Essay Kingdom Parables

After reading Desiring the Kingdom, it sheds some light on things that I don’t think most of us think about. I believe that Smith covered his point well throughout the entire book. I found the model he used as a person-as-thinker and person-as-believe very interesting. I agree with him that we must show love in order to reach the Kingdom of God. Another practice of thick and thin was interesting and Smith made some really strong point about this practice. Some of his points when articulating about the practices of thin, some of his points I did disagree with. When he was talking about brushing our teeth as being mundane, I disagree, and he states that thin practice don’t shape who we are spiritually. I somewhat disagree with that, if we exercise daily and remain healthy, then we are more likely to attend regular worship services.

Parables are stories written in the Bible for truth and life guidance. We have to understand that parables are implied by God to encourage his written word and carry his truths. God’s words can touch a heart of faith despite their external circumstance. The history of parables started with Jesus writing “the sower and the seed” in the book of Matthew. The sower and the seed was the seed is “the word.” The hard ground represents the person who is hardened by sin. Parables date back as far as

Wright argues, “The proper response to idolatry, is therefore not dualism, the rejection of space, time, or matter … but the renewed worship of the Creator God …” (Wright 227). Even though we cannot heal creation fully, our work with should enrich our worship of God, allowing us to fully enjoy what He has given us. In this way, the farmer is like the kingdom worker in that he enjoys his work so much he keeps doing it despite all the challenges that he faces. At the same time, creation’s degradation should cause disciples, as it does farmer, to produce as much produce as possible by earnestly preaching the gospel. Deyoung and Gilbert argue, “To proclaim the inauguration of the kingdom and all the other blessings of God without telling people how they may become partakers of those blessings is to preach a nongospel” (47). Once Christ comes back to judge humanity, there will be no hope for those that are not citizens of God’s

In President Monson talk he talks about how to communicate. This made me think on why he would be giving a talk about this. As I was able to read thru his talk I was able to get my answer in so many ways. He talks about how Jesus when he would talk to people that he would do it in parables. His disciples asked him why, and this was his answer saying “because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.” This made me think. He goes on and speaks and explains even more why Jesus used parables and this is what he said he used parables, to “conveyed to the hearer religious truth exactly in proportion to the hearer’s faith and intelligence.” Then he say that “the parable is suited alike

The various symbols Jesus employs in his preaching reflect the common lives of most of his hearers. The agrarian and pastoral themes were especially popular, because many Israelites were farmers and shepherds. Most of Jesus’ parables and

This week’s readings stretched my scholastic brain while I attempted to compare the parable collections found in the synoptic texts. All of the suggested parables were stories I remember forming my early theology as a child. Whether as a teacher in my later teenage years or as an elementary student, Sunday School had provided me with a parable bank that I could reference regularly as I conducted my religious life. These parables were all hallmark pulpit teachings that I have heard time and time again as an adult as well. It has been difficult for me to take a scholastic look at these familiar stories that simply just are. That is to say, why look harder at something when its teaching is so simple? Would a scholastic dissection change the meaning of a familiar story? In a way, the categories of the lay spoken idea of parable have opened up a new interpretive or applicative meaning.

Jesus says in today's Gospel, "Some seed fell on rich soil and produced fruit, a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold". Before this He describes the sower laying down seeds on different areas however the seeds do not either take root or they are scorched or animals take them away. Is this us after hearing the Word of God? There are many things today that can lead us away from living an authentic Christian life like worldly pleasures, anxieties, and fears. Do we let these take over our lives or do we humble receive the message that God wants us to hear and to bring to others? Today we must be like the rich soil that bears fruit for this world. This world today needs God more than ever and we are the people that God has chosen to make His message of

The seeds that fell on the rocky soil represented the expressive people with a shallow and superficial belief in Christ’s teachings (Matt. 13:5-6, KJV). Christ clarified that the people who receive the word with joy but turn away when difficulty or persecution comes are emotional as they try to do what they feel is right in their own way. This explains their lack of commitment towards the teachings of the word and shallow fading interest soon. Jesus meant to teach that the disciples should preserve and never to give up by having a strong faith in Him (Colossians 2:6, KJV). The defiant kind of people with fixed mind and prejudice about the teachings were represented by the seeds that fell on the path (Matt. 13:3-4, KJV). Christ described the people who could hear

A parable is an ordinary, earthly story with a heavenly meaning. In Mark 4:9 Jesus said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear”. This was a call to listen for those who seek the truth of God. There are about 35 of Jesus’ parables recorded in the Gospels. I chose to analyze Matthew 22: 1-14 and explain its relevance then and in our lives today.

In the New Testament, parables are a very important way that Jesus uses to teach the Pharisees, the disciples, and Christians for all time to come. “The Parable of the Lost Sheep” and “The Parable of the Lost Son” are two examples of the teaching of Jesus Christ.

Throughout the Bible you’ll discover many parables that tell a simple story of how Jesus illustrates moral and spiritual lessons. Parables give one or more instructional lessons or principles that can be an allegory. Parables also hold key words from Jesus’ readings that are meant to grasp people’s attention and making sure they are hearing what is said. Jesus wants the listeners to focus on what is being said so that they will understand what He is teaching them. For example, “He who has ears” is a saying that is worded differently so that the reader’s attention is grasped. It has been said that a parable is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning because of the hidden key words implemented in the text. Jesus frequently used parables as a way to illustrate profound and divine truths. Readers can break down parables and vigorously study them to better understand Jesus’ way of teaching, but mainly in order to be able to connect to Him through them. The disciples noticed the change in Jesus’ teaching and asked why he told a parable. In response Jesus said “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but to them it has not been granted” (Mathew 13:11). Its weird to think Jesus would leave people in question. Jesus would explain to the disciples that those who have, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him. This was a common teaching in Judaism.

One of the two verses I chose is Matthew 13:24-30; 37-43, “the Parable of the Weeds”. Jesus taught there would be two kinds of people in the kingdom of God. Jesus uses an agricultural analogy of plants, the wheat and tares. The wheat symbolically represents the “sons of the kingdom”. As it is written in John 1:12 (KJV), “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:”

Jesus quoted Psalm 78:1-3 to show that the prophecy of speaking in parables was as Hauerwas says; ‘…to reveal what is hidden from the foundation of the world’. Throughout this Gospel, Matthew uses phrases to re-assure us what the purpose of Jesus was to His people. A common term of phrase in Matthew is ‘…so that the scriptures might be fulfilled (e.g., 1:22; 2:15, 17, 23)’. In the discourse of the parables in this exegesis there is evidence that a common thread is present throughout and these verses are known as ‘parables of the kingdom’. Matthew is described as the ‘First Evangelist’ who is to now seek understanding from Jesus as the incarnation of God and interpret the teachings of parables along with law, prophecy and wisdom. His original views would have focused on the Torah, but now he has to rely on the wisdom of Jesus and His style to unlock the true meaning of prophecy combined with apocalyptic teachings Jesus gave. Ecclesiastes 12:9-10 tells us what a sapiential scribe should be, Witherington says; ‘The scribe is not merely to record but to enhance the wisdom examined by arrangement and elegance of expression…’.

One dominant study from the New Testament has been The Kingdom of Heaven as it is believed to be the central theme within the novel and Jesus’s mission on earth. The phrase ‘Kingdom of Heaven’ as the place where God is unfolding his divine plans (Walvoord, 2015). Christians believe that God is the creator of all things and sovereign over the universe however the Islamic faith believe that God sent prophets to teach his laws and one was Muhammad. Christian texts represent the concept of the Kingdom of Heaven to be the exercise of God’s power and dominion over all creation. The Christian faith in contrast to Islamic beliefs, ow sacred texts are interpreted with parables, how they represent beliefs and how religious founders taught will be discussed throughout this essay.

One dominant study from the New Testament has been The Kingdom of Heaven as it is believed to be the central theme within the novel and Jesus’s mission on earth. The phrase ‘Kingdom of Heaven’ is supposed to be the Kingdom of God, in which those who are spiritual believe in his existence in their hearts leaving this ‘kingdom’ as the place where God is unfolding his divine plans (Walvoord, 2015). Christians believe that God is the creator of all things and sovereign over the universe however the Islamic faith believe that God sent prophets to teach his laws and one was Muhammad. Christian texts represent the concept of the Kingdom of Heaven to be the exercise of God’s power and dominion. The Christian faith in contrast to Islamic beliefs, ow sacred texts are interpreted with parables, how they represent beliefs and how religious founders taught will be discussed throughout this essay.