Anchored in Christ

The Lord Jesus Christ taught with authority. He claimed to be “The Truth” (John 14:6) and God in the flesh.

One of Christ’s go-to teaching tools was the Parable. Since parables are diverse, formulating a clear definition to cover each of Jesus’ parables is difficult. One of the best definitions I’ve come across is from C.H. Dodd, as quoted in Snodgrass’s Stories with Intent:

“At its simplest the parable is a metaphor or simile drawn from nature or common life, arresting the hearer by its vividness or strangeness, and leaving the mind in sufficient doubt about its precise application to tease it into active thought.”

R.C. Sproul comments on the purpose of the Parables in the Gospels:

“Jesus explained that for those who have ears to hear, the parable provides a deeper understanding of Jesus’ teaching. But for those who don’t have ears to hear, the parable is actually an instrument of concealment. The parable was not given simply to make everything clear to people; it was also given to obscure meaning to those who are outside, who are not given understanding. That sounds somewhat harsh. Jesus came not only to instruct and to help people understand the kingdom of God, He came also as a judgment on those who don’t want to hear the truth.”

Related Resource: 10 Tips for Interpreting the Parables of Jesus

A Complete List of Jesus’ Parables in the New Testament

[Download a printable PDF list of Jesus’ Parables in the New Testament]

• New Cloth on an Old Coat (Matthew 9:16; Mark 2:21; Luke 5:36)
• New Wine in Old Wineskins (Matthew 9:17; Mark 2:22; Luke 5:37–38)
• The Lamp on a Stand (Matthew 5:14–15; Mark 4:21–22; Luke 8:16, 11:33)
• The Wise and Foolish Builders (Matthew 7:24–27; Luke 6:47–49)
• The Moneylender forgiving unequal debts (Luke 7:41–43)
• The Rich Fool Building His Bigger Barns (Luke 12:16–21)
• The Servants Must Remain Watchful (Mark 13:35–37; Luke 12:35–40)
• The Wise and Foolish Servants (Matthew 24:45–51; Luke 12:42–48)
• The Unfruitful Fig Tree (Luke 13:6–9)
• The Parable of the Soils (Matthew 13:3–23; Mark 4:1–20; Luke 8:4–15)
• The Weeds Among Good Plants (Matthew 13:24–43)
• The Growing Seed (Mark 4:26–29)
• The Mustard Seed (Matthew 13:31–32; Mark 4:30–32; Luke 13:18–19)
• Yeast (Matthew 13:31–32)
• Hidden Treasure (Matthew 13:44)
• Valuable Pearl (Matthew 13:45–46)
• Fishing Net (Matthew 13:47–50)
• Owner of a House (Matthew 13:52)
• Lost Sheep (Matthew 18:12–14)
• The Master and His Servant (Luke 17:7–10)
• The Unmerciful servant (Matthew 18:23–34)
• The Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30–37)
• Friend in Need (Luke 11:5–8)
• Lowest Seat at the Feast (Luke 14:7–14)
• Invitation to a Great Banquet (Luke 14:16–24)
• The Cost of Discipleship (Luke 14:28–33)
• Lost Sheep (Luke 15:4–7)
• Lost Coin (Luke 15:8–10)
• The Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11–32)
• The Shrewd Manager (Luke 16:1–8)
• The Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19–31)
• The Early and Late Workers in the Vineyard (Matthew 20:1–16)
• The Persistent Widow and Crooked Judge (Matthew 18:1–8)
• The Pharisee and Tax Collector (Luke 18:10–14)
• The King’s Ten Servants Given Minas (Luke 19:12–27)
• Two Sons (one obeys, one disobeys) (Matthew 21:28–32)
• Wicked Tenants (Matthew 21:33–44; Mark 12:1–11; Luke 20:9–18)
• Invitation to a Wedding Banquet (Matthew 22:2–14)
• The Fig Tree and Signs of the Future (Matthew 24:32–35; Mark 13:28–29; Luke 21:29–31)
• The Wise and Foolish Virgins (Matthew 25:1–13)
• The Talents (Matthew 25:14–30)
• The Sheep and the Goats (Matthew 25:31–46)
• The Sheep, Shepherd, and Gate (John 10:1–18)

Recommended Books for Studying the Parables of Jesus

Popular Level

• What Do Jesus’ Parables Mean? by R.C. Sproul (free for Kindle)
• The Storytelling God: Seeing the Glory of Jesus in His Parables by Jared Wilson
• Parables: The Mysteries of God’s Kingdom Revealed Through the Stories Jesus Told by John MacArthur
• The Parables of Jesus by James Montgomery Boice

Going Deeper

• Stories with Intent: A Comprehensive Guide to the Parables of Jesus by Kline Snodgrass
• Interpreting the Parables by Craig Blomberg
• The Parables of Jesus by David Wenham

Sermons & Lectures on Why Jesus Spoke in Parables

How to Read the Parables of Jesus from The Bible Project

John MacArthur — The Purpose of the Parables

Ministry Expectations — The Parable of the Sower by Pastor Colin Smith

Part of the free course for ministry leaders called Sustaining Lifetime of Ministry.

D.A. Carson — Why Did Jesus Speak in Parables? – Part 1 and Part 2

Sinclair Ferguson – Why Does Jesus Speak in Parables?

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