Lesson

#12
Parables, Part 2
(15: 1 19: 27)

Parables, Part 2

On the journey to Jerusalem, Jesus enthralled the crowds with his

teaching, responding to ques9ons people asked him, commen9ng on
current events and warning the crowds of conict to come. His teaching
took many forms, but the parable is the form most iden9ed with Jesus,
and in Lesson #11 we heard ve of them: 1) Parable of the Rich Fool, 12:
26-21; 2) Parable of the Barren Fig Tree, 13: 6-9; 3) Parable of the Mustard
Seed, 13: 18-19; 4) Parable of the Yeast, 13: 20-21; and 5) Parable of the
Great Feast, 14: 15-24.
Jesus teaching on the road to Jerusalem reinforced his call to live life on a
high moral and ethical plain, a life characterized by detachment and
radical simplicity, with a dis9nct preference for the marginalized.

Parables, Part 2

In Lesson #12 we con9nue on our journey to Jerusalem, listening with

the crowds to Jesus teaching and conversa9on, and in this lesson we
examine eight more parables: 1) Parable of the Lost Sheep, 15: 4-7; 2)
Parable of the Lost Coin, 15: 8-10; 3) Parable of the Lost Son, 15: 11-32;
4) Parable of the Dishonest Steward, 16: 1-8; 5) Parable of the Rich Man
and Lazarus, 16: 19-31; 6) Parable of the Persistent Widow, 18: 1-8; 7)
Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector, 18: 9-14; and 8) Parable of
the Ten Gold Coins, 19: 11-27.
Along the way, interspersed among the parables, we encounter the ten
lepers, the blind beggar of Jericho . . . and Zacchaeus.

Parables, Part 2

Lesson #12 is an embarrassment of

riches: eight parables and some of
the most memorable characters in
Scripture! Well work through the
parables, one at a 9me.
Remember:
A parable is a succinct, didac9c story thrown
alongside a common, ordinary truth to
illuminate that truth in a striking and
memorable fashion. Parables are meant to
illuminate, not to hide or obscure.

Parables, Part 2

So, here we go!

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Parable of the Lost Sheep (15: 4-7)

Parable of the Lost Coin (15: 8-10)
Parable of the Lost Son (15: 11-32)
Parable of the Dishonest Steward (16: 1-8)
Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus (16:
19-31)
6. Parable of the Persistent Widow (18: 1-8)
7. Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector
(18: 9-14)
8. Parable of the Ten Gold Coins (19: 11-27)

Parables, Part 2

Philippe de Champaigne. Good Shepherd (oil on canvas), 1627.

Palais des Beaux-Arts, Lille, France.
Parables, Part 2

So, here we go!

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Parable of the Lost Sheep (15: 4-7)

Parable of the Lost Coin (15: 8-10)
Parable of the Lost Son (15: 11-32)
Parable of the Dishonest Steward (16: 1-8)
Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus (16:
19-31)
6. Parable of the Persistent Widow (18: 1-8)
7. Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector
(18: 9-14)
8. Parable of the Ten Gold Coins (19: 11-27)

Parables, Part 2

John Everei Mallais. The Lost Piece of Silver (wood engraving on paper), 1864.
Tate Britain, London.
Parables, Part 2

So, here we go!

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Parable of the Lost Sheep (15: 4-7)

Parable of the Lost Coin (15: 8-10)
Parable of the Lost Son (15: 11-32)
Parable of the Dishonest Steward (16: 1-8)
Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus (16:
19-31)
6. Parable of the Persistent Widow (18: 1-8)
7. Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector
(18: 9-14)
8. Parable of the Ten Gold Coins (19: 11-27)

Parables, Part 2

Rembrandt. Return of the Prodigal Son (oil on canvas), c. 1668.

Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg, Russia.
Parables, Part 2

10

So, here we go!

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Parable of the Lost Sheep (15: 4-7)

Parable of the Lost Coin (15: 8-10)
Parable of the Lost Son (15: 11-32)
Parable of the Dishonest Steward (16: 1-8)
Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus (16:
19-31)
6. Parable of the Persistent Widow (18: 1-8)
7. Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector
(18: 9-14)
8. Parable of the Ten Gold Coins (19: 11-27)

Parables, Part 2

11

Jan Luyken. The Parable of the Unjust Steward (etching for the Bowyer Bible). C. 1795.
Parables, Part 2

12

So, here we go!

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Parable of the Lost Sheep (15: 4-7)

Parable of the Lost Coin (15: 8-10)
Parable of the Lost Son (15: 11-32)
Parable of the Dishonest Steward (16: 1-8)
Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus (16:
19-31)
6. Parable of the Persistent Widow (18: 1-8)
7. Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector
(18: 9-14)
8. Parable of the Ten Gold Coins (19: 11-27)

Parables, Part 2

13

Lazarus at the
rich mans door !

Lazarus carried to
paradise by two angels !

!Lazarus in Abrahams
bosom.

Dives soul carried to

hell by two demons !

" Dives tortured in hell

Codex Aureus Epternacensis (illumina9on on vellum) folio 78r, folio 78r, c. 1035-1040.
Germanisches Na9onalmuseum, Nuremberg, Germany.
Parables, Part 2

14

So, here we go!

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Parable of the Lost Sheep (15: 4-7)

Parable of the Lost Coin (15: 8-10)
Parable of the Lost Son (15: 11-32)
Parable of the Dishonest Steward (16: 1-8)
Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus (16:
19-31)
6. Parable of the Persistent Widow (18: 1-8)
7. Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector
(18: 9-14)
8. Parable of the Ten Gold Coins (19: 11-27)

Parables, Part 2

15

John Everei Mallais. Parable of the Unjust Judge (wood engraving on paper), 1864.
Tate Britain, London.
Parables, Part 2

16

So, here we go!

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Parable of the Lost Sheep (15: 4-7)

Parable of the Lost Coin (15: 8-10)
Parable of the Lost Son (15: 11-32)
Parable of the Dishonest Steward (16: 1-8)
Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus (16:
19-31)
6. Parable of the Persistent Widow (18: 1-8)
7. Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector
(18: 9-14)
8. Parable of the Ten Gold Coins (19: 11-27)

Parables, Part 2

17

John Everei Mallais. The Pharisee and the Publican (wood engraving on paper), 1864.
Tate Britain, London.
Parables, Part 2

18

So, here we go!

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Parable of the Lost Sheep (15: 4-7)

Parable of the Lost Coin (15: 8-10)
Parable of the Lost Son (15: 11-32)
Parable of the Dishonest Steward (16: 1-8)
Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus (16:
19-31)
6. Parable of the Persistent Widow (18: 1-8)
7. Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector
(18: 9-14)
8. Parable of the Ten Gold Coins (19: 11-27)

Parables, Part 2

19

Rembrandt. Parable of the Talents (reed pen and brown ink on paper), c. 1650-1655.
Louvre Museum, Paris.
Parables, Part 2

20

As we move along through the

parables we encounter several other
memorable scenes and characters, for
example the ten lepers.

Parables, Part 2

21

The Ten Lepers

As he continued his journey to Jerusalem, he traveled
through Samaria and Galilee. As he was entering a village,
ten lepers met [him]. They stood at a distance from him and
raised their voice, saying, Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!
And when he saw them, he said, Go show yourselves to the
priests. And one of them, realizing he had been healed,
returned, glorifying God in a loud voice; and he fell at the
feet of Jesus and thanked him. He was a Samaritan. Jesus
said in reply, Ten were cleansed, were they not? Where are
the other nine? Has none but this foreigner returned to give
thanks to God? Then he said to him, Stand up and go; your
faith has saved you.
(17: 11-19)

Parables, Part 2

22

James C. Christensen. Ten Lepers (limited edi9on print of 550).

The Greenwich Workshop, Seymour, Connec9cut.
Parables, Part 2

23

The blind beggar of Jericho.

Brian Jekel. Healing the Blind Man (oil on canvas). Private Collec9on.
View Brian Jekels work at brianjekelneart.com.

Parables, Part 2

24

And of course, the most memorable

character of all, Zacchaeus the chief
tax collector!

Parables, Part 2

25

Neils Larsen Stevns. Christ and Zacchaeus, 1913.

Randers Museum of Art, Denmark.
Parables, Part 2

26

1. Why does Jesus teach the crowds in

parables?
2. Why does Luke group the parables of the lost
sheep, coin and son together?
3. What would have happened to the prodigal
son if he had died in the pigpen?
4. What is the primary lesson in the parable of
the rich man and Lazarus?
5. Of the eight parables we covered in this
lesson, is there a common theme that runs
through them? If so, what is it?

Parables, Part 2

27

Copyright 2015 by William C. Creasy

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Parables, Part 2

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