Jesus Parables JSS2 Christian Religious Studies (CRS) Lesson Note

JESUS PARABLES

Definition of Parable

A parable is a simple story that teaches an important lesson. Jesus used parables to help people understand things about God and heaven. These stories talked about things people knew, like farmers planting seeds, shepherds looking after sheep, and people doing everyday work.

A parable is different from other stories because it always has a deeper meaning. The story on the outside teaches us something important on the inside. When we read a parable, we must think about what lesson Jesus wants us to learn.

Parables are not real stories that happened. They are made-up stories that Jesus told to explain the truth. He used familiar things around people to help them understand God’s kingdom better.

Types of Parables

Jesus told many different kinds of parables. We can group them into different types:

1. Parables About the Kingdom of God

These parables teach us what God’s kingdom is like. Examples include:

The Parable of the Mustard Seed: This shows how God’s kingdom starts small but grows very big.

The Parable of the Hidden Treasure: This teaches that God’s kingdom is so valuable that we should give up everything to have it.

The Parable of the Pearl: This also shows that God’s kingdom is worth more than anything else we can have.

2. Parables About Lost Things

These parables show how much God loves us and wants to find us when we are lost. Examples include:

The Parable of the Lost Sheep: A shepherd leaves ninety-nine sheep to find one lost sheep. This shows that God cares about each person.

The Parable of the Lost Coin: A woman searches her whole house for one lost coin. This shows how happy God is when one person comes back to Him.

The Parable of the Prodigal Son: A son leaves home, wastes his money, and comes back. His father welcomes him with joy. This shows God’s forgiveness and love.

3. Parables About Prayer and Faith

These parables teach us how to pray and trust God. Examples include:

The Parable of the Persistent Widow: A woman keeps asking a judge for help until he helps her. This teaches us to keep praying and not give up.

The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector: This shows us to pray with a humble heart, not with pride.

4. Parables About Service and Love

These parables teach us how to treat other people. Examples include:

The Parable of the Good Samaritan: A man helps a stranger who was hurt. This teaches us to show love and kindness to everyone, even people who are different from us.

The Parable of the Talents: Servants are given money to use wisely. This teaches us to use what God gives us to serve Him.

5. Parables About Judgment and Being Ready

These parables warn us to be ready for Jesus to come back. Examples include:

The Parable of the Ten Virgins: Some girls were ready with oil for their lamps, and some were not. This teaches us to always be ready.

The Parable of the Wise and Foolish Builders: One man built his house on rock, and another built on sand. This teaches us to obey Jesus’s words.

III. Reasons Why Jesus Used Parables

Jesus had very good reasons for teaching with parables. Here are the main reasons:

1. To Make Hard Things Easy to Understand

Jesus wanted everyone to understand His message. Many people could not read or write. They did not go to school. So Jesus used simple stories about things they saw every day. When He talked about seeds, sheep, coins, and bread, people could understand because they knew these things. The stories helped make hard truths about God easy to understand.

2. To Help People Remember

Stories are easier to remember than long speeches or lessons. When Jesus told a story, people could remember it for a long time. Even today, we can remember the Parable of the Good Samaritan easily. The stories stayed in people’s minds and helped them think about God’s truth again and again.

3. To Make People Think Deeply

Parables made people use their minds. Jesus did not always explain everything right away. He wanted people to think about the story and discover the meaning themselves. When we think about something deeply, we understand it better and it becomes part of us. The parables made people ask questions like “What does this mean?” and “How does this apply to my life?”

4. To Hide Truth from Those Who Did Not Want to Learn

Some people did not want to learn about God. They had hard hearts. Jesus used parables so that people who really wanted to know God would understand, but people who did not care would just hear a story and walk away. The parables separated those who truly wanted to follow Jesus from those who did not.

5. To Fulfill God’s Plan

The prophets in the Old Testament said that the Messiah would speak in parables. Jesus used parables to fulfill what God had planned long ago. This showed that Jesus was truly the Messiah that God had promised to send.

6. To Teach Without Causing Trouble Too Soon

Jesus’s enemies wanted to arrest Him. If Jesus spoke too directly about being the Son of God and King, they would have arrested Him before His time. The parables let Jesus teach the truth while protecting Himself until the right time came for Him to die on the cross.

7. To Touch People’s Hearts

Stories touch our feelings as well as our minds. When Jesus told the Parable of the Prodigal Son, people felt the father’s love and the son’s sadness. The stories helped people not just think about God’s love but also feel it in their hearts. This made people want to change their lives.

8. To Teach All Kinds of People

Rich people and poor people, old people and young people, educated people and simple people could all learn from parables. The stories worked for everyone. A child could enjoy the story while an adult could understand the deeper meaning.

Conclusion

Parables were a wonderful way for Jesus to teach. They were simple stories that taught deep truths about God, His kingdom, and how we should live. Through parables about lost things, the kingdom of God, prayer, service, and being ready, Jesus helped people understand God’s love and plan. Today, we can still learn from these parables and let them change our hearts and lives. When we read the parables, we should ask God to help us understand what He wants to teach us through each story.