Don't Know Much About the Bible - Kenneth C. Davis [159]
• The Wise and Foolish Servants: A master leaves his servants alone. One good servant is at work when the master returns. Another gets drunk and beats the other servants. When the master returns unexpectedly, he gives the bad servant a beating. After this parable, Luke comments: “From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required.” (Matt., Luke)
• The Talents: A master gives his slaves varying amounts of money and goes away. On his return, some have invested the “talents” they were given and prospered, while one has simply stored his away for safekeeping. The master is angry at the last for failing to increase the value of what he had been given. (Matt., Luke)
• Wheat and Weeds: When a farmer plants seeds, weeds still sprout up. He lets the weeds grow until harvest time. This is generally viewed as a parable of the Last Judgement, when good and evil will be separated like weeds from the wheat at the harvest. (Matt.)
• Hidden Treasure: The kingdom of heaven is like a hidden treasure. If someone finds it in a field, they should sell everything and go and buy the whole field. (Matt.)
• The Great Net: A net pulls in all kinds of fish, some good, some bad. At the judgment, the angels will separate the righteous from the evil, like good and bad fish in the net. (Matt.)
• The Rich Fool: A wealthy farmer stored up his grain and then relaxed and made merry but died that night. Moral: “So it is with those who store up treasure for themselves but are not rich toward God.” (Luke)
• The Secret Seed: The kingdom of God is like a seed that grows overnight and is then harvested. People may not understand how such a thing can happen but should recognize and appreciate the value of this miracle. (Mark)
• The Unforgiving Servant: A servant who owes money is forgiven by his king. But then the same servant tells another servant who owes him money to pay up, and has him thrown into debtor’s prison. When the king hears this, he has the first servant punished. The moral: “So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart.” (Matt.)
• The Wise and Foolish Bridesmaids: One group of foolish bridesmaids squanders their chance to greet the groom as he comes for his bride and misses the wedding banquet. Moral: Stay on your toes. You don’t know when the kingdom of God is coming. (Matt.)
• The Sheep and the Goats: At the Last Judgment, the “Son of Man” will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
• The Lost Coin: A woman who loses a coin searches for it, then celebrates when she finds it. Moral: “There will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine persons who need no repentance.” (Luke)
• The Prodigal Son: A young man takes his inheritance and squanders it so he is forced to take work feeding pigs. He decides to go home and is welcomed by his father. His older brother is annoyed that his father welcomes this unworthy son. The father explains: “Son, you were always with me and all that is mine is yours. But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life, he was lost and has been found.” A parable of God’s loving forgiveness. (Luke)
• The Pharisee and the Tax Collector: A Pharisee goes to pray and thanks God he is not a sinner like other people. A tax collector prays for mercy because he is a sinner. The moral: “All who exalt themselves will be humbled and all who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Luke)
What’s so bad about Pharisees?
The parable of the “Good Samaritan” contained more than a note of disdain for devout Jews who put the Law above morality. This was a key theme in Jesus’ teaching. Obedience to laws without a sense of mercy was empty of spiritual value. Several times, Jesus quoted the prophets who had said, “God desires mercy more than sacrifice.”
Jesus reserved a special anger for those he called