What are parables?

Answer 1

A short story set firmly in reality, told to illustrate a moral or religious lesson

Instead of laying down rules for people to follow, Jesus told stories. Everybody had different understandings of his stories and matched them to their everyday lives and morals. These stories were called "parables" and there were many of them. Jesus loved the idea of 'love and mercy' and he spent more time with the sick and ill than the rich and important to show love. Many of his parables shared the same ideas like "The Return of the Prodigal Son," a story about two sons and their father. One son was always misbehaving and never obeyed his father's rules, while the other son was always obedient and he ended up taking over the family business. When the disobedient son was old enough, he left the house and lost touch with the family. After two years, the troublesome son realized that he was acting out of character and it was time for him to grow up. He pleaded to come back home and his father accepted. The biggest party was to be thrown for his return. The father ordered the biggest calf and threw a huge feast to let everybody know that his son had returned. The obedient son was shocked and upset at the hearing of this because he was always good and a party like this was never thrown for him. The father explained to his son why he had done this and the son understood. If you thought about it with no effort, you would receive the conclusion that the story is about not being jealous if you don't know the full story which is an adequate conclusion. But if you dug a little more into the story, you would see that it is about how everybody loses their way and its all about helping them get back up. If you looked from the father's point of view, you might even get that you must accept and embrace everybody with equality. Jesus had an amazing and unique idea and he fulfilled it to his best ability.

Another answer:

Parables are allegorical illustrations intended to teach God's servants about different facets regarding the coming Kingdom of God. On the surface they say one thing... but for the present time dispensation that God has allotted to mankind for the working out of His plan of Salvation, the "True meaning" of them is intended to be lost on most people who hear them. In fact, until Jesus explained them "plainly and clearly" to His disciples IN PRIVATE SESSIONS... even THEY didn't understand them!

"The same day went Jesus out of the [His] house, and sat by the sea side. And great multitudes were gathered together unto Him... And He spake many things unto them IN PARABLES..." (Matt.13:1-3 KJV).

Like everyone else... the disciples were confused and puzzled over Jesus' strange story-telling approach; and asked Him about it:

"His disciples came and asked Him, 'Why do you always tell stories [parables]when you talk to the people?'" (verse 10 NLT New Living Translation)

"Then He explained to them, 'You have been permitted to understand the SECRETS OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, but OTHERS HAVE NOT. To those who are open to My teaching, more Understanding will be given, and they will have abundance of Knowledge. But to those who are not listening, even what they have will be taken away from them.

"That is why I tell stories, because people see what I do, but they dont' really see. They hear what I say, but they don't really hear, and they don't understand. This fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah, which says:

"You will hear My Words, but you will not understand; you will see what I do, but you will not perceive its meaning. For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to Me and LET ME HEAL THEM.'

"But BLESSED ARE YOUR EYES, because THEY SEE; and YOUR EARS, because THEY HEAR... (verses 11-16).

The parables of Jesus Christ in The Bible are illustrative stories [perhaps entertaining to some] designed to reveal the "mysteries and Truth of the coming Kingdom of God:

"...the Kingdom of Heaven is like..." (Matt.13:24, 31, 33).

"Jesus always used stories and illustration like these when speaking to the crowds. In fact, He never spoke to them WITHOUT using such parables." (verse 34)

Jesus' disciples went to Him, privately, after the crowds were dispersed, to learn for themselves what the parables meant... because THEY didn't know, EITHER!

"Then, leaving the crowds outside, Jesus went into the [His] house. His disciples said, 'Please explain the story of the weeds in the field.'" (verse 36)

The parables of the Bible are God's revealing of His plan of salvation to HIS SERVANTS... who are able to "hear His voice;" who come to Him, privately, in prayer [as well as their personal study of the Bible]; stories that the rest of the world remains for the time being unable to understand.

Anyone CAN understand them -- but only if they can BELIEVE what Jesus SAYS:

"'Alright,' He said, 'I, the Son of Man, am the Farmer who plants the Good Seed. The field is the world, and the Good Seed represents the people of the Kingdom. The weeds are the people who belong to the evil one. The enemy who planted the weeds among the wheat is the Devil. The harvest is the end of the world [the 'age'; the conclusion of God's plan], and the harvesters are the angels. Just as the weeds are separated out and burned, so it will be at the end of the world [age]. I, the Son of Man, will send My angels, and they will remove from My Kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil, and they will throw them into the furnace and burn them. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the Godly will shine like the sun in their Father's Kingdom. Anyone who is WILLING TO HEAR should listen and Understand.'" (verses 37-43)

Answer 2

Stories told by Jesus to convey his religious message, such as the Wheat and the Tares, The Prodical Son, The Wedding involving the guests have their lamps filled with oil. Parables such as these could be understood by anybody who was willing to 'hear' them.

The majority of Biblical parables are directed at the nation of Israel. Israel is spoken about in Isaiah 6:9-10. Israel's heart had grown dull and their ears were insensitive to the voice of God. They deliberately refused to see with their eyes. They knew that if they saw, heard, understood, and repented, God would heal them. But in their sickness and need, they refused His help. Therefore, their punishment was that they would hear but not understand, and see but not perceive.

ANOTHER ANSWER:

The parables of Jesus were "illustrations" about His message of the coming Kingdom of God that were intended to "hide their meaning" from the general masses. It's not that the people "didn't want" to understand them; but that, for the time being, were only for the understanding of God's servants [like Christ's disciples].

His disciples didn't even understand them until Jesus explained them to them "in private sessions" after the crowds had been dispersed... or Jesus took His disciples aside into His house or up the side of a mountain.

"His disciples came and asked Him, 'Why do you always tell stories when you talk to the people?' Then He explained to them, 'You have been permitted to understand the SECRETS OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, but OTHERS HAVE NOT. To those who are open to My teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But to those who are not listening, even what they have will be taken away from them. That is why I tell these stories, because people see what I do, but they don't REALLY see. They hear what I say, but they don't REALLY hear, and they DON'T UNDERSTAND.

"This fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah, which says: 'You will hear My Words, but you will not understand; you will see what I do, but you will not perceive its meaning. For the hearts of these people are HARDENED, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes - so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they CANNOT TURN TO ME [not WILL not] and let Me Heal them.' (Compare Isaiah 6:9-10 and Matthew 13:14).

"But BLESSED ARE YOUR EYES, because THEY SEE; and YOUR EARS, because THEY HEAR. I assure you, many prophets and godly people have longed to see and hear what you have seen and heard, but THEY COULD NOT.'" (Matt.13:10-17 NLT New Living Translation)

Most people don't realize that God "inspired" His Word, during this time dispensation of His plan, to be written FOR and understood BY His "called-out-ones," His "servants," His "chosen ones," His "saints." Those whom He has been calling "out of the world for His Holy use" [sanctified by God] throughout the generations of man... to train for those offices, jobs and positions in His coming Kingdom, to rule over and teach the nations God's ways when Christ brings the Kingdom to earth at His return.

And the parables KEEP THE REST OF MANKIND FROM UNDERSTANDING until the time comes for them to... when God is ready for them to.

In the meantime... God's servants must go "privately" to Jesus Christ in prayer and in His written Word for HIS plain explanations of His parables and prophecies. And His servants must "believe" what Jesus SAYS [not just believe ON Him -- there's a difference]... or they won't get it, either. This is illustrated in John 8:30-59; wherein a group of Jews "believed IN or ON Jesus," but DIDN'T BELIEVE A WORD HE SAID! And these "believers" ON Christ HATED WHAT HE SAID and tried to KILL HIM before His time.

The book of Revelation is written as a "parable" full of symbols and hidden meanings that are ONLY TO BE UNDERSTOOD by God's servants:

"This is a Revelation from JESUS CHRIST, which God [the Father] gave Him concerning the events that will happen soon. An angel was sent to God's servant John so that JOHN COULD SHARE THE REVELATION with GOD's OTHER SERVANTS." (Rev.1:1 NLT)

The Bible and its prophecies and parables are NOT FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND, now. They are for those whom God is calling, now, to be trained by Christ, and to one day co-rule the Kingdom of God with Christ:

"...They came to life again, and THEY REIGNED WITH CHRIST FOR A THOUSAND YEARS. This is the First Resurrection. (The rest of the dead did not come back to life until the thousand years had ended.) Blessed and Holy are those who share in the First Resurrection. For them the Second Death holds no power, but they will be PRIESTS of God [the Father] and of Christ and WILL REIGN WITH HIM A THOUSAND YEARS." (Rev.20:4-6 NLT)

The "parable stories" are a tool for the temporary hiding of God's Truth from Satan-deceived mankind until the time schedule of God's plan of Salvation is completed. Until God has the "first generation of His Children" trained and ready to man the offices of His Kingdom, which He has been preparing for the job of ridding the universe of "sin" [disobedience - I John 3:4], when Christ returns.

"Then the King will say to those on the right, 'Come, YOU WHO ARE BLESSED BY MY FATHER, INHERIT THE KINGDOM PREPARED FOR YOU FROM THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD." (Matt.25:34 NLT)

"...the God of heaven will SET UP A KINGDOM that will never be destroyed..." (Dan.2:44 NLT).

"But in the end, the Holy People [God's saints] of the Most High WILL BE GIVEN THE KINGDOM, and they will rule forever and ever." (Dan.7:18 NLT)

"...the Ancient One came and Judged in favor of the Holy People of the Most High. Then CAME THE TIME for the Holy People to TAKE OVER THE KINGDOM." (verse 22)

Thanks to the "parable stories" in the Bible, you just don't hear the Kingdom of God [the message Jesus brought] preached by the deceived religions of the world [including modern professing Christianity]. But it's right there in the Bible for any "with the eyes to see, the ears to hear, and the heart to understand and KNOW."

It's Jesus we have to go to... and learn to "believe what He plainly says in His Word"... to have Him open our minds and hearts to its understanding. Even His own disciples had to have it done to them by Him:

"Then He OPENED THEIR MINDS to understand these many Scriptures." (Luke 24:45 NLT)

Answer 3

Parables are used to relate everyday understanding to those things which are spiritual. The hearer can picture in their head things physical and in their heart things that are spiritual. As we relate the two, we gain spiritual understanding. Read Mark chapter 4

Answer 4

There are many forms of parables in the bible, mostly told by Jesus.