I.
| The Playing Children | Luke 7:29-35 |
II.
| The Two Debtors | Luke 7:36-50 |
III.
| The Persistent Friend | Luke 11:05-13 |
IV.
| The Rich Fool | Luke 12:13-21 |
V.
| The Ready Servants | Luke 12:35-40 |
VI.
| The Wise Servant | Luke 12:42-48 |
VII.
| The Mustard Seed | Luke 13:18-19 |
VIII.
| The Leavened Loaf | Luke 13:20-21 |
IX.
| The Great Banquet | Luke 14:15-24 |
X.
| The Lost Items (sheep, silver, son) | Luke 15:03-32 |
XI.
| The Temple Petitioners | Luke 18:09-14 |
Jesus employed various methods of instruction in his ministry, elements that would engage the attention of an audience and make his words memorable. One of his favorite trope was the parable, a rhetorical device that couched a single point in the form of a fictional but true-to-life story to which people could relate easily. Each of the synoptic gospels preserves examples of this method, although the greatest numbers of parables appear in Matthew (26) and Luke (27). Mark has far fewer (9), and John has none. There is considerable overlap, with many of the same parables appearing in two or three gospels. This brief study treats the eleven parables exclusively or primarily in Luke.1 The format here will accord with a three point outline:
There is a temptation to which many interpreters succumb that finds meaning in a parable's specifics, as if they contain Jesus' reason for telling the story. As one commentator cautions, "We must hold to the main lesson of the parable, and not insist on interpreting all the details" (Plummer 1981:369). In other words, do not be overcome by minutia and overlook the message.
I. The Playing Children Luke 7:29-35
Luke 7:29 All the people, even the tax collectors,2 when they heard Jesus' words, acknowledged that God's way was right, because they had been baptized by John. 30 But the Pharisees and experts in the law rejected God's purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John. 31 "To what, then, can I compare the people of this generation'?3 What are they like? 32 They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to each other: " 'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not cry.'4 33 For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, 'He has a demon.'5 34 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, 'Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and "sinners." 35 But wisdom is proved right by all her children."
A. Determine the setting (or occasion). (vv. 29-30)
a. Those who accepted his ministry, both commoners and pariahs, were also positively disposed to his message of the kingdom.
b. Those who rejected his ministry, here Pharisees and scribes, were also negatively disposed to his message of the kingdom.6
B. Divide the story (into major and minor details). (vv. 31-33)
1. Major details
2. Minor details
C. Discover the significance (the single point). (vv. 34-35)
II. The Two Debtors Luke 7:36-50
Luke 7:36 Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him,11 so he went to the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table. 37 When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house,12 she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, 38 and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them. 39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner." 40 Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to tell you." "Tell me, teacher," he said.13 "Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?"14 43 Simon replied, "I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled." "You have judged correctly," Jesus said. 44 Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet.15 47 Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little." 48 Then Jesus said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."16 49 The other guests began to say among themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?" 50 Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."
A. Determine the setting (or occasion). (vv. 36-40)
B. Divide the story (into major and minor details). (vv. 41-42)
1. Major details
- A moneylender forgives a man with a large debt (= the prostitute's debt of sin), then forgives a man with a small debt (= the Pharisee's debt of sin).
2. Minor details
- 500 denarii, 50 denarii
C. Discover the significance (the single point). (vv. 43-50)
- A person whom God forgives much loves Him more than a person whom God forgives little.17
III. The Persistent Friend18 Luke 11:5-13
Luke 11:1 One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples." [Lord's Prayer] 5 Then he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight19 and says, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, 20 6 because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.' 7 Then the one inside answers, 'Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.' 8 I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man's boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs. 9 "So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.21 10 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. 11 "Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?22 13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more23 will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"
A. Determine the setting (or occasion). (v. 1)
- Jesus is teaching his disciples how to pray.24
B. Divide the story (into major and minor details). (vv. 5-9)
1. Major details
- A man requests food at midnight from a friend to feed a visitor.25
2. Minor details
- Midnight, three loaves of bread, friend, journey, door, children, bed, fish, snake, egg, scorpion
C. Discover the significance (the single point). (vv. 10-13)
IV. The Rich Fool Luke 12:13-21
Luke 12:13 Someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me."27 14 Jesus replied, "Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between You?"28 15 Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."
Luke 12:16 And he told them this parable: "The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. 17 He thought to himself, 'What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.' 18 "Then he said, 'This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.29 19 And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry'"30 20 "But God said to him, you fool!31 This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?32 21 "This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God."
A. Determine the setting (or occasion). (vv. 13-15)
- A man asks Jesus to tell his brother to divide their inheritance equitably (equally?).
B. Divide the story (into major and minor details). (vv. 16-20)
1. Major details
- A prosperous farmer decides to build bigger barns for his growing wealth so that he can retire in comfort.
2. Minor details
- Good crop
C. Discover the significance (the single point). (v. 21)
- The accumulation of earthly wealth will not benefit a person in eternity; he should rather seek to accumulate heavenly wealth.
- "Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions" (v. 15).
V. The Ready Servants Luke 12:35-40
Luke 12:35 "Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, 36 like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. 37 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. I tell you the truth, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. 38 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night. 39 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming,33 he would not have let his house be broken into. 40 You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him."34
A. Determine the setting (or occasion). (v. 35)
1. The setting is the same as the previous parable except that Jesus is teaching about his return and about how his disciples should be ready for it.
2. The story blends servants' readiness for their master's return from a banquet and from a journey.
B. Divide the story (into major and minor details). (vv. 36-39)
1. Major details
a. The master returns from a banquet and finds the servants ready.
b. The master returns from a journey and takes the role of a servant.
2. Minor details
- Lamps, door, table, second or third watch of the night, house, thief
C. Discover the significance (the single point). (v.40)
- The common element in this blended parable is the importance for the servants that their master notices their readiness when he returns •u
- "It will be good for those servants whose master finds them" (vv. 37-38).
For the rest of this study and its Endnotes see the pdf (24 pages) here.
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