Christ Taught in Parables

Hello Everyone!

So this week I picked the assignment about how Christ taught in parables.

What is a parable exactly?

Well in the bible dictionary a parable, with its word origin being Greek, means a setting side by side, a comparison. So in other words it is a comparison of earthly things that we know and can comprehend with that of divine truth or spiritual knowledge in a way that teaches the listener.

Christ, being the Master Teacher, understood the way those He taught learned but He also knew that by using parables He would “convey to the hearer religious truth exactly in proportion to his faith and intelligence; to the dull and uninspired it is a mere story, “seeing they see not,” while to the instructed and spiritual it reveals the mysteries or secrets of the kingdom of heaven.” Only he who seeks will find.

In Matthew 13 there are six parables that are given and they are found in:

Matthew 13:24-30 is the parable of the tares.

The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. 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? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. 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.

Matthew 13:31-32 is the parable of the mustard seed.

The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: 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.

Matthew 13:33 is the parable of the leaven.

The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.

Matthew 13:44 is the parable of the treasure hid in a field.

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.

Matthew 13:45-46 is the parable of the pearls.

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 that he had, and bought it.

Matthew 13:47-50 is the parable of the net.

The kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

For the assignment we have a few questions that we are supposed to decide which parable best answers each one of them.

Question:

What describes the future growth of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?

Answer: Parable of the Tares

Question:

Why does the Church send out so many missionaries?

            Answer: Parable of the Net

Question:

How do you explain the remarkable growth of the Church, considering that is fairly new compared to most world religions and started small in the American frontier?

            Answer: Parable of the Mustard seed

Question:

Why are some members of the church willing to sacrifice so much worldly wealth and recognition in order to maintain membership in the Church?

            Answer: Parable of the Treasure in the Field, Parable of the Pearl

Question:

Why do some Church members choose to leave the Church?

            Answer: Parable of the Tares

(I had a really hard time with this section on trying to figure out which parables answered each question the best.)

The parable of the treasure and the pearl were both about giving all you had up for a treasure. Sacrifice is something that each of us face in our lives and its not always easy but sacrifice isn’t meant to be easy. If I had to make sacrifices to obtain the treasure of the gospel I would do so.

When I was in middle school our branch temple trips were always scheduled the same day that there was a parade that I was supposed to march in for school. My aunt gave me the choice of going on the temple trip or marching. I thought about what I would be missing out on if I went with one or the other. If I missed out on the temple trip I would miss the great experiences I knew I would have and if I missed the marching event I would get a 0% for the event and I would be required to write a lengthy paper over the subject of the band director’s choosing. In the end I decided I needed to go on the temple trip. This wasn’t one of the biggest sacrifices I could have had to make but it was one that gaining the “treasures of the gospel” made it worth giving up. Many people I know have had to sacrifice their family for the gospel because their family did not want to be a part of the person’s life after they joined the church or some lost jobs in other situations.

The net in the parable of the net cast into the sea represents missionaries that go out and teach and gather people and when you are gathered into the net you are given the gospel. However, once the net is on the shore and the good are gathered into vessels and the bad are cast out represents the judgment day I believe.  I remember learning in Seminary about how when Christ comes again and we are being judged, the good will be gathered while the bad will be cast out just like in the parable.

Christ taught in parables like those in Matthew 13 so that He could teach all those that were listening in a way that they will either take what He was saying as a story or with faith, seek the knowledge that can be gained by “seeing” rather than “seeing not”. We should seek after knowledge and try to understand it so that we can use that knowledge in our daily lives.