Annabel Shin
December 1, 2014
IH: Mosaics 109
Professor Brittany Griebling
The Word of the Lord
Within the Bible, Jesus communicates through poems, lists, narratives, parables, and more. Through a single parable, many lessons can be learned. They force listeners to think past the shallow meanings and dig deeper into what Jesus is really trying to teach. Throughout the years, parables have been used to teach people of all ages morals and lessons that become embedded into the brain. Stories such as “The Boy Who Cried Wolf,” and “The Tortoise and the Hare,” are classic examples of parables being used today. They have been used to teach children for ages and ages and will continue to be used by parents to teach basic morals to their children
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He uses analogies with common items familiar to everyone. ‘“Why do you speak to them in parables?” He answered, ‘“To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given….The reason I speak to them in parables is that ‘seeing they do not perceive, and hearing they do not listen, nor do they understand.’” (Matthew 13:10) When those who were anxious to hear and learn from Jesus, he spoke simply. When those who were prideful and resistant towards Jesus, he spoke in parables. He only explained to his disciples and those who rejected his message were left to continuously ponder the true meanings of his stories. According to the Book of Luke, Jesus only intended for those with a pure heart and good intentions to understand the word of the Lord. Jesus understood that the truth isn’t always pretty and that there are those who only want to hear the good, positive things and have no interest in the deeper teachings of God. For those who are genuine and have a pure interest for God, the parable is a blessing those those with willing ears. To those with impurities of the heart and ears, the parable speaks nothing more than judgement and …show more content…
There were some points that were easier to say through stories than just saying it in plain english. By speaking in parables, Jesus was able to pressure his followers to open their eyes and hearts to be enlightened. The stories forced listeners to think and choose between black and white rather than being stuck in the grey area. For example, Matthew 25:31-46 tells the story of the Judgment of the Nation where the listeners learn to be accountable for their decisions and choose if they want to be among the sheep or the goat. For the most part, people are “concrete” thinkers. They seek the easiest meaning and rarely seek a deeper meaning. For those who want to grow in faith, they must push themselves to grow. The truth will be hidden from those who refuse to grow and let their fears and pride get in their way of moving
The Bible: The Old Testament. The Norton Anthology of World Masterpieces. Ed. Sarah Lawall et al. Vol 1. 7th ed. New York: Norton, 1999. 47-97.
When reading The Sermon on the Mount, it is important to note who the intended audience was, the crowds of people who were there to witness Jesus. These crowds of people most likely were not the most educated; however, Jesus attempted to educate them about the Word of God. To facilitate his teaching, Jesus employed rhetorical techniques such as the metaphor. This crowd required simple and relatable ideas to become educated on his teachings of the Word of God. Many of Jesus’s teachings during The Sermon on the Mount were symbolic in nature, and not meant obeyed explicitly; Jesus merely employed these rhetorical devices to help the followers understand the underlying message, which was to be obeyed.
The book of Luke, found after the books Matthew and Mark, focuses on the ministry of Jesus Christ but it also gives us a look into His birth and growth in totality. In this chapter we see a historical account of some of the journeys that Christ experienced. It is important to keep in mind that the Bible and all of its books do serve as historical accounts but each book is unique in the fact that they incorporate a theological timeline. The Bible is, conceivably, the most important book that has ever been written. It gives the world eyewitness accounts to historical events that helped not only shaped a region of the world but the whole entire world. It is nearly impossible to go through some formal societal education and have never once read a part of the bible or have heard a story that adapts from the stories within the bible. The bible has helped formed institutions, associations and so much more. By reading the Gospel of Luke we are truly reading what is meant for us to read as Christians. The principal plot in the book of Luke is the life of Jesus Christ, his sacrifice, His ability to beat death and remain perfect as the son of GOD despite being human as well. Jesus is seen as the perfect savior for humans in the book of Luke. Luke not only gives multiple examples of the power of Jesus but also it gives us a look at The Lord’s triumph over temptation. Luke also depicts Jesus as a man/GOD who had a very deep concentration on people and relationships. The book of Luke gives Jesus a loving characteristic but doesn’t shy away from showing that at times Jesus got angry too. Jesus showed a great deal of compassion to the sick, those in pain, the poor, and unambiguously the sinful. Jesus had genuine love for everyone. Throughout this...
Uses commonplace imagery in provocative ways: Jesus put parable before them, saying that the kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his fields Matt 13:31. Then Jesus said "To what shall I compare the kingdom of God that it was like a leave that a woman took and hid three measures of flour, unit was all leaved Luke 13:20-21. The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field Matt 13:44. Incorporates parables that offer various levels of spiritual richness that are enduring and
Jesus however, has much different beliefs. He believes there is a certain way to live in order to achieve the greater things in the after life. For doing the right thing for god is the way we all need to live. At times in the story “Sermon on the mount,” it can sound very radical. Saying things such as "Whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery," and "If you say, 'You fool, ' you will be liable to the hell of
The Parables in Matthew Chapter Thirteen The Parable of the Sower is one of seven parables in Matthew, chapter thirteen that are from familiar ideas and sources, and natural to men. (Broadus, 285) It was normal to see a farmer sowing grain in Galilee. The "truth" is that this parable was designed to teach. The varied types of soil are the emphasis in this parable, rather than that of "the sowing of the seed ("word," v.19) of the kingdom."
Jesus was a phenomenal communicator. In fact, Jesus was the greatest communicator to ever live. He used strategies and techniques that were previously unheard of to get his point across in any situation, regardless of the circumstances. What is interesting is that his most common form of speaking was in parables. He would use these analogies to provide a way of application for the gospel in people lives. The parable about the workers in the vineyard is one of many, but is one of the few that were only told in the book of Matthew. Although there a many assumptions as to the reasoning for this, nobody can be sure of the reason why this parable is nowhere to be found in the other gospels. It is especially confusing because in this parable Jesus talks about end times and entrance into heaven; which would have been, and still is, an important subject to any believer.
The three parables contained in chapter fifteen of the Gospel of Luke are a tightly woven trio anchored on either side by closely related teachings. The preceding chapter gives instruction on humility and hospitality, telling the reader to open the invitation to one’s meal table to all, including the poor, the sick, and the unclean. In the following chapter the reader finds instructions for how to use wealth to benefit those same people. In the middle of these we find chapter fifteen, containing the parables of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the prodigal and his brother. As a part of the triplet, the parable of the lost sheep challenges the reader to not only invite the poor into one’s community, but to receive them as family with joy and celebration.
Jesus, according to the Bible1, tells his followers a parable about a man who, before embarking
I am writing this paper because I was assigned to write it as a class project. Along the way I realized the importance of sharing the real meanings of all these stories. Stories are important because in the society we live in things are constantly changing. Fairytales change but the base of the story always remain the same no matter how many times it has been retold. It’s important to reveal the true meanings of these stories, even with its dark characteristics, because the world is dark .Children need to know that there are people that have told stories relatable to what they are going through. Fairytales help the development of children; it helps their maturity as they confront someone else’s tough situations, instilling hope of a more positive ou...
As we read through the New Testament, we come upon many instances where Jesus uses parables to teach in ways that were very unique to the day. Until this point, many had never experienced this type of teaching and it proved to be an effective method of imparting knowledge to his listeners. A parable is a story that illustrates a moral or religious lesson. During Jesus’s ministry He told many parables such as The Parable of the Sower, Parable of the Good Samaritan, The Rich Fool, Parable of the Mustard Seed, and Parable of the Lost Sheep just to name a few.
Once upon a time, in a land far away a student started writing his Major Essay. Cliché’s aside, this is probably the most recognised introduction to writing in existence. Passed down through philosophers, bards, story tellers and authors Fairy Tales transcend culture, politics, language and even time periods. Arguably, every single person on the planet has heard one. Whether it be the Ancient Roman version of Cinderella, Cupid and Psyche passed down through modern Greece, heard all the way to Turkey or the African version of Snow White, Udea and her seven brothers commonly recited all through the African states. With these stories, or a version of these stories being so common in society it is a reasonable question to ask, if the morals and messages contained are still relevant in today’s world? Sally Goddard Blythe a child development expert suggests they are crucial for a child’s development in her book “The Genius of Natural Children” she outlines her belief that
In conclusion, my main reason for choosing these two parables was because one can compare and contrast these two lessons that these parables teach. In the parable of the good samaritan Jesus talks about love and how that will lead a man to Salvation. On the other hand some people will interpret this in a different way and think that doing good things for people will give them salvation. Therefore people like this will be good not from their hearts but because they have to do that to be “saved”. The second parable, which was the parable of the sower, tells us that a man’s salvation truly lies in his heart. God knows our hearts and therefore no one in this world is too holy for one another; or no one is much of a sinner than the other for all our actions in this world will call for judgment from humans but it is only God who can judge.
Jesus spoke in front of large crowds as well as to people induvial. Each and every time someone either came to follow him, or got set free and delivered from their sufferings. He communicates not out of judgement or spite, or anger or pride, but out of a deep affection for His people. He is the greatest communicator I know because he never gives up on communicating his love and devotion for anyone. He is the greatest communicator because he uses parables and imagery to help us understand what he is saying. He doesn’t communicate out of a place of silence or out of a place confusion, but of complete peace and understanding. He communicates without manipulation or persuasion but freedom of choice and wonder. He is the greatest communicator because He only says words that are true and reality. He is the greatest communicator I know because He speaks with severity and with a healthy warning. Jesus is the greatest communicator I know because He puts his words to actions and does anything at every cost so that we might obey his commands and love Him. Jesus is also the greatest communicator I know because he knew how to communicate through people emotions and metal filters. He knew that by targeting a message through certain people, the truth would continuously spread. He also presented truth in an effective way of nonverbal and holistic verbal ways of communication.
A fable is a narrative that teaches a moral through the use of animals as the main character. Fables toy with the idea of human vanity. Fables are very popular in children’s literature as it teaches children lessons while keeping them interested with the animal characters. Fables were westernized through the help of Aesop. It is unknown whether or not Aesop was a real person but is viewed as one of the fathers of fables. Modern editions contain up to 200 fables and are growing.