Parables of Jesus Christ

1. Parables of the Net (Matthew 13:47-52)

47 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind:
48 Which,
when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the
bad away.
49 So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just,
50 And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
51 Jesus saith unto them, Have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea, Lord.
52 Then
said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a
man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.
Reflection

I realized that God’s love is so wide that His love is so immense and so wonderful, it covers the whole world and
he want’s every human to come to a knowledge of Him and to have a relationship to Him. He is full of grace,
His grace is so great, he gives a chance to both wicked and righteous. He gives everyone undeserved and
unmerited favor as no human is worth for his grace and salvation. The Lord is also no respecter of no persons,
he wants every human being, those doing evil and those doing good to be saved from his wrath and the
judgement to come. Our dear God is very patient to us, His nature is forbearance and he holds himself back
from punishing us even as we mock his patience by continuing to sin and live in iniquity. Despite being sinners,
he is mercifully waiting for us to come to Him. The Lord is a Master of Self-control, even though God see all evil,
hate, suffering and heartache in the world and he has the power to destroy the whole world even as in the
days of Noah, he is exercising self-control and ruling in wisdom. Our Lord is true to His word, He sits in heaven
and he sees and knows about all that is going on here on Earth. Heaven is a holy place where only the
righteous are allowed to enter. The wicked and evil cannot enter. Jesus wanted to warn us that when we die
God’s is sitting in His throne waiting for our trial whether we are worthy enough to enter to heaven or we’ll be
cast off to heaven and send to hell to suffer.
2. Parable of the Gold Coins (Luke 19:11-27)
11 Whilethe people were listening to this, Jesus continued and told them a parable. He was now almost at
Jerusalem, and they supposed that the Kingdom of God was just about to appear. 12 So he said, “There was
once a man of high rank who was going to a country far away to be made king, after which he planned to
come back home. 13 Before he left, he called his ten servants and gave them each a gold coin and told them,
‘See what you can earn with this while I am gone.’ 14 Now, his own people hated him, and so they sent
messengers after him to say, ‘We don't want this man to be our king.’
15 “The man was made king and came back. At once he ordered his servants to appear before him, in order to
find out how much they had earned. 16 The first one came and said, ‘Sir, I have earned ten gold coins with the
one you gave me.’ 17 ‘Well done,’ he said; ‘you are a good servant! Since you were faithful in small matters, I
will put you in charge of ten cities.’ 18 The second servant came and said, ‘Sir, I have earned five gold coins with
the one you gave me.’ 19 To this one he said, ‘You will be in charge of five cities.’ 20 Another servant came and
said, ‘Sir, here is your gold coin; I kept it hidden in a handkerchief. 21 I was afraid of you, because you are a hard
man. You take what is not yours and reap what you did not plant.’ 22 He said to him, ‘You bad servant! I will use
your own words to condemn you! You know that I am a hard man, taking what is not mine and reaping what I
have not planted. 23 Well, then, why didn't you put my money in the bank? Then I would have received it back
with interest when I returned.’ 24 Then he said to those who were standing there, ‘Take the gold coin away from
him and give it to the servant who has ten coins.’ 25 But they said to him, ‘Sir, he already has ten coins!’ 26 ‘I tell
you,’ he replied, ‘that to those who have something, even more will be given; but those who have nothing,
even the little that they have will be taken away from them. 27 Now, as for those enemies of mine who did not
want me to be their king, bring them here and kill them in my presence!’”
Reflection
Jesus told this parable to describe and compare four kinds of people. The first two are His true and faithful
servants who make good use of the gifts He has entrusted to them, each according to his capabilities. The third
type are the unreliable followers, those who just “come along for the ride” but are sadly lacking in any personal
commitment or even initiative. The last kind are the worst of the lot, who reject Him as their Master, and even
conspire against Him. These deserve the most severe punishment. I believe our Lord taught this parable not so
much for the benefit of His apostles and closest followers, (who gained authority over cities), nor for His enemies,
(the scribes, pharisees and high priests), who rejected Him. His lesson was intended for the great masses of
people who are uncommitted or lukewarm, or for some reason are afraid to take the leap of faith. Jesus seems
to be telling them: “From him who has no faith, even the little that he has will be taken away.” Most Christians
belong to this “third category” of Christ’s servants, who fill up His churches on Sundays and holy days of
obligation, but are mostly ignorant about His Word. Their idea of God is a Severe Disciplinarian Whose rules and
statutes must be strictly followed, but Whose Good News of salvation is “kept laid away” like their unopened
Bible, gathering dust on a shelf. God has given each one of us a ‘gold coin’ or gift that we can use in
propagating His kingdom here on earth. He does not expect that we can multiply His capital in our life five or
ten times over. But at least let us give back to Him some “interest” for His investment, lest we lose our most
precious possession.
3. Parable of the Barren Fig Tree (Luke 13:6-9)
6 And he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and
found none. 7 And he said to the vinedresser, ‘Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig
tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?’8 And he answered him, ‘Sir, let it alone this
year also, until I dig around it and put on manure. 9 Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if
not, you can cut it down.’”
Reflection

The vineyard owner represents God, the one who rightly expects to see fruit on His tree and who justly decides
to destroy it when He finds none. The gardener, or vineyard keeper who cares for the trees, watering and
fertilizing them to bring them to their peak of fruitfulness, represents Jesus, who feeds His people and gives them
living water. The tree itself has two symbolic meanings: the nation of Israel and the individual.

The vineyard owner (God) expressing his disappointment at the fruitless tree. He has looked for fruit for three
years from this tree, but has found none. The three-year period is significant because for three years John the
Baptist and Jesus had been preaching the message of repentance throughout Israel. But the fruits of
repentance were not forthcoming. John the Baptist warned the people about the Messiah coming and told
them to bring forth fruits fit for repentance because the ax was already laid at the root of the tree (Luke 3:8-9).
But the Jews were offended by the idea they needed to repent, and they rejected their Messiah because He
demanded repentance from them. We know that God is merciful and willing to forgive but God’s patience
and mercy has it limits, neither you nor I want to be on the receiving end when God’s patience runs out. It is
better to repent while we have the opportunity. Repentance is not a fashionable word today. Its basic
meaning is to change . It means to stop doing something that’s not productive or taking you in a wrong
direction.

4. Parable of the Rich Fool

13 And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me.
14 And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you?
15 And
he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the
abundance of the things which he possesseth.
16 And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:
17 And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?
18 And
he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and
my goods.
19 And
I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and
be merry.
20 But
God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be,
which thou hast provided?
21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
Reflection

The parable is so clear in its message and yet we wonder whether it has been heeded by those to whom it is
addressed! Indeed, in life most of us behave like the rich man: We work and work to earn and have more. And
we work even harder, expanding our business, building additional shops, eventually forgetting God and what
this life is ultimately about.

We cannot build our “heaven” here on earth. Jesus invites us what sort of riches we are to build up. Our riches
unfortunately do not go with us to the next life. That is why we ought to realize the relative value of riches: Whether
they help us get to our ultimate destiny or they hinder us from reaching it. Riches are not enough; wisdom is also
necessary.

Money can buy a house, but not a home… a bed, not sleep… a clock, not time… a book, not knowledge…
food, not an appetite… friends, not love… position, not respect… blood, not life… insurance, not safety… a Bible,
not a relationship with Jesus… religion, not salvation” (My Life with God).

5. Parable of the Richman and Lazarus (Luke 16: 19-31)

19 “Therewas a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20 At his gate
was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21 and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s
table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
22 “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died
and was buried. 23 In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus
by his side. 24 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.’
25 “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. 26 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.’
27 “Heanswered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, 28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn
them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’
29 “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’
30 “‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’
31 “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.
Reflection
Even though the rich man was very wealthy, he did not have a relationship with God. If he did, he may have
treated Lazarus better and would have been compassionate towards Lazarus. The Rich Man’s wealth was not
evidence that he would spend eternity in heaven. Instead his life choices on earth sent him to hell.
In contrast, Lazarus suffered on earth, but ended up spending eternity in comfort in heaven. This clearly
indicates that even though Lazarus lived in poverty and suffering, he clearly had better life choices in God’s
eyes than the Rich Man.
The parable reminds us of God's promise to humble the proud, and lift up the humble. While yet alive, the rich
man of the parable would have looked down upon Lazarus laying on the ground, but after death, it was the
rich man that was looking up to Lazarus.
The parable also serves as a reminder of how seriously God takes the failure to help the poor. The fact that
Lazarus was hungry for crumbs, would mean the rich man was failing to fulfill his duty to help the poor in the
land.
The parable also pointed out that the outward appearance or prosperity of an individual has no relation to
their inner well-being in the eyes of God. On the contrary, to be blessed in this life with much is not a sign of
being specially favored and blessed by God. Just as suffering in this life is not a sign of being unfavored by
God. It is not the outward state of Lazarus that we should find repulsive, but instead it is the state of the rich
man that should stir up feelings of repulsion.
Just remember that in our everyday lives, we encounter many needy people especially in the streets. At times
we are moved by their condition. But after a while we can get used to the scene and become indifferent. The
Gospel invites us to stay attentive to those in dire need, to share our blessings with them