RE - Chapter 4 - Teachings of Jesus

What is a parable and why did Jesus use them to teach?

A parable is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning.

Jesus explained that through parables those who wanted to know more about God’s Kingdom would progress to understand more. Those who had closed their minds and their hearts to God would never understand even a little

Parables were used as:

1. They were a common method used by rabbis

2. Easy to understand

3. Parables challenged people to work out the meaning themselves

4. Used everyday situations in his parables. It showed the people that he was on their level and understood their lives

What was Jesus’ attitude to the Sabbath?

Jesus and his disciples are in a field when the disciples start picking the crops on the Sabbath. The Pharisees call Jesus out and Jesus tells them a story of King David in reply. The Jews considered David to be their greatest King, yet, even David broke the law for the sake of his men who were hungry. They ate the bread that was reserved for priests.

Jesus’ attitude is summed up in Mark 2:27

‘The Sabbath was made for the good of human beings; they were not made for the Sabbath’

Jesus was saying that human needs are more important than the laws. Jesus continued with

‘So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath’

Jesus is saying directly to the authorities that he had the authority to do whatever he liked

Explain ‘The parable of the sower’:

There once was a man who went to sow corn, as he scattered the seed in the field some of it fell along he path and the birds ate it up

Some of it fell on the rocky ground where there was little soil, the seeds soon sprouted because the soil wasn’t deep. Then when the sun came up, it burnt the young plants; and because the roots had not grown deep enough, the plants soon dried up.

Some of the seed fell among the thorn bushes which grew up and choked the plants.

But some seed fell in the good soil and the plants sprouted, grew and produced corn: some had thirty grains, others sixty, and others a hundred.

Explain the meaning of ‘The parable of the sower’:

1. Man and the seeds:

   • Man is God and the seeds are the word of God

   • The word of God is like a seed that is planted. If people listen, it will grow in a spiritual way

2. Path and the birds:

   • The path is when birds come down and the birds are the devil

   • Some people are distracted from taking the Christian faith seriously

3. Rocky ground and the sun:

   • The rocky ground is those who gladly receive but the rocks don’t sink in and the sun is persecution

   • Those who gladly receive but their faith isn’t deep enough to withstand the challenge

4. Thorn bushes:

   • Thorn bushes are the worries, riches and desires

   • Worries, pleasure and greed in the world choke the message

5. Good soil:

   • The good soil is the ability to hear and accept bears fruit and produce fruit

   • Those who accept and respond, persist until they bear fruit

Explain the story of ‘the parable of the lamp a stand’:

Oil lamps were used in homes to provide light. Jesus explained that people did not put lamps underneath the bed or a bowl. Instead lamps were put where they would produce the most light. so Jesus was telling followers not to hide away or hide their religion as Christianity back then was prosecuted for being a minority. For todays readers this parable teaches the importance of witnessing and sharing the Christian faith.

Explain the story of ‘the parable of the growing seed’:

A farmer sows his seed in the ground and all he can do is wait until the harvest. He just has to get on with his business while the plants are growing.

This could mean that once the Word of God is sown, nobody knows how a person’s faith grows within them

Explain the story of ‘the parable of the mustard seed’:

Mustard seeds are small seed but they can grow into huge plants. the mustard sed in this parable seems to grow unusually large.

Jesus is emphasising how great things come from small beginnings. The Kingdom of God started small, but would grow and spread across the world

In the parable there is mentions of birds which in Jewish scriptures would represent the nations of the world, so Jesus is referencing how everyone can be accepted into the KoG

Explain the story of ‘Jesus and the children’:

People were bringing their children to Jesus but the disciples rebuked them. Jesus told them that the KoG belongs to them and that people who do not receive the KoG such like a child would will never enter it.

Jesus is saying that to enter the KoG you need the good qualities that children have like trust and dependance on God such like children depend on adults; Innocence etc.

Explain the story of ‘The rich young man’ about the entry into the KoG:

A rich man came to Jesus wanting to know what things he should do to receive eternal life. Jesus told him to keep the Commandments and he listed some examples: do not murder, do not steal; The man told Jesus that he had obeyed all the Commandments. Jesus then told him he only needed to do one thing.

‘..go and sell all you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven’

The man went away sad which suggests that he wanted to follow Jesus but was unwilling to give up his wealth.

Jesus then said, ‘It is much harder for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God than for a camel to go through the eye of a needle’

Explain the story of ‘The Great Commandment’

A teacher of the law asked Jesus, ‘Which commandment is the most important of all?’. Jesus answered him using two quotations from scripture. This first is from Deuteronomy. This is called the Shema - a daily prayer and the Jewish statements of faith - ‘The Lord our God is the only Lord. Love the Lord with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, And with all your strength’.

The second quotation is from Leviticus: ‘Love your neighbour as you love yourself’ in which Jesus then concluded ‘There is no other commandment more important than these two’. The teacher then praised Jesus for his answer

Summarise the Kingdom of God and the requirements:

1. It’s the rule of God on Earth

2. It’s universal for everyone, the sick, Gentiles, woman, poor

3. People need to be like little children

4. Wealth can be an obstacle to entering the Kingdom of God

5. Be prepared to give up material possessions

6. Not a political revolution but a revolution within peoples hearts and minds

Give an example of a Christian Martyr:

Maximillian Kolbe - Declared a Saint

• Born in Poland, 8th January 1894 and died 14 August 1941

• Served as a Catholic Priest and Franciscan Friar

• Venerated as the Patron Saint of amateur radio operators, drug addicts, political prisoners, families, journalists

• His monastery was shut down and he was arrested by the Gestapo. He was transferred to Auschwitz as a prisoner and killed by lethal injection

• He took a prisoners place and died for him