, you{pl} did it not to me.' And these will go
away into the punishment of all the ages,
but the righteous into the life of all ages."
Site Commentary: The Son of man came into his
glory on the cross, and all the true and valid concepts of God (holy
doctrines) with him. That WAS his "seat of power". It was a public spectacle,
not a private but a PUBLIC DEMONSTRATION that the Creator would rather die than violate our
personal and familial sovereignty. The separation of the sheep and goats
is a metaphorical one on one hand, and a very real one on the other.
Those that don't understand the issues, that don't see the values, love and
commitment of the Creator become the goats without even realizing it.
We
should be able to see that the feeding and the slaking of thirst, etc.,
apply not literally nor tangibly—though of course those may be
appropriate—but to the providing and sharing of the truth. Those, that
interpret this parable as Jesus literally coming back and ever sitting
upon a physical throne in judgment over earthly humans, would be included
with the goats. This parable says NOTHING about any ultimate personal
destiny.
128-PARABLE OF BARREN FIG TREE
Luke 13:6-9 And he told this parable:
"A man had a certain fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came
seeking fruit on it, and he found none. And he said to the vinedresser,
'Behold, three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find
none. Cut it down; why does it even spoil the ground?' And he
answering, said to him, 'Sir, Leave it also this year, until I may dig
around it and put on manure, and another if it bears fruit; but if not,
in the future you may cut it down.'"
Site Commentary: Again, this parable should not be taken
literally in so far as God is NOT in the business of coming back to the
earth and destroying anything. You may apply this parable to
Israel—probably the most widely held but false interpretation—or to
the movements that Jesus spawned, or to the whole earthly population.
Without a spiritual healing, an acceptance of the REAL Gospel, and a
coming of the kingship, the human race will no doubt either essentially
destroy itself or possibly suffer another cometary global disaster or
worse. No need for a deistic destructive involvement.
131-PARABLE OF THE GREAT PEARL
Matthew 13:45,46 "Again, the kingship of the
heavens is like a merchantman seeking excellent pearls, who, upon
finding one very precious pearl, and going away, has sold everything
that he owns and bought it."
Site Commentary: The Kingship of the Heavens is the biggest and
best possible-to-imagine dream or vision of the ideal life and
environment for the future, and when you settle on it all other
aspirations fade into non-comparability. All other scenario constructions would
get traded for it. It is the BIG dream, the ONLY vision suitable for
eternity.
132-PARABLE OF THE SORTED FISH
Matthew 13:47-52 "Again, the kingship of the
heavens is like a net thrown into the sea, and gathering together every
kind; then when it was filled, men, drawing it to shore and sitting
down, collected those valuable into containers, but the worthless they
threw out. So it will be at the finish of the age. The doctrines will
go out and separate the miserable from the reasonable, and will throw
them into the furnace of fire; there will be weeping and gnashing of
teeth."
Jesus says to them, "Have you{pl}
understood all this?" They say to him, "Yes, Sir." And he said to
them, "Because of this, every scholar trained about the kingship of the
heavens is like a man, a master of a house, who puts out of his treasure
new and old."
Site Commentary: The vision of the Kingship of the
Heavens as
being the unsurpassable fulfillment of our needs and desires, and the
truth about God are sorting agents that separate the unworthy concepts,
schemes or dreams from the worthy. The miserable get destroyed, and
there will be lots of remorse for ever having and/or holding them, and thereby obstructing or delaying the inception of universal healing and
fulfillment.
133-LAST WHO WILL BE FIRST
Luke 13:22-30 He traveled throughout towns
and villages teaching, and making progress toward Jerusalem. And one
said to him, "Sir, those being saved are few?" And he said to them,
"Strive to enter by the narrow door; I tell you{pl} that many will seek
to enter in and will not have strength. After the householder is risen
and shuts the door, you{pl} begin to stand outside and to knock at the
door, saying, 'Lord, lord, open to us.' He answering says to you{pl},
'I don't know you{pl}, from where you{pl} are.' Then you{pl} will begin
to say, 'We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our
streets.' But he will say, 'I tell you{pl}, I don't know you{pl}, where
you{pl} come from; stand away from me, all you{pl} workers of
unreasonableness!' There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when
you{pl} see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the
kingship of God and you{pl} being thrust outside. And they will come
from east and west, and from north and south, and relax in the kingship
of God. And behold, some who are last will be first, and some who are
first will be last."
Site Commentary: Currently on the stage of the universe, what
the humans on earth believe is miserable and shameful, and ultimately no
one, not the Creator, nor the unfallen, nor our own human family will be
satisfied until that changes. Many religious people are so enthralled
with destructive and evil doctrines that they cannot be suitable for
inclusion until those concepts are purged and the people "purified".
138-PARABLE OF THE GREAT BANQUET
Luke 14:15-24" One of those attending with
him, hearing these things, said to him, "Blessed, those eating bread in
the kingship of God!" But he said to him, "A certain man gave a great
banquet, invited many, and sent his servant at the time for the banquet
to say to those having been invited, 'Come; for it is all now ready.'
But they all the same began to beg off. The first said to him, 'I have
bought a field, and I must go out and see it; I ask you, have me
excused.' And another said, 'I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am
going to try them out; I ask you, have me excused.' And another said,
'I married a wife, and for this reason I cannot come.'
"Coming up, that servant reported
all this to his master. Then being angry, the housemaster said to his
servant, 'Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring
in here the poor and maimed and lame and blind.' Then the servant said,
'Sir, it has been done as you ordered, but still there is room.' So the
master said to the servant, 'Go out to the highways and hedges and
compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. For I tell you,
that not one of those men having been invited shall taste my banquet.'"
Site Commentary: This parable hardly needs any interpretation
at all. What a vivid description of those caught up in the opportunities
and cares of the mundane world. They stand in denial that success in
that arena can never satisfy, and that if that were the object of God's
program, he would be a miserable father indeed They stand as a constant
demonstration that there is no real belief in a God worthy of the term.
139-PARABLE OF THE WEDDING FEAST
Matthew 22:1-14" Responding, again Jesus spoke
to them in parables, saying, "The kingship of the heavens is likened to
a man, a king, who gave a wedding feast for his son. He sent his
servants to call those being invited to the wedding. But they did
not wish to come. Again he sent other servants, saying, 'Tell
those invited, Behold, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fatted
calves are killed, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding
feast.' But they, not caring, went off, one to his field, and one
to his trading; however, the rest, seizing his servants, insulted them
and killed them.
"Upon hearing of this, the king
became angry, and sending his troops, he destroyed those murderers and
burned their city. Then he said to his servants, 'Indeed, the wedding
is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Therefore you{pl} go to
the thoroughfare exits, and invite to the feast as many as you{pl}
find.' And going forth into the streets those servants gathered
all of many they found, both bad and good; and the wedding was filled
with guests.
"Upon coming in to look at those
attending, the king saw there a man not being dressed in a wedding
garment. So he said to him, 'Friend, how did you enter here without a
wedding garment?' But he was silent. Then the king said to the
servants, 'Binding his feet and hands, take him away and throw him out
into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'
For many are called, but few selected."
Site Commentary: The spectacle of a royal
wedding feast hardly does justice to the opening up of the glorious
opportunity of becoming a co-equal citizen-king of the universe and
having the entire IFISEEKUS package in a healed reality. But Jesus
worked with what he had. Again though, most men are so beguiled by their
petty mundane affairs, so entranced with their "marvelous and wonderful" fulfilling
successes and opportunities in this world that they have no time nor
interest in looking higher.
Again, we need to make sure that we are not
inclined to extrapolate the violent activity of the king in the parable
to God. The parable just expresses the natural feelings of frustration.
The man without a wedding garment represents
those who think they are fine as they are, even though they do not understand the
Gospel truth.
142-PARABLE OF LOST SHEEP
Luke 15:1-7 Mt 18:10-14 Now all the
tax collectors and sinners were drawing near to him to hear him. And
the Pharisees and the theologians murmured, saying, "This one receives
sinners and eats with them." {Jesus said}, "See that you{pl} do not
despise one of these little ones; for I declare to you{pl} that their
messages in the heavens always see the face of my Father in the
heavens. For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost."
So he told them this parable: "What
do you{pl} think? What man of you{pl}, having a hundred sheep, and one
of them wanders away, does not leave the ninety‑nine in the wilderness,
and go in search after the one that wandered away, until he finds it?
And finding, he puts it on his shoulders, rejoicing. Upon coming home,
he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice
with me, for I have found my sheep having strayed.' I tell you{pl},
that there is thus more joy in the heavens over one repenting sinner
than over ninety‑nine righteous who have no need of repentance. So it
is not the will in the estimation of your Father in the heavens that one
of these little ones should die."
Site Commentary: Again, this parable
practically explains itself. Jesus obviously preferred to hang out with
the genuine people rather than the religious hypocrites. He understood
that you can't be saved until you know you're lost. This world is a
wilderness with a death sentence. Until we leave the flock and seek
better truths and better answers, we will wander in the wilderness and
eat the weeds and grass. Remember that the definition of sin is having and
holding a negative misconception of God. That was the original problem
and is STILL the problem.
143-PARABLE OF THE LOST COIN
Luke 15:8-10" "Or what woman, having ten
coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house
and look carefully until she finds it? Upon finding it, she calls
together her friends and neighbors, saying, 'Rejoice with me, for I have
the coin which I lost.' Therefore, I tell you{pl}, there is joy before
the messengers of God over one repenting sinner."
Site Commentary: This parable certainly
does not encourage us to settle for the cup being half full. We were
meant to have it all, we should want it all, we should seek it all, we
should receive it all, not
ninety per cent.
144-PARABLE OF THE LOST SON
Luke 15:11-32" And he said, "A certain man had
two sons. The younger of them said to the father, 'Father, give me the
share of the property falling to me.' So he divided his livelihood
between them. Not many days after this, the younger son, gathering all
his things, went away to a distant country, and squandered his property
there, living dissolutely. Having spent all his means, a severe famine
came throughout that country, and he began to be in need. So going, he
was joined to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into
his fields to feed pigs. And he longed to fill his stomach from the
pods that the pigs ate, but no one gave him anything. Upon coming to
his senses he said, 'How many servants of my father abound in bread, but
I am perishing with hunger! Rising up, I will go to my father, and I
will say to him, "Father, I sinned against heaven and before you; I am
no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me as one of your
servants.'
"And rising up he came to his
father. But when yet at a distance, his father saw him and was moved
with pity, and running, fell on his neck and fervently kissed him. And
the son said to him, 'Father, I sinned against heaven and before you; I
am no longer worthy to be called your son.' But the father said to his
servants, 'Bring out the best robe, and dress him, and give his hand a
ring and shoes to his feet; and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and
eating, let us be merry; for this my son was dead, and lived again, was
lost, now is found.' And they began to be merry.
"Now his older son was in the field;
and upon coming, he drew near to the house and heard music and dances.
And having summoned one of the children, he asked what this may be. And
he said to him, 'Your brother came, and your father killed the fattened
calf, because he received him safe and sound.' But he was angry and did
not wish to go in. Then his father, coming out, pled with him. But
responding, he said to his father, 'Behold, I serve you so many years,
and never disobeyed a command of you; and you never gave me a goat, that
I might be merry with my friends. But when this son of yours came,
having devoured your livelihood with whores, you killed the fattened
calf for him!' So he said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and
everything of mine is yours, for enjoyment. So, therefore it is proper
to rejoice, for this your brother was dead, and lived again; and having
been lost was also found.'"
Site Commentary: This parable is one of
the most famous and beloved. While some see this parable applying to the
earthly human race, others have interpreted it as applying to Christians
that have backslidden and then repented, and some theologians have even interpreted it
to mean that Jesus himself was the prodigal son acting in our place.
Remember that parables are not necessarily analogies. In the thinking of this
site, there is no need to make it out to be anything more than a
powerful story presenting the joyful acceptance of God over anyone that
changes his belief to conform to the truth that Jesus presented. The
welcome and the bringing out the best clothes and food represent what is
in store for us when we enter the state of the kingship of the heavens.
145-PARABLE OF DISHONEST SERVANT
Luke 16:1-9 He also said to the
disciples, "A certain man was rich who had a steward, and this one was
accused to him of wasting his goods. So, calling him, he said to him,
'What is this that I hear about you? Render the account of your
stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.' And the steward said to
himself, 'What may I do, since my master is taking the stewardship away
from me? I am not able to dig, I am ashamed to beg. I know what I may
do, so that when I am removed from stewardship people may receive me
into their homes.'
"Then, summoning each one of his
master's debtors, he said to the first, 'How much do you owe my
master?' He said, 'A hundred measures of oil.' And he said to him,
'Take your statements, and sitting down, quickly write fifty.' Then he
said to another, 'And how much do you owe?' He said, 'A hundred
measures of wheat.' He said to him, 'Take your statement, and write
eighty.'
"The master applauded the unjust
steward because he acted prudently; for the sons of this age are more
prudent than the sons of light are in their own generation. Therefore,
I tell you{pl}, make friends for yourselves by means of the false
riches, so that when it fails they may receive you{pl} into the
everlasting dwellings."
Site Commentary: This is one of the more
enigmatic parables. Probably the simple point of it is that it IS
prudent to act in our own best self interest. That just happens to be
consonant with what God wants for us. No problem, just opportunity.
154-PARABLE OF RICH MAN AND LAZARUS
Luke 16:19-31 "A certain man was rich, and
customarily donned a purple robe and fine linen, having been merry day
by day in luxury. And there was a poor man named Lazarus who had been
laid at his porch, being plagued with sores and desiring to be fed with
the crumbs that were falling from the rich man's table; even the dogs
coming, licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried away by the
messengers (angels) to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was
buried. In the unseen realm being in anguish and lifting up his eyes,
he sees Abraham far off and Lazarus in his bosom. Calling, he said,
'Father Abraham, pity me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the end of
his finger in water, and may cool my tongue because I am suffering in
this flame.'
"But Abraham said, 'Son, remember
that in your life you fully received your good things, and Lazarus
likewise the bad. But now he is comforted here, you are suffering. And
besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed so
that those desiring to pass from here to you are not able, and none may
cross over from there to us.'
"So he said, 'I ask you then,
father, that you send him to my father's house, for I have five
brothers, so that he may witness to them that they don't also come into
this place of torment.' Abraham says to him, 'They have Moses and the
prophets; let them hear them.' And he said, 'No, father Abraham; but if
one should go to them from the dead, they will repent.' He said to him,
'If they will not hear Moses and the prophets, they will not be
convinced even if one should rise from the dead.'"
Site Commentary: Of course, some use this
parable to justify belief in hell and suffering in hellfire, and that is
unwarranted. There is no good reason to try to make aspects of this story
correspond with anything real. The story is not intended to endorse Moses
and the prophets, but rather just makes the point that human perversity is
all but unfathomable. We can have a hard time coming to that uncomfortable
conclusion without thinking thereby that maybe something dreadful is wrong
with ourselves for thinking such. It is helpful to see that Jesus affirms
the perspective that some (most?) people ARE perverse and unreachable. See Thomas verse
28.
157-PARABLE OF UNWORTHY SERVANT
Luke 17:7-10 "But who of you{pl}, having a
servant plowing or tending sheep, will say immediately to him who comes
in from the field, 'Having come, take your ease'? Rather will he not
say to him, 'Prepare something I may eat, and having girded yourself,
serve me until I eat and drink; and after this you eat and drink'? Does
he give thanks to that servant because he did the things required of
him? So you{pl} also, when you{pl} have done all things commanded
you{pl}, say, 'We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we ought
to do.'"
Site Commentary: This parable seems to be
a simple admonition to not get too full of ourselves even when we are
doing or have done the right thing, which is always in our own self-interest.
160-PARABLE OF UNRIGHTEOUS JUDGE
Luke 18:1-8 He also told them a
parable, to show that it is always right to pray and not faint, saying,
"A certain judge was in a city, neither fearing God nor respecting man.
A widow was in that city and she came to him saying, 'Vindicate me from
my adversary.' He would not for a time; but after this he said to
himself, 'Even though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because
this widow bothers me, I will requite her, so that, coming, she does not
brow beat me to the end.'" And the Lord said, "Hear what the
unrighteous judge says. And will in no way God requite his elect, those
crying to him day and night, and continue having patience over them? I
tell you{pl}, he will requite them speedily. However, with the Son
of man passing, will he find faith (true or adequate belief) on the earth? Evidently not!"
Site Commentary: We don't have to agree
with Luke's commentary in the first sentence to see this short little
story as a clever and powerful way to portray the readiness of God to
deliver us from the human condition and our "natural" sentence of death. When this
parable was presented, it was late in the ministry of Jesus, and the
world was on the verge of getting a demonstration that would enable us
to believe the best. But no one was really listening or available to
believe, and Jesus had found no one that was even able to consider the
truth about God without his ultimate demonstration.!
165-PARABLE OF VINEYARD LABOR
Matthew 20:1-16 "For the kingship of the
heavens is like a man, a householder, who went out early to hire workmen
into his vineyard. Upon agreeing with the workmen for a denarius a day,
he sent them into his vineyard.
And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the
market and said to them, 'You{pl} go into the vineyard too, and whatever
is fair I will give you{pl}.' So they went. Again going out about the
sixth and the ninth hour, he did likewise. So about the eleventh hour,
going out, he found others standing idle and says to them, 'Why do
you{pl} stand here idle all the day?' They say to him, 'Because no one
has hired us.' He says to them, 'You{pl} go into the vineyard also, and
whatever is fair you{pl} also will receive.' With evening coming, the
lord of the vineyard says to his foreman, 'Call the workmen and pay them
the wage, beginning with the last, back to the first.' And those coming
about the eleventh hour each received a denarius.
"And coming, the first supposed they
will receive more; but they also got themselves each a denarius. Upon
receiving it they grumbled at the householder, saying, 'These last
worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne
the burden of the day and the heat.' But he answering said to one of
them, 'Friend, I am not being unfair to you; did you not agree to a
denarius with me? Take yours and go; for I desire to give to this last
as also to you. Or is it not legal for me to do what I desire in my
affairs, or is your understanding false because I am good?' So shall
the last be first, and the first last, for many are called, but few
chosen."
Site Commentary: When you understand the
Gospel and its liberation, you are free from any obligation or burden to work for the Lord
or for any other agency. Instead, you are inspired because it is in your own best
interest to do certain things. In the parable, the point of everybody
getting the same wage—ordinarily a clearly unfair development—is that
the "workers" are all working for themselves, and none of them would
ever want anybody to get less than the complete package of what we all
intrinsically and legitimately want and need. What's not to understand?
170-PARABLE OF THE POUNDS
Luke 19:11-27 With them hearing these things,
and adding, he told a parable, because he was near to Jerusalem and they
thought that the kingship of God was about to be revealed immediately.
So he said, "A certain nobleman went to a distant country to receive a
kingship for himself and then return. Having called ten of his
servants, he gave them ten minas, and said to them, 'Trade until I
come.' But his citizens despised him and sent a delegation after him,
saying, 'We don't want this one to reign over us.' And it was in his
returning, having received the kingship, he commanded his servants to be
called, those to whom he gave the money, that he might know what each
had gained by trading.
"The first came saying, 'Lord, your
mina has gained ten minas.' And he said to him, 'Very well, good
servant, because you were faithful in the least thing, have authority
over ten cities.' And the second came saying, 'Lord, your mina made
five minas.' And he said to him, 'And you be over five cities.' Then
the other came saying, 'Lord, behold your mina which I saved in a
napkin; for I was afraid of you, because you are an exacting man taking
up what you didn't lay down, and reaping what you didn't sow.' He says
to him, 'From your own mouth I will judge you, derelict servant! You
knew that I am an exacting man, taking up what I did not lay down and
reaping what I did not sow? Why then did you not put my money onto the
bank table? Upon coming I may have collected it with interest!' And to
those standing by he said, 'Take the mina from him, and give it to the
one having ten minas.' And they said to him, 'Lord, he has ten minas!'
'Because, I tell you{pl}, that to every one having it will be given; but
from the one not having, even what he has will be taken from him. But
these enemies of mine, those not wanting me to reign over them, bring
them here and execute them before me.'"
Site Commentary: In this parable it is
not God that is the nobleman, but the reality of the Gospel, because the minas represent
truth and the ability to understand the truth. You can either put your
truth in a napkin and store it in a drawer, or you can actively be
interested, and expand it. Those that don't expand the truth that they
have are spiritually dead. Those that don't want the nobleman to rule
over them are just in denial and an impediment to everyone. They need to
be identified and marginalized until they wake up and get real. The
"execute them" in the parable does not correspond to some final judgment
of death or being sent to a literal hell but reflect the frustration of
the Gospel believers in trying to share the vision, and have to give up on
them for now.
Let's remember that Luke is gathering to put
into his Gospel second,
third, and fourth hand accounts some 40 or 50 years after they actually
occurred. The phrase in the last sentence could
have originally been "banish them" or something similar, but what difference would it make?
In a parable like this, total symbolic substitution for aspects of reality is
not the intent. The story is a clever and interesting way to make the
point about spiritual viability.
177-PARABLE OF TWO SONS AND VINEYARD
Matthew 21:28-32 "How does it seem to you{pl}?
A man had two sons; and having come to the first, he said, 'Son, go work
today in my vineyard.' And he answering, said, 'I will not'; but
afterward feeling badly, he went. And having come to the second he said
likewise; and he answering, said , 'I go, sir,' but did not leave.
Which of the two did the will of the father?" They say to him, "The
first." Jesus says to them, "Truly, I tell you{pl}, that the tax
collectors and the harlots go into the kingship of God before you{pl}.
For John came to you{pl} in the way of respectability, and you{pl} did
not believe him, but the tax collectors and the harlots believed him.
And you{pl} seeing, did not feel contrite afterward to believe him."
Site Commentary: It should be easy to see
that those that think they have the truth but only have falsity are more
resistant to the real truth than those that know they DON'T have the
truth. The self-righteous contingent is always going to be more
reluctant to repent of their false concepts than those whose life style
is not so "respectable".
178-PARABLE OF THE WICKED TENANTS
Mark 12:1-12 Mt 21:33-46 Lk
20:9-18 And he began to speak to them in parables and to tell them
this parable. "A man planted a vineyard, and put a hedge around it, and
dug a wine press, and built a tower, and rented it out to vine-dressers,
and went away for a considerable time. At some point when the time of
produce came, he sent a servant to the vine-dressers, to receive from
them some of the fruit of the vineyard. But they having taken him, beat
him, and sent him away empty‑handed.
"Again he sent to them another
servant, and having stoned him in the head, they sent him away,
insulting him. Once again he sent another, and that one they killed;
and many others, beat some and killing some. Yet then, having his own
one beloved son, he finally sent him to them, saying, 'They will respect
my son.' But those vine-dressers said to one another, 'This is the
heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.' Upon
taking him, they killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard.
"What will the owner of the vineyard do then?
He will come and destroy the vine-dressers, and give the vineyard to
others who will give him the produce in their seasons.
Site Commentary: This parable has the
same message as the parable of the pounds. There is no correspondence of
the "servants sent out" with earlier or Old Testament "prophets, yet the
"beloved son" somewhat represents Jesus. Setting these unintended
correlations aside, the point of the story is to highlight how perverse
and unreasonable the "vine-dressers", the religious leadership,
really was. The owner of the vineyard is not God but the natural
consequences of the Gospel against having a false belief system. Those that maintain such a
system will "just die in their sins".
196-PARABLE OF UNFAITHFUL SERVANT
Luke 12:41-48 Mt 24:45-51 Peter said
to him, "Master, do you tell this parable for us or also for all men?"
And the Master said, "Who then is the faithful and prudent steward, whom
his lord will appoint over his household, to give them their portion of
food in due season? Blessed is that servant his lord will find so doing
when he comes. Truly, I say to you{pl}, he will appoint him over all
his possessions. But if that servant says to himself, 'My lord delays
in coming,' and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants, and
to both eat and drink and get drunk, the lord of that servant will come
on a day when he does not expect and at an hour he does not know, and
will separate him, and will place his portions with the unbelievers, the
hypocrites; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
But that servant knowing his lord's
will, and did not prepare or act according to his will, will be beaten
with many lashes. But he not knowing, and doing what deserved a
beating, will be beaten with few lashes. Everyone given much, of him
will much be required; and to whom much was deposited, exceedingly more
will be asked of him.
Site Commentary: It should be remembered
that the mindset of the people to whom Jesus presented these parable was
to be concerned about serving and placating God. After the feeding of
the five thousand, when the people caught up with Jesus on the other side of
the lake, their overwhelming concern was to ask the question of the age,
"What must we do, to be doing the works of God?" Hence, Jesus presented
a few parables about servants and masters, but his straightforward answer
to the question was, "Believe him whom he has sent."
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