Parables of Jesus

This article explains the Parable of the Dragnet, in which Jesus teaches about the final judgment at the end of the age. A dragnet is cast into the sea and gathers fish of every kind. When the net is full, the fishermen draw it to shore, sit down, and separate the good fish into vessels and throw the bad away. Jesus explains that this represents the end of the age, when angels will separate the wicked from the just. This parable is parallel to the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares, emphasizing the certainty of final judgment.

This article explains the Parable of the Good Samaritan, in which Jesus teaches about the true meaning of loving one's neighbor. A lawyer asks Jesus, "Who is my neighbor?" In response, Jesus tells of a man who is robbed, beaten, and left for dead. A priest and a Levite pass by on the other side, but a Samaritan—despised by the Jews—stops, shows compassion, binds his wounds, and pays for his care. Jesus concludes, "Go and do likewise." This parable exposes the hypocrisy of religious leaders who neglect mercy and commands believers to show compassion to all, regardless of race, religion, or social standing.

This article explains the Parable of the Hidden Treasure, in which Jesus teaches about the incomparable value of the kingdom of heaven. A man finds a treasure hidden in a field, and in his joy, he sells all that he has to buy the field. The treasure represents the kingdom of God, which is of such surpassing worth that it is worth sacrificing everything to obtain. This parable emphasizes the joyful, willing, and total commitment required of those who enter the kingdom.

This article explains the Parable of the Leaven, in which Jesus teaches about the penetrating and transforming power of the kingdom of heaven. A woman takes leaven and hides it in three measures of meal until the whole lump is leavened. Unlike the mustard seed, which illustrates outward growth, the leaven illustrates inward transformation. The kingdom of God works silently, secretly, and thoroughly, spreading from within until it transforms everything it touches.

This article explains the Parable of the Mustard Seed, in which Jesus teaches about the growth of the kingdom of heaven from small and humble beginnings to global proportions. The mustard seed is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it becomes a large tree where birds nest in its branches. This parable emphasizes that the kingdom of God starts inconspicuously but expands remarkably, providing shelter and blessing to many. It is a parable of contrast between the small beginning and the great end.

This article explains the Parable of the Pearl of Great Price, in which Jesus teaches about the supreme value of the kingdom of heaven. A merchant seeking beautiful pearls finds one pearl of great price, and he sells all that he has to purchase it. This parable is paired with the Parable of the Hidden Treasure. Both teach the same truth from slightly different perspectives: the kingdom is of surpassing worth, and obtaining it requires sacrificing everything else. The merchant represents the one who actively seeks and gladly surrenders all for the pearl.

This article explains the Parable of the Sower, also called the Parable of the Four Soils, in which Jesus teaches about the different responses to the Word of God. A sower scatters seed, which falls on four types of ground: the wayside, the stony ground, the thorny ground, and the good ground. Jesus later explains that the seed is the Word of God, and the soils represent the hearts of those who hear it. This parable reveals why some reject the gospel, why some initially receive it but fall away, and why some bear lasting fruit.

This article explains the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant, in which Jesus teaches about the necessity of forgiving others because God has forgiven us. A servant owes his master an enormous, unpayable debt. The master forgives the entire debt when the servant pleads for mercy. But that same servant refuses to forgive a fellow servant a tiny debt and throws him into prison. The master hears of this, revokes his forgiveness, and delivers the unforgiving servant to the torturers. Jesus concludes, "So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses."

This article explains the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares, in which Jesus teaches about the coexistence of true believers and false professors in the church until the final judgment. A sower sows good seed in his field, but an enemy comes and sows tares among the wheat. Both grow together until the harvest, when the tares are gathered and burned, and the wheat is gathered into the barn. Jesus explains that the field is the world, the good seed are the sons of the kingdom, the tares are the sons of the wicked one, and the harvest is the end of the age. This parable warns against premature judgment and gives assurance of final justice.