Tell this rebellious people a parable and say to them: 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

Put on the pot; put it on
    and pour water into it.
Put into it the pieces of meat,
    all the choice pieces—the leg and the shoulder.
Fill it with the best of these bones;
    take the pick of the flock.
Pile wood beneath it for the bones;
    bring it to a boil
    and cook the bones in it.

For this is what the Sovereign Lord says:
    Woe to the city of bloodshed,
    to the pot now encrusted,
    whose deposit will not go away!

— Ezekiel 24:3-6 (NIV)

Ezekiel delivered this parable on the day Nebuchadnezzar began his siege of Jerusalem. The pot represents Jerusalem, and its contents symbolize the people facing judgment for their corruption and violence.

Sin's Effects

Divine Cleansing

Warning Signs

Parable of the Boiling Pot

"Son of man, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his hordes:
'Who can be compared with you in majesty?
Consider Assyria, once a cedar in Lebanon,
with beautiful branches overshadowing the forest;
it towered on high,
its top above the thick foliage.

The waters nourished it,
deep springs made it grow tall;
their streams flowed
all around its base
and sent their channels
to all the trees of the field.

So it towered higher
than all the trees of the field;
its boughs increased
and its branches grew long,
spreading because of abundant waters...

Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because the great cedar towered high, lifting its top above the thick foliage, and because it was proud of its height, I gave it into the hands of the ruler of the nations, for him to deal with according to its wickedness. I cast it aside...'"

— Ezekiel 31:2-5, 10-11 (NIV)

Ezekiel delivered this parable as a warning to Egypt, using Assyria's fall as an object lesson. It was given two months before Jerusalem's fall, warning Egypt about the dangers of pride and the certainty of divine judgment.

Pride's Danger

Divine Sovereignty

Historical Lessons

Parable of the Cedar Tree

> The Lord sent Nathan to David. When he came to him, he said, "There were two men in a certain town, one rich and the other poor. The rich man had a very large number of sheep and cattle, but the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food, drank from his cup and even slept in his arms. It was like a daughter to him.
>
> "Now a traveler came to the rich man, but the rich man refrained from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare a meal for the traveler who had come to him. Instead, he took the ewe lamb that belonged to the poor man and prepared it for the one who had come to him."
>
> — 2 Samuel 12:1-4 (NIV)

Nathan delivered this parable to King David after David's sin with Bathsheba and the arranged death of her husband Uriah. The parable was designed to help David see his own actions through a different lens.

Nathan's Parable of the Ewe Lamb

"Take up a lament concerning the princes of Israel and say:

'What a lioness was your mother
    among the lions!
She lay down among them
    and reared her cubs.
She brought up one of her cubs,
    and he became a strong lion.
He learned to tear the prey
    and he became a man-eater.
The nations heard about him,
    and he was trapped in their pit.
They led him with hooks
    to the land of Egypt.

When she saw her hope unfulfilled,
    her expectation gone,
she took another of her cubs
    and made him a strong lion.
He prowled among the lions,
    for he was now a strong lion.
He learned to tear the prey
    and he became a man-eater.
He broke down their strongholds
    and devastated their towns.
The land and all who were in it
    were terrified by his roaring.
Then the nations came against him,
    those from regions round about.
They spread their net for him,
    and he was trapped in their pit.'"

— Ezekiel 19:1-8 (NIV)

This lament-parable describes the fate of two of Judah's last kings: Jehoahaz (taken to Egypt) and Jehoiachin (taken to Babylon). The lioness represents the nation of Judah, and her cubs are the royal sons who became kings.

Leadership Responsibility

Pride's Downfall

National Consequences

Parable of the Lion's Cubs

The word of the Lord came to me: "Son of man, how is the wood of a vine different from that of a branch from any of the trees in the forest? Is wood ever taken from it to make anything useful? Do they make pegs from it to hang things on?

And after it is thrown on the fire as fuel and the fire burns both ends and chars the middle, is it then useful for anything? If it was not useful for anything when it was whole, how much less can it be made into something useful when the fire has burned it and it is charred?

Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: As I have given the wood of the vine among the trees of the forest as fuel for the fire, so will I treat the people living in Jerusalem. I will set my face against them. Although they have come out of the fire, the fire will yet consume them. And when I set my face against them, you will know that I am the Lord."

— Ezekiel 15:1-7 (NIV)

Ezekiel delivered this parable during the Babylonian exile to illustrate Jerusalem's uselessness when failing its divine purpose. The vine represents Israel, traditionally God's chosen vineyard, now failing to produce fruit.

Divine Purpose

Spiritual Productivity

Judgment Warning

Parable of the Productive and Unproductive Vine

I will sing for the one I love a song about his vineyard:
My loved one had a vineyard on a fertile hillside.
He dug it up and cleared it of stones and planted it with the choicest vines.
He built a watchtower in it and cut out a winepress as well.
Then he looked for a crop of good grapes, but it yielded only bad fruit.

"Now you dwellers in Jerusalem and people of Judah,
judge between me and my vineyard.
What more could have been done for my vineyard than I have done for it?
When I looked for good grapes, why did it yield only bad?

Now I will tell you what I am going to do to my vineyard:
I will take away its hedge, and it will be destroyed;
I will break down its wall, and it will be trampled.
I will make it a wasteland, neither pruned nor cultivated,
and briers and thorns will grow there.
I will command the clouds not to rain on it."

The vineyard of the Lord Almighty is the nation of Israel,
and the people of Judah are the vines he delighted in.
And he looked for justice, but saw bloodshed;
for righteousness, but heard cries of distress.

— Isaiah 5:1-7 (NIV)

Isaiah delivered this love song turned lament during a time of relative prosperity in Judah, warning of coming judgment due to their failure to produce the fruit of righteousness despite God's careful cultivation.

Divine Investment

Expected Fruit

Divine Judgment

Song of the Vineyard

When Jotham was told about this, he climbed up on the top of Mount Gerizim and shouted to them:

"Listen to me, citizens of Shechem, so that God may listen to you. One day the trees went out to anoint a king for themselves. They said to the olive tree, 'Be our king.'

But the olive tree answered, 'Should I give up my oil, by which both gods and humans are honored, to hold sway over the trees?'

Next, the trees said to the fig tree, 'Come and be our king.'

But the fig tree replied, 'Should I give up my fruit, so good and sweet, to hold sway over the trees?'

Then the trees said to the vine, 'Come and be our king.'

But the vine answered, 'Should I give up my wine, which cheers both gods and humans, to hold sway over the trees?'

Finally all the trees said to the thornbush, 'Come and be our king.'

The thornbush said to the trees, 'If you really want to anoint me king over you, come and take refuge in my shade; but if not, then let fire come out of the thornbush and consume the cedars of Lebanon!'"

— Judges 9:7-15 (NIV)

Jotham delivered this parable after his brother Abimelech killed their other brothers to seize power. The parable warns about the dangers of choosing an unworthy leader and the consequences of poor leadership choices.

Jotham's Parable of the Trees

The word of the Lord came to me: "Son of man, set forth an allegory and tell it to the Israelites as a parable. Say to them, 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says: A great eagle with powerful wings, long feathers and full plumage of varied colors came to Lebanon. Taking hold of the top of a cedar, he broke off its topmost shoot and carried it away to a land of merchants, where he planted it in a city of traders.

He took one of the seedlings of the land and put it in fertile soil. He planted it like a willow by abundant water, and it sprouted and became a low, spreading vine. Its branches turned toward him, but its roots remained under it. So it became a vine and produced branches and put out leafy boughs.

But there was another great eagle with powerful wings and full plumage. The vine now sent out its roots toward him from the plot where it was planted and stretched out its branches to him for water. It had been planted in good soil by abundant water so that it would produce branches, bear fruit and become a splendid vine.'"

— Ezekiel 17:1-8 (NIV)

Ezekiel delivered this parable during the Babylonian exile to explain Judah's political situation and coming judgment. The allegory describes King Nebuchadnezzar's dealings with Jerusalem and its kings, particularly regarding King Zedekiah's rebellion.

Covenant Faithfulness

Political Wisdom

Divine Justice

Parable of the Two Eagles

The word of the Lord came to me: "Son of man, there were two women, daughters of the same mother. They became prostitutes in Egypt, engaging in prostitution from their youth...

The older was named Oholah, and her sister was Oholibah. They were mine and gave birth to sons and daughters. Oholah is Samaria, and Oholibah is Jerusalem.

Oholah engaged in prostitution while she was still mine; and she lusted after her lovers, the Assyrians—warriors clothed in blue, governors and commanders, all of them handsome young men, and mounted horsemen...

Her sister Oholibah saw this, yet in her lust and prostitution she was more depraved than her sister... Therefore I will deliver her into the hands of her lovers, the Assyrians, for whom she lusted."

— Ezekiel 23:1-9, 11, 9 (NIV)

Ezekiel used this extended allegory to describe the spiritual unfaithfulness of both the northern kingdom (Samaria/Oholah) and the southern kingdom (Jerusalem/Oholibah). It portrays their pursuit of political alliances and idolatry as spiritual adultery.

False Security

Parable of the Two Sisters

Isaiah's Vineyard Parable

Joab sent someone to Tekoa and had a wise woman brought from there. He said to her, "Pretend you are in mourning. Dress in mourning clothes, and don't use any cosmetic lotions. Act like a woman who has spent many days grieving for the dead."

Then the woman said, "Please let me speak a word to my lord the king."

"Go ahead," he replied.

The woman said, "I am a widow; my husband is dead. I your servant had two sons. They got into a fight with each other in the field, and no one was there to separate them. One struck the other and killed him. Now the whole clan has risen up against your servant; they say, 'Hand over the one who struck his brother down, so that we may put him to death for the life of his brother whom he killed; then we will get rid of the heir as well.' They would put out my only ember that is left and leave my husband neither name nor descendant on the face of the earth."

— 2 Samuel 14:2-3, 12-14 (NIV)

Joab, David's commander, sent this wise woman to help reconcile King David with his son Absalom. The story parallels David's own situation with his sons, particularly after Absalom killed his brother Amnon.

Wisdom in Approach

Justice and Mercy

Reconciliation

Parable of the Wise Woman of Tekoa

Then he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, 'For three years now I've been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven't found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?'

'Sir,' the man replied, 'leave it alone for one more year, and I'll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.'"

— Luke 13:6-9 (NIV)

Jesus told this parable after discussing recent tragedies and the need for repentance. It illustrates God's patience in waiting for spiritual fruit while warning about the limits of that patience.

Divine Patience

Spiritual Fruitfulness

Grace and Intervention

Parable of the Barren Fig Tree

Jesus told his disciples: "There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions. So he called him in and asked him, 'What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer.'

The manager said to himself, 'What shall I do now? My master is taking away my job. I'm not strong enough to dig, and I'm ashamed to beg. I know what I'll do so that, when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their houses.'

So he called in each one of his master's debtors. He asked the first, 'How much do you owe my master?' 'Nine hundred gallons of olive oil,' he replied. The manager told him, 'Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it four hundred and fifty.' Then he asked the second, 'And how much do you owe?' 'A thousand bushels of wheat,' he replied. He told him, 'Take your bill and make it eight hundred.'

The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light. I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings."

— Luke 16:1-9 (NIV)

Jesus told this parable to His disciples, teaching about the proper use of material resources. It's one of the most challenging parables to interpret, as it appears to commend dishonest behavior.

Strategic Stewardship

Kingdom Priorities

Spiritual Wisdom

Parable of the Dishonest Manager

"Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

— Matthew 13:47-50 (NIV)

Jesus shared this parable as part of His series of kingdom parables in Matthew 13. It comes as a sobering reminder about the final judgment, following parables about the kingdom's growth and value.

Kingdom Gathering

Divine Discernment

Final Separation

Parable of the Dragnet

"Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, 'My master is staying away a long time,' and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

— Matthew 24:45-51 (NIV)

Jesus shares this parable while teaching about His second coming and the importance of faithful service during His absence. It emphasizes the responsibility of spiritual leaders and the consequences of their actions.

Faithful Service

Spiritual Watchfulness

The Faithful Servant

Peter asked, "Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to everyone?"

The Lord answered, "Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns. Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.

But suppose the servant says to himself, 'My master is taking a long time in coming,' and he then begins to beat the other servants, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk. The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.

The servant who knows the master's will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows. But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked."

— Luke 12:41-48 (NIV)

This parable follows the Watchful Servants parable and expands on the theme of faithful service, specifically addressing those in positions of leadership and responsibility in God's kingdom.

Spiritual Stewardship

Parable of the Faithful and Unfaithful Servant

On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"

"What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?"

He answered, "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"

"You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live."

But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"

In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'"

— Luke 10:25-35 (NIV)

Jesus told this parable in response to a legal expert who wanted to justify himself by narrowly defining who qualified as his "neighbor." The story deliberately uses a Samaritan, who would have been despised by Jesus' Jewish audience, as the hero.

Active Compassion

Breaking Social Barriers

Going Beyond Duty

The Good Samaritan

"Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.

When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice...

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away...

I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep."

— John 10:1-5, 11-12, 14-15 (NIV)

Jesus spoke this parable following His healing of a blind man and the subsequent controversy with the Pharisees. It contrasts His loving leadership with the false shepherds of Israel who failed to care for God's people.

Divine Leadership

Spiritual Discernment

Sacrificial Love

Parable of the Good Shepherd

He also said, "This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how.

All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head.

As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come."

— Mark 4:26-29 (NIV)

Jesus shared this parable alongside other agricultural parables about God's kingdom. It appears only in Mark's gospel and emphasizes the mysterious, autonomous nature of spiritual growth.

Divine Partnership

Patient Waiting

Harvest Certainty

Parable of the Growing Seed

"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field."

— Matthew 13:44 (NIV)

Jesus shared this brief but powerful parable as part of a series of kingdom parables. It would have resonated with His audience who understood the practice of hiding valuables in fields during times of war or uncertainty.

Kingdom Value

Total Commitment

Wise Investment

Parable of the Hidden Treasure

He told them still another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough."

— Matthew 13:33 (NIV)

Jesus shared this parable immediately after the Mustard Seed parable, providing another illustration of how God's kingdom works in hidden but transformative ways.

Hidden Impact

Transformative Power

Patient Process

Parable of the Leaven

"Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn't she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it?

And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.'

In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

— Luke 15:8-10 (NIV)

This is the second in Jesus' trilogy of "lost" parables, following the Lost Sheep and preceding the Prodigal Son. Jesus continues to defend His ministry to tax collectors and sinners, using everyday examples His audience would understand.

Diligent Seeking

Intentional Methods

Shared Joy

Parable of the Lost Coin

Then Jesus told them this parable: "Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn't he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?

And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.'

I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent."

— Luke 15:3-7 (NIV)

Jesus shared this parable in response to the Pharisees and teachers of the law who were criticizing Him for welcoming and eating with sinners. It's the first in a series of three parables about God's heart for the lost.

Divine Initiative

Community Celebration

Parable of the Lost Sheep

He told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches."

— Matthew 13:31-32 (NIV)

Jesus shared this parable as part of a series of kingdom parables, illustrating how God's kingdom grows from seemingly insignificant beginnings to encompass all nations.

Kingdom Growth

Faith's Power

Parable of the Mustard Seed

If the part of the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches.

If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you.

You will say then, "Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in." Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but tremble. For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.

Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off. And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.

After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!

— Romans 11:16-24 (NIV)

Paul uses this agricultural metaphor to explain the relationship between Jews and Gentiles in God's plan of salvation, addressing Gentile believers who might be tempted to feel superior to unbelieving Jews.

Spiritual Humility

Parable of the Olive Tree

"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it."

— Matthew 13:45-46 (NIV)

Jesus told this parable immediately after the Hidden Treasure parable, reinforcing the theme of the kingdom's supreme worth. The merchant represents someone actively seeking truth, unlike the accidental discovery in the previous parable.

Spiritual Search

Complete Surrender

Spiritual Expertise

Parable of the Pearl of Great Price

Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. He said: "In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, 'Grant me justice against my adversary.'

For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, 'Even though I don't fear God or care what people think, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won't eventually come and attack me!'

And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?"

— Luke 18:1-8 (NIV)

Jesus told this parable to encourage His disciples to persist in prayer and maintain faith, even when answers seem delayed. It comes in a section of Luke's Gospel focusing on prayer and faithfulness.

Prayer Persistence

Faith Development

Parable of the Persistent Widow

To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.'

But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'

I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted."

— Luke 18:9-14 (NIV)

Jesus told this parable to address those who trusted in their own righteousness and looked down on others. It follows the parable of the Persistent Widow and continues Luke's theme of proper prayer.

True Prayer

False Religion

Divine Acceptance

Parable of the Pharisee and Tax Collector

Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them.

Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.'

So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'

But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate.

— Luke 15:11-24 (NIV)

This is the third and longest of Jesus' "lost" parables, following the Lost Sheep and Lost Coin. It provides the most detailed picture of God's heart for the lost and His joy in their return, while also addressing the attitude of the self-righteous through the elder brother's response.

God's Unconditional Love

True Repentance

The Heart of the Father

Parable of the Prodigal Son

And he told them this parable: "The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, 'What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.'

Then he said, 'This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry."'

But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?'

This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God."

— Luke 12:16-21 (NIV)

Jesus told this parable in response to someone who asked Him to settle an inheritance dispute. He used the opportunity to warn against all kinds of greed and the futility of finding security in material wealth.

True Security

Eternal Investment

Heart Examination

Parable of the Rich Fool

"There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.

The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side.

So he called to him, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.'

But Abraham replied, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.'

He answered, 'Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.'

Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.'

'No, father Abraham,' he said, 'but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'

He said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.'"

— Luke 16:19-31 (NIV)

Jesus told this parable to the Pharisees who loved money and were sneering at His teachings about wealth. It follows His teachings about faithful stewardship and the impossibility of serving both God and money.

Stewardship of Wealth

Present Choices, Eternal Consequences

Scripture's Sufficiency

Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus

I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. For we are co-workers in God's service; you are God's field, God's building.

— 1 Corinthians 3:6-9 (NIV)

Paul uses this agricultural metaphor while addressing divisions in the Corinthian church, where believers were forming factions around different leaders. He emphasizes the cooperative nature of ministry and God's supreme role in spiritual growth.

Ministry Cooperation

Divine Dependence

Parable of the Seed Growth

That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. Then he told them many things in parables, saying:

"A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.

Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.

Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants.

Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.

Whoever has ears, let them hear."

— Matthew 13:1-9 (NIV)

This is one of Jesus' most foundational parables, explaining how people respond differently to God's word. It's one of the few parables where Jesus also provides a detailed interpretation to His disciples, helping them understand the various responses to the gospel message.

Heart Preparation

Growth Challenges

Fruitful Response

Parable of the Sower

"Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey.

The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.

After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.'

His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'

The man with two bags of gold also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.'

His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'

Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. 'Master,' he said, 'I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.'

His master replied, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.'"

— Matthew 25:14-27 (NIV)

Jesus told this parable near the end of His ministry as part of His teaching about His return and final judgment. It follows the Parable of the Ten Virgins and continues the theme of readiness for the Master's return.

Faithful Stewardship

Active Service

Future Accountability

Parable of the Talents

"At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps.

The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

At midnight the cry rang out: 'Here's the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!'

Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.'

'No,' they replied, 'there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.'

But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.

Later the others also came. 'Lord, Lord,' they said, 'open the door for us!' But he replied, 'Truly I tell you, I don't know you.'

Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour."

— Matthew 25:1-13 (NIV)

Jesus shared this parable near the end of His ministry as part of His teaching about His second coming and the end times. It emphasizes the importance of spiritual preparedness and perseverance.

Personal Preparation

Eternal Consequences

Parable of the Ten Virgins

"Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?"

Simon replied, "I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven."

"You have judged correctly," Jesus said.

— Luke 7:41-43 (NIV)

Jesus told this parable at a Pharisee's house when a sinful woman anointed His feet. The parable responds to Simon the Pharisee's judgmental attitude toward the woman and his failure to show basic hospitality to Jesus.

Recognition of Debt

Grace and Response

Parable of the Two Debtors

"What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, 'Son, go and work today in the vineyard.'

'I will not,' he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.

Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, 'I will, sir,' but he did not go.

Which of the two did what his father wanted?"

"The first," they answered.

Jesus said to them, "Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him."

— Matthew 21:28-32 (NIV)

Jesus told this parable to the chief priests and elders who questioned His authority. It directly challenged their self-righteousness and highlighted the importance of genuine repentance over mere religious profession.

True Obedience

Religious Hypocrisy

Genuine Repentance

Parable of the Two Sons

"Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.

At this the servant fell on his knees before him. 'Be patient with me,' he begged, 'and I will pay back everything.' The servant's master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.

But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. 'Pay back what you owe me!' he demanded.

His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.'

But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened.

Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?'"

— Matthew 18:23-33 (NIV)

Jesus told this parable in response to Peter's question about how many times he should forgive someone who sins against him. It illustrates Jesus' teaching that we should forgive others as God has forgiven us.

Biblical Parables