Barton's Bible Study Notes

Life of Christ: Unit 14 - Section 62

Read Matthew 13:1-23, Mark 4:1-25 and Luke 8:4-18. Our Lord did much of His teaching using parables. A parable is a story that has a spiritual application or truth in it. There are many opinions on how one should interpret the parables. On the one hand, some suggest that we should assign every character or object in the parable a specific meaning and carry this meaning over into those other parables with the same character or objects. On the other hand, others suggest that such a process of interpretation is dangerous and misleading. One should take only the general lesson from each parable as suggested by the context. The best approach seems to be somewhere in between. Obviously, from the parable of the soils, our Lord intended various characters and objects to represent certain things. It would also seem that sometimes at least, these meanings do carry over into other parables. To insist, however, that every detail of the parable must have a spiritual application or counterpart seems to be forcing the parable beyond its intended purpose. It also appears that, while some similar representations are found in several parables, to insist that the items in one are always carried over into every other parable is artificial.

1. Did Jesus use parables to make spiritual truth clear to everyone? Explain.

2. List the four types of soil given in this first parable, and in your own words, tell what kind of person it represents.

3. What do you think Jesus means when He says:

a. “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” a phrase also used by our Lord in several other places) and

b. “Take care how you hear; for whoever has, more will be given to him, and whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken from him.”?

Read Matthew 13:24-53 and Mark 4:26-34. Jesus probably taught many parables, some of which are recorded for us and some of which are not. Matthew, in addition to the parable of the soils, records six others for us. Mark records two others, one in common with Matthew.

4. Summarize, in your own words, what you think each of the following parables is saying:

a. Wheat/weeds (Matthew 13:24-30)

b. Mustard seed (Matthew 13:31-32 and Mark 4:30-32)

c. Leaven (Matthew 13:33)

d. Treasure in a field (Matthew 13:44)

e. Valuable pearl (Matthew 13:45-46)

f. Dragnet (Matthew 13:47-50)

g. Sowing/harvest (Mark 4:26-29)g. Sowing/harvest (Mark 4:26-29)

The Applications:

What are the applications of these passages to our lives today? Identify as many as you are able.