Show Notes

Analyzing The Parables of Jesus Christ

Introduction to Parables in the Bible

Introduction to Parables in the Bible Many times we hear parables being told in churches and we wonder what a parable is. Parables are supposedly the message of Jesus Christ to his hearers. The parables are fundamental to Jesus's teaching. Hamilton identifies that in the synoptic gospels, parables make up about one-third of the recorded sayings of Jesus. Yet Juel's insightful study concerning parable scholarship reflects the general consensus that scholars have never reached a unified view concerning the essential nature and purpose of the parable. Some argue about their original form; others cannot agree on thematic arrangement. Estimates that there are at least thirty-one recognized parables listed in the Bible. But perhaps more can be found, if one assumes that the word parable is avoiding usage in one gospel. As part of the "criteria of authenticity," efforts have been made to discover which of the parables might actually be attributed to Jesus.