Kingdom Parables

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Recommended: Identify and justify the themes brought out in the parables in Matthew 13

“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 him who has more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away.” (Matthew 13:10-12)

Jesus explains everything about the kingdom of God through parables. He also gives the reasons for using parables to teach the people. He tells greater truths through simple stories with clear and simple meanings. Explaining truths through stories was part of the Palestinian culture at that time. Jesus used the imagery of farming and shepherding in his parables because those are the contexts that were familiar to the people.

The kingdom parables of Jesus

Chapter 13 of Matthew gospel alone tells about seven parables of Jesus, describing the kingdom of God. These parables explain the universal nature of the kingdom and the necessity for everyone to seek for it.

1) The first parable- the sower (Matthew 13: 1-9; Mark 4:1-9; Luke 8:4-9)

In the chronological order, the parable of the sower is the first one used by Jesus. It depicts the various stages of seed growth. It explains how the Divine word is like a seed that falls in a heart, and how differently people accept it. It also narrates beautifully how the word of God grows, step by step, and undergoes internal transformation through the grace of God.

This parable tells about seeds sown on four kinds of soil. Jesus explains it in the following passage how the word of God is accepted and works in four kinds of people. It describes the attitudes of response of different kinds of people in their life.

Jesus compares the s...

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This parable indicates how lavish God’s gifts are. God places in every one’s hands the necessary instruments for God’s service and endows him with abundant means to faithfully in his kingdom with diversity of gifts. The diversity of gifts is meaningful. Each is uniquely different with various talents

10) The parable of Last Judgment (Matt. 25:31-46)

This parable explains how the members of the kingdom of God should live and how the humanity will be judged at the end. There are only two sides: the right and the wrong. One has to choose either and live. Love is the only law given to all to enter into the kingdom of God.

The kingdom of God is not a dreamland. It is to be lived on this earth. It is already here. By living a life of love everyone can enjoy the Divine Kingdom. Because Jesus has stated clearly, “See, the kingdom of God is among you.”(Luke 17: 21)

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