Bible Study Week 7
Part 2
Jesus Teaches in Parables
Jesus often taught in parables. A parable is an earthly story with a spiritual application, an it is used to teach on great truth. Through parables Jesus used a "known" to reveal an "unknown" to His disciples and presented spiritual meaning to all who heard.
Jesus spoke many parables; we will study three.
The Parable of the Sower
The Parable of the Sower is found in Mathew 13:3-9, with the interpretation in verses 18-23. Parable accounts of this parable are found in Mark 4:3-20 and Luke 8:5-15. The basic lessons of the parable are as follow:
The seed that is sown is the Word of God.
]The Wayside soil represents those who hear the Word but fail to understand it. The devil comes quickly to catch the Word away from them.
The Stony soil represents those who hear the Word and receive it joyfully for the moment. But when temptation comes, they fall away because they are not grounded (rooted) in the Word
The thorny ground represents those who hear the Word and begin to bear fruit. But they allow the cares and pleasures of life to grow in their life, which eventually choke out their concern for the Word of God.
The good ground represents those who hear the Word, understand it, and obey it.
This parable stresses the importance of the Word of God. God's Word is the only thing that can cause a person to bear fruit, or be productive, in God's kingdom.
There is no substitute. A person must develop a love for God's Word and put it first in his life (Psalm 1:2). His reception of and obedience to the Word of God determines the kind of soil he will be. A person can choose to be the kind of soil he wants to be.
The Pearl of Great Price
The Parable of the Pearl of Great Price is found in Mathew 13:45-46. "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all he had and bought it."
Although Jesus did not interpret this parable, many Bible students believe that it represents the search of humanity for the gospel. From that viewpoint, we may draw the following lessons.
All of life is a search for the very best.
The most valuable thing in the world is the gospel message--God's plan for salvation.
When truth is found, it is worth giving up anything and everything in order to obtain it.
Proverbs 23:23 says, "Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding." No matter what the cost, we should buy the truth. We cannot literally buy truth with money, but we must recognize it is far more valuable than any earthly possession. Often it is necessary to dispose of preconceived ideas, personal desires, and dreams in order to embrace truth. Jesus said, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it" (Mathew 16:24-25).
General Bramwell Booth told the following story. "I was once traveling by train with Cecil Rhodes. My father was in the next carriage. Rhodes and I were alone. Struck by his depression and gloom, and hopeful for him, because of his interest in our work, I said to him, "Mr. Rhodes, are you a happy man?" He threw himself back in his seat, looked at me with that extraordinary stare of his, and exclaimed: "Happy? I happy? Good God, no!" And then, when I spoke to him of the only rest for the human spirit, he said to me: "I would give all I possess to believe what that old man in the next carriage believes. I shall never forget the tragedy," said Bramwell Booth, "the utter tragedy of his voice, as long as I live." Yes, Cecil Rhodes had gathered many valuable pearls--fame, wealth, honor, power--but he had not found the Pearl of Great Price. Only when people have found Christ are they at rest, for nothing but Christ can satisfy. (Source: G.H. Clothier)
The Talents
The parable that Jesus told about the talents (Mathew 25:14-30) concerns the us of what God gives us. The man who traveled to a far country represents the Lord. Before he left he distributed his money--five talents to one, two talents to another, and one talent to another. These servants used the money different ways. The one who had the most used his talents most. He invested, and his investment paid good dividends. Likewise the man with two talents. But the man who had only one talent was to fearful to take any risk and so did nothing. The man who did not use is talent was called wicked and sinful (Mathew 25:26). It is difficult to work in fear but when we are working for God we need never fear. Our sole concern should be to please Him. "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment" (I John 4:18).