Parable

A parable (Greek parabole, meaning a placing beside or comparison; equivalent to the Hebrew mashal) is a short narrative or figure of speech in which a familiar, earthly scene is set beside a spiritual truth to illuminate it. The form appears throughout the Old Testament in proverbs, riddles, and extended comparisons (Numbers 23:7; Ezekiel 17), but it reaches its fullest development in the teaching of Jesus, who employed it as his primary mode of public instruction (Matthew 13:34).

Jesus explained his use of parables as a way of revealing truth to those with hearts prepared to receive it while concealing it from the unresponsive (Matthew 13:11–13), fulfilling the pattern of Isaiah 6:9–10. The parables cover a wide range of themes: the kingdom of God, repentance and forgiveness, stewardship, prayer, judgment, and the nature of discipleship. Parables such as the Prodigal Son (Luke 15), the Good Samaritan (Luke 10), and the Sower (Mark 4) rank among the most celebrated literary forms in world literature.