The parables of Jesus were more about confusion than clarity? That idea, argued by John McArthur in “Parables” (2015), runs counter to the prevailing assumption — that Jesus told his stories to make his message easier to understand.

Yet Jesus rarely spoke in parables early in his ministry, such as in the Sermon on the Mount. He attracted many followers, but also many powerful enemies who tried to use his words to trap him. McArthur points out that Jesus switched to parables to make his teaching more challenging for those in the religious hierarchy who were out to get him, while at the same time making it easier for his followers to understand and remember.

It is worth pointing out, however, that some of his parables, especially the one about the good Samaritan, were easy enough for the religious leaders to understand and, in fact, were intended to challenge them.

McArthur dissects that parable and a number of others, explaining in detail what each one means. Also controversial is the author's argument that each parable has but one meaning and that all other interpretations are problematic. "He was not inviting His hearers to interpret the stories any way they liked, and thus let each one's own personal opinions be the final arbiter of what is true for that person," he writes.

My own view allows for secondary interpretations. The parable of the prodigal son means this, for example, but it can also suggest something else. Otherwise all preachers would have to preach the same sermon. ( )

There are whole sections of this book that I probably should print out and post on my wall. We get so caught up in earthly things that we forget that we should be preparing for eternity. Parables is a definite reminder as it explains The Mysteries of God's Kingdom Revealed Through the Stories Jesus Told.

John MacArthur is the author (and preacher) who has probably had the greatest impact on my spiritual development over the years. He takes complicated or controversial Bible passages and explains them simply for all to understand. He has devoted his life to studying the Scripture and teaching it to others. By joining his Grace to You mailing list you can receive every new book or resource free, even study Bibles! That says something about the heart of the ministry and their sincere desire for the truth to be communicated to every soul in the world.

In this book, MacArthur takes several of the best known parables and explains their meaning. He examines the cultural context, the likely observers, who Jesus was speaking to and the intended impact. He explains how the parables apply to us. He also goes into some detail about Jesus' reason for using parables and how post-modernists are twisting this to encompass their methods of story-telling.

I'm not going to reprint all of the spiritual lessons here as there are many. Great book. Buy it and read it. You won't be disappointed. ( )

Preachers have used Jesus' parables for personal agendas, Sunday school classes treasure these stories you can relate to. What is the significance of Jesus' use of stories as medium for His teaching, pastor-teacher John MacArthur asks in the appendix of Parables The Mysteries of God's Kingdom Revealed Through the Stories Jesus Told. Jesus Himself answered that question when He said He employed parables for a dual reason: to illustrate the truth for those who were willing to receive it, and to obscure the truth from those who hated it anyway.
In this new book MacArthur explores a series of Jesus' parables as recorded in the gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke. Whether the true meaning of story's symbolic features is obvious or one that requires some detective work (and yes, the author loves to dig deeper and teach us on his findings), the point is still the same: Jesus' parables were are illustrative of gospel facts. Parables aren't allegories, full of symbols from top to bottom. They highlight one important truth - just like the moral of a well-told story. The kingdom of God, God's grace, His care for the weak and neglected, the call to be prepared for His return, the impossibility to keep all commandments and prohibitions in the Mosaic Law. The stories were not creative alternatives to propositional truth statements, designed to supplant certainty. The parables are no mind games, tricks, myths or invitations to choose any interpretation you like yourself.
Every one of His parables had an important lesson to convey. When you see the key point of a parable, you have understood the essence of whatever truth the story aims to convey. Jesus' stories were remarkable for both their simplicity and their sheer abundance. Jesus clearly like to teach by telling stories rather than giving a list of raw facts for rote memorization, or by outlining information in a neatly catalogued systematic layout. I bet you'll learn many new insights, even from parables you already heard 10 times. ( )

Covers some of the parables in great fashion. The introduction and appendix are very helpful guides in understanding why Christ used parables, and in how many modern scholars attempt to strip them of true principles by which to live. ( )

Parables The Mysteries of God’s Kingdom Revealed Through the Stories Jesus Told.
John Macarthur’s book, Parables, is an interesting and comprehensive look at the parables of Jesus. He explains to whom they were directed and the purpose of these stories in his overall teachings. He presents the parables as lessons told not to make his stories easier to understand, but instead to keep the message hidden and only for those accepting his teaching.

Had it been better organized, Parables would have been a good reference book to use in your daily readings, but I found it difficult to find specific topics or references. It is a useful for those who teach and could also be used as a daily devotional. ( )