The Parables of Jesus
Lesson 9
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Background
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Today’s Parables come from the Gospel of Luke.
§
Luke was a Gentile Doctor and also a
historian. He was a companion to Paul
during Paul’s journeys and it has been suggested that Luke met Paul in
Troas. It has also been suggested that
the ‘Thorn in the Flesh’ required Luke to continue to be a personal doctor for
Paul. Luke is also the author of the
Book of Acts which gives us the early history of the Church.
o
Both parables were taught in Jesus’s early
teachings.
·
Parables
of A Christian Life.
o
On Being
Thankful. (Luke 7: 36 – 50)
§
Jesus had been invited to eat dinner at a house
of one of the Pharisees named Simon. A
sinful woman learned of Jesus being at this house so she went to Simon’s house and
she washes Jesus’s feet with her tears, kisses his feet, and then anoints them
with oil. The Pharisee upon seeing this
questions this in his mind that if Jesus is truly a prophet he would surely
recognize the woman as a sinner.
§
An Alabaster jar was typically carved,
expensive, and beautiful during this time period.
§
In Jesus’s day it was customary to recline while
eating. It was also common to have
guests who did not partake in the meal but were observers of the
conversation. Dinner guests would lie
on couches with their heads near the table and prop themselves up on one elbow
and stretch their feet out behind them.
The woman was not a dinner guest and entered Simon’s house and she knelt
behind Jesus’s feet.
§
Simon the Pharisee had committed several social
errors that hosts should extend to their guests during this time period. Sandaled guests would have dirty feet from
traveling and the host was to wash their feet, anoint there head with oil, and
offer a greeting kiss. Simon also
expected Jesus to scorn the woman as she was a known sinner.
§
The Pharisees believed that only God could
forgive sin so they wondered how Jesus could say that the woman’s sin was
forgiven.
§
The theme of this parable is one of God’s
forgiveness and grace. God forgave both
debtors because of his incredible graciousness, mercy, and forgiveness, as both
debtors had sinned. The woman who was a
sinner showed by her actions that she needed forgiveness because of her past
sins. Simon the Pharisee saw he had
little need of forgiveness by failing to see Jesus as the Guest of Honor. The woman responded out of love and
gratitude knowing Jesus could forgive her sins. The Pharisee can be likened to one who has
grown in the church all there life and feels that works will atone for their
sin. The woman can be likened to the
sinner who repents and accepts Jesus into one’s life.
§
Related Readings
·
Genesis 18:2-4, Genesis 19:1-2, Genesis 43:24,
Judges 19:20-21, Psalm 23:5, Matthew 9:22, Mark 5:32-34
o
Wise and
Foolish Builders (Luke 6: 46 - 49)
§
This parable was given shortly after the Sermon
of the Mount (The Beatitudes).
§
Jesus teaches us that obeying God is like
building a house. If a house (our life)
has a firm foundation, it can stand firm when a storm (trials) approach. When life is calm our foundation does not
appear to matter. When storms and trials
do come, our foundations are tested.
§
Jesus was speaking to the most religious people possible,
the people in the right and chosen religion, Judaism. He mentioned the people called him ‘LORD’
but they did not do what Jesus was preaching.
Jesus is not looking for curiosity seekers, fascination, or
admiration. Jesus is telling us what it
is like to be a true follower. It does
not mean anything if we do not follow Jesus and call him ‘LORD’.
§
‘Rock’ is an Old Testament term for God. ‘Foundation’ is a New Testament term for
Jesus. (I Corinthians 3:11)
§
Flooding was a certainty for both builders. The second builder was taking a calculated
risk as he did not know when the flood would occur. The same is true in our lives as we do not
know when the next storm or trial will occur as well. Life was never promised to be easy by Jesus
as scripture does tell us. We can face
frustrations, difficulties, threats, and devastation. Scripture also tells us that God is our only
hope during those times. The trials in
our life are an opportunity to strengthen our faith and make us more dependent
upon following God’s guidance. God can
take horrible circumstances and turn them into good. Look at the story of Joseph, the son of
Jacob. (Genesis 50:15-20)
§
Jesus was not speaking to those who rebelled
against him but those who professed to be followers and how they would either
live or not live according to his teachings by how they put his teachings into
practice.
§
A strong foundation includes believing who Jesus
is, to turn from our sin to a faith in Jesus as the way of salvation. Having a strong foundation will help is to
survive the storm and last forever (eternal life in heaven). We do not build for this life upon earth but
for our life of eternity in Heaven with Jesus.
§
Related Readings
·
Romans 5:1-3, Job 5:17, John 12:43-50, John 13:13,
Matthew 7:21, Luke 11:28, James 1:22-25.
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Questions
to Ponder/Life Lessons.
o
Do we take for granted our relationship with
Jesus as the Pharisee or are we like the woman who repents and seeks
forgiveness for our sins?
o
The first parable shows us about a lack of understanding
with ingratitude, the Pharisee and the sinner’s actions. The Pharisee was looking at the woman from
the outward appearance and actions where Jesus can see our hearts and desires. Simon only saw the repentance of the woman’s
past, where Jesus saw the woman’s repentance from the heart.
o
We live in an age of ingratitude, where people
are not thankful in areas that they should be.
Are we thankful for our jobs, our spouse, our children, our parents, or
our friends? Do we think of ourselves instead
of others? Do we look down on others?
o
How is Simon different from the woman? How is the woman better than Simon? Who do you think the worse sinner is here,
Simon or the woman?
o
What is the rock or foundation upon which you
should build your house (I Corinthians 3:11).
Be sure your life is built upon a solid foundation, knowing and trusting
Jesus Christ. Can you imagine building
a house without some form of foundation?
o
When you find yourself listening but not
obeying, what are your reasons?
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