What Do the PARABLES of JESUS Mean?

 

In the previous article, we spoke of what the word "parable" means, and why JESUS often spoke in parables.

What are some of the LORD's parables, and what do they mean?

Are they easy to understand?

Find out through these examples from Matthew 13.

JESUS really made everything simple for us to understand.

A backgrounder -- where JESUS spoke these parables:

Matthew 13:1-2 

King James Version

13 The same day went Jesus out of the house, 

and sat by the sea side.

2 And great multitudes 

were gathered together unto him, 

so that he went into a ship, 

and sat; 

and the whole multitude stood on the shore.

Parable of the sower: 

Matthew 13:3-9 

King James Version

3 And he spake many things unto them 

in parables, saying, 

Behold, 

a sower went forth to sow;

4 And when he sowed, 

some seeds fell by the way side, 

and the fowls came and devoured them up:

5 Some fell upon stony places, 

where they had not much earth: 

and forthwith they sprung up, 

because they had no deepness of earth:

6 And when the sun was up, 

they were scorched; 

and because they had no root, 

they withered away.

7 And some fell among thorns; 

and the thorns sprung up, 

and choked them:

8 But other fell into good ground, 

and brought forth fruit, 

some an hundredfold, 

some sixtyfold, 

some thirtyfold.

9 Who hath ears to hear, 

let him hear.

JESUS explains the parable of the sower:

Matthew 13:18-23 

King James Version

18 Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.

19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, 

and understandeth it not, 

then cometh the wicked one, 

and catcheth away 

that which was sown in his heart. 

This is he which received seed by the way side.

20 But he that received the seed into stony places, 

the same is he that heareth the word, 

and anon with joy receiveth it;

21 Yet hath he not root in himself, 

but dureth for a while: 

for when tribulation or persecution ariseth 

because of the word, 

by and by he is offended.

22 He also that received seed among the thorns 

is he that heareth the word; 

and the care of this world, 

and the deceitfulness of riches, 

choke the word, 

and he becometh unfruitful.

23 But he that received seed into the good ground 

is he that heareth the word, 

and understandeth it; 

which also beareth fruit, 

and bringeth forth, 

some an hundredfold, 

some sixty, 

some thirty.

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Parable of the tares of the field:

Matthew 13:24-30 

King James Version

24 Another parable put he forth unto them, 

saying, 

The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man 

which sowed good seed in his field:

25 But while men slept, 

his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, 

and went his way.

26 But when the blade was sprung up, 

and brought forth fruit, 

then appeared the tares also.

27 So the servants of the householder came 

and said unto him, 

Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? 

from whence then hath it tares?

28 He said unto them, 

An enemy hath done this. 

The servants said unto him, 

Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?

29 But he said, 

Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, 

ye root up also the wheat with them.

30 Let both grow together until the harvest: 

and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, 

Gather ye together first the tares, 

and bind them in bundles to burn them: 

but gather the wheat into my barn.

JESUS explains the parable of the tares of the field.

Matthew 13:37-50 

King James Version

37 He answered and said unto them, 

He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;

38 The field is the world; 

the good seed are the children of the kingdom; 

but the tares are the children of the wicked one;

39 The enemy that sowed them is the devil; 

the harvest is the end of the world; 

and the reapers are the angels.

40 As therefore the tares are gathered 

and burned in the fire; 

so shall it be in the end of this world.

41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, 

and they shall gather out of his kingdom 

all things that offend, 

and them which do iniquity;

42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: 

there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun 

in the kingdom of their Father. 

Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

44 Again, 

the kingdom of heaven 

is like unto treasure hid in a field; 

the which when a man hath found, 

he hideth, 

and for joy thereof goeth 

and selleth all that he hath, 

and buyeth that field.

45 Again, the kingdom of heaven

 is like unto a merchant man, 

seeking goodly pearls:

46 Who, 

when he had found one pearl of great price, 

went and sold all that he had, 

and bought it.

47 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, 

that was cast into the sea, 

and gathered of every kind:

48 Which, when it was full, 

they drew to shore, 

and sat down, 

and gathered the good into vessels, 

but cast the bad away.

49 So shall it be at the end of the world: 

the angels shall come forth, 

and sever the wicked from among the just,

50 And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: 

there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

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Parable of the mustard seed:

Matthew 13:31-32

King James Version

31 Another parable put he forth unto them, 

saying, 

The kingdom of heaven 

is like to a grain of mustard seed, 

which a man took, 

and sowed in his field:

32 Which indeed is the least of all seeds: 

but when it is grown, 

it is the greatest among herbs, 

and becometh a tree, 

so that the birds of the air come 

and lodge in the branches thereof.

Parable of the leaven:

Matthew 13:33

King James Version

33 Another parable spake he unto them; 

The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, 

which a woman took, 

and hid in three measures of meal, 

till the whole was leavened.

Related material:

SOWER and SEED

Updated 10 July 2023