Category Archives: Teaching of Jesus

Mt 13/Mk4/Lk8 – The Parable of the Sower – Exposition

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It was springtime by the Sea of Galilee. Great numbers came enthusiastically to hear our Lord preach, v2, but would they remain faithful? The seed was being faithfully sown, but what would the harvest bring? We can picture Jesus sitting in the prow of a boat, pointing his hearers to the fields where the green corn shoots a promising a rich harvest. But how much of the seed scattered by the sower would be fruitful?

Our Lord, knowing that many who thronged to him would, sooner or later, neglect, or misunderstand, or reject his message, gives a solemn word of warning in the form of a parable.…

Mt 13/Mk 4/Lk 8 – The Parable of the Sower – Intro

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Here is the text, based on Matthew’s account, but including significant variants from Mark and Luke.

Mt 13:1 On that day after Jesus went out of the house, he sat by the lake. 13:2 And such a large crowd gathered around him [Lk: and people were coming to Jesus from one town after another] that he got into a boat to sit while the whole crowd stood on the shore. 13:3 He told them many things in parables [Lk: he spoke to them in a parable], saying: “Listen!…

Mt 13/Mk 4/Lk 8 – Why did Jesus speak in parables?

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The so-called ‘Parable of the Sower’ is recorded in all three Synoptic Gospels.  And, in each case, the parable itself is followed by an explanation by Jesus of why he taught in parables.

Luke’s is the briefest account, followed by Mark’s and then Matthew’s:

Lk 8:9-10
8:9 Then his disciples asked him what this parable meant. 8:10 He said, “You have been given the opportunity to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that although they see they may not see, and although they hear they may not understand.”
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Crafting a story the Jesus way

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Writing in the Evangelical Times, Peter J. Williams uses the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31) to demonstrate just how skilful a story-teller Jesus was.

1. Use of words

We can readily visualise each person’s situation and daily movements:

‘At his gate’ – conjures up the image of the rich man’s large and enclosed house.  He would have to pass Lazarus every time he approached or left his home.  Yet he would ignore him.…

The warnings of Jesus

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It is sometimes imagined that Jesus was nothing but sweetness and light.  But this is very wide of the mark.

As N.T. Wright (Jesus and the Victory of God, p183f) points out the Synoptic Gospels record a ‘pretty devastating catalogue of threats and warnings’.

That catalogue, as compiled by Wright, looks something like this:

Leave the dead to bury the dead (Mt. 8:22/Lk. 9:60);

Do not put the new wine into old wineskins (Mt.

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Preach like Jesus

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I have returned, from time to time, to the question of what the preacher can learn from the greatest teacher of them all.

Mark Stibbe explores this in his chapter ‘Learning from Jesus’ in Preach the Word! (ed Greg Haslam, 2006, pp87-97).

Stibbe identifies ten characteristics of Jesus’ preaching.  Here’s a summary.

1. Revelatory in content

Notwithstanding some formal similarities with rabbinic teaching, in content Jesus’ message was completely original.  It came from the Father.

Jn 12:49f – “I have not spoken from my own authority, but the Father himself who sent me has commanded me what I should say and what I should speak. 

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Jesus’ attitude towards children

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Some things Jesus did for children

1. He took them in his arms and blessed them.

2. He provided for their physical wants in feeding the four and five thousand—”besides women and children.” He commanded that something to eat be given the raised daughter of Jairus (Mark 5: 43).

3. He healed them. How many were boys? (See John 4:46-54 and Matt. 17: 14-21.) How many were girls? (See Mark 7: 24-30 and Matt. 9:18-34.) Are there still others?…

Jesus’ calls to action

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Jesus had no interest in mere information.  He was constantly calling others to action.

Consider some of the things he gave his learners to do.

  • “Come.”
  • “Follow.”
  • “Go.”
  • “Sell.”
  • “Preach.”
  • “Watch.”
  • “Pray.”
  • “Do likewise.”
  • “Wash.”
  • “Offer the gift.”
  • “Stretch out your hand.”
  • “Roll away the stone.”
  • “Come down.”
  • “Go and tell.”
  • “Sin no more.”
  • “Feed my sheep.”
  • “Make disciples of all nations.”
  • “Bring the colt.”
  • “Pay the tax.”
  • “Show yourself to the priest.”
  • “Stand up, pick up your bed.”
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The training of Peter

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Herman Horne notes that the Gospels present the disciples as individuals, and Jesus as treating them, and training them, as such.

Recall the characteristics of Peter and the way of training him used by Jesus.

The records represent Peter as having what William James calls “the precipitate will,” that is, he was impulsive, rash, impetuous, bold, of the motor type. Perhaps his foil in all these respects was Thomas. Peter’s name usually heads the list of the disciples, though he was not the first called.…

Jesus’ use of the concrete

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Jesus made extensive use of the concrete in teaching the abstract.

Consider the following:

Concrete Abstract
“Look at the birds” Trust
“Consider the lilies” Trust
“The wind blows” The Spirit
“This little child” True greatness
“The poor widow” Sacrificial giving
“Show me a denarius” Civic duty
“Who is my mother?” Spiritual kinship
“Do you see this woman?” True hospitality
“Two sparrows” Providence
“The hairs of your head” Providence
Foxes Homelessness
Grapes and figs Fruitful discipleship
“Fishers of men” Personal evangelism
“The things you have seen and heard” Data for John’s judgment
Ox in the ditch Humaneness
Sheep in the pit Humaneness
Camel and needle’s eye Perils of wealth
The cursed fig tree Penalty of hypocrisy
Log and speck Large and small faults
“The narrow way” The way to life
“The narrow gate” The way to life
“Wolves in sheeps’ clothing” False prophets
“Children of the bride-chamber” Festal character of the Kingdom
“Lift up your eyes to the harvest” Vision of human need
“Snakes” Wisdom
“Doves” Harmlessness
“Cup of cold water” Service to fellow-disciples
“Reed shaken in the wind” One view of John
“Light of the world” ?
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