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1)The Parable of the Sower Mathew 13:1-9, 18-23
2)The Workers in the Vineyard Mathew 20: 1-16
3)The Parable of the Mustard Seed Mathew 13:31-32
4)The Parable of the Wicked Tenants Mathew 21:33-45; Mark 12:1-12; Luke 20:9-19


Parable Bible Study #1   The Parable of the Sower Mathew 13:1-9, 18-23
posted:Wed Apr 26, 2000 10:03am

On that day, Jesus went out of the house and sat down by the sea. Such largecrowds gatheredaround him that he got into a boat and sat down, and the whole crowd stood along the shore. And he spoke to them at length in parables, saying:

"A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky ground, where it had little soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep, and when the sun rose it was scortched, and it withered forlack of roots. Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it. But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit, a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold. Whoever has ears ought to hear."

the Parable Explained... Matthew 13:18-23

Hear then the parable of the sower.
The Seed on the Path
The seed sown on the path is the one who hears the word of the kingdom without understanding it, and the evil one comes and steals away what was sown in his heart.
The Seed on Rocky Ground
The seed sown on rocky ground is the one who hears the word and recieves it at once with joy. But he has no root and lasts only for a time. When some tribulation or persecution comes because of the word, he immediately falls away.
The Seed Amoung the Thorns
The seed sown among thorns is the one who hears the word, but then worldly anxiety and the lure of riches choke the word and it bears no fruit.
The Seed on Rich Soil.
But the seed sown on rich soil is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yeilds a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold."

___Study questions___
1) Which seed are you? Are roots planted in Rich soil, where they can continue to grow or will they be uprooted when tribulation or persecution come your way?

2)Do you know someone who is a seed" on the path", "in the thorns", or "on the rock?" How could you help that person to grow better roots in a better/firmer ground, with richer soil?

3)Have you ever been a seed on the path,a seed in the thorns or a seed on the rock? How did you get to the rish soil? If you are not on the rich soil how can you ge there?

4) Pray to God to help you plant stronger roots in richer soil, and pray for him to help your friends that aren't in the rich soil.

     

Parables Bible study #2    The Workers in the Vineyard Mathew 20: 1-16
      posted:Wed May 17, 2000 8:19pm
"The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out at dawn to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with them for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. Going out about nine o'clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace. and he said to them, 'You too go into my vineyard, and I will give you what is just.' So they went off, and he went out again around noon, and around three o'clock, and did likewise.
Going out about five o'clock, he found others standing around, and said to them, 'Why do you stand here idle all day?' They answered, 'Because no one has hired us.' He said to them, 'You too go into my vineyard.' When it was evening the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, 'Summon the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and ending with the first.' When those who had started about five o'clock came, each recieved the usual daily wage. So when the first came, they thought they would recieve more, but each of them got the usual wage. And on recieving it they grumbled against the landowner, saying, 'These last ones worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us, who bore the day's burden and the heat.' He said to one of them in reply, 'My friend, I am not cheating you. Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what is yours and go. What if I wish to give this last one the same as you? Or amI not free to do as I wish with my own money? Are you envious because I am generous? Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last."
the study questions

1) Why do you think the landowner paid each worker the same?

2) How do you think you would have felt if you had been the longest and hardest working worker there, and had gotten paid the same wage as the others?

3)How does this parable relate to everyday life?

4) What to you think the morral/lesson of the parable was?

5)What do you think the ladowner ment when he said "the last will be first, and the first will be last"?

6)Would you have paid them all the same wage if you had been the landowner? Why or why not?

7) What do you think each thing/person stands for?

8) Can you relate to this parable? How?

Parables Bible study #3   The Parable of the Mustard Seed Mathew 20: 1-16
      posted:
The parable for this week is found in three gospels:
Matthew 13: 31-32:
-(31)He told them another parable:"The Kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field.(32)Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows it is the largestof garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air can come and perch in its branches."

Mark 4:30-32:
-(30) Again he said, "What shall we say the Kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? (31)It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest seed you plant in the ground.(32) Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds of the air can perch in it's shade."

Luke 13:18-19:
-(18)Then Jesus asked, "What is the Kingdom of God like? What shall I compare to? (19) It is like a mustard seed, whic a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air perched in its branches."

Each of the three gospels sound very much the same. However, each book was written for a different "crowd". Look in Luke 13:18 and in Mark 4:30. You will notice both Mark and Luke used "the Kingdom of God". Now look in Matthew 13:31. You will probably notice that Matthew uses "the kingdom of Heaven". The reason for this difference is because of who Matthew, Luke and Mark were writing too. The book of Luke was writing to the Greeks, The book of Mark was written to the Romans, and The book of Matthew was written to the Jews. Matthew used "the kingdom of heaven" instead of "the kingdom of God" because "the kingdom of God" would have offended the Jews.

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