The Parables of Jesus

The Parable of the Rich Man & the Beggar

Luke 16:19-31 ^{Amplified Bible}

Luke 16:19-20

“Now there was a certain rich man who was habitually dressed in expensive purple and fine linen and celebrated and lived joyously in splendor every day. And a poor man named Lazarus, was laid at his gate, covered with sores.”

            A rich man lived in great extravagance while a beggar, Lazarus, lived in abject poverty. Thinking he wasn’t in need of anything to make his life complete, the rich man enjoyed his life, while ignoring the beggar at the town gate.

            Jesus had been delivering a series of parables which related quite specifically to the religious leaders of that day. This particular parable struck at the core of the Pharisees for they considered wealth to be a sign of a person’s righteousness.  The Pharisees professed to believe in a future life and future judgment but didn’t live a life that conformed to that belief. They were no better than the rich man’s brothers who had “Moses and the Prophets”.

            Jesus presents a rather stark contrast between the rich man and Lazarus. The rich man wore robes of purple, a color that was indicative of wealth. He also wore the finest linens. All it says about Lazarus is that he was a poor beggar “who was covered with sores”. He was so denigrated that the dogs licked his open sores.  

Jesus normally didn’t give names to the characters in his stories. In this case he is implying that the beggar was more important to God than the rich man who apparently paid the Lord no mind. This Lazarus is not the same Lazarus that Jesus raised from the dead, but just an arbitrary name Jesus chose to give this beggar. 

In the end, after death, the rich man and the beggar’s roles are reversed. Lazarus is escorted by angels “to be with Abraham”, where he will recline at heaven’s banqueting table. The rich man was simply “buried”.  There is nothing that can change your outcome once you have made your final determining decision by your lifestyle. The rich man went to hell because he was hard-hearted in spite of his great blessings. How much money you have is not nearly as important as the way you use it. No doubt his brothers were the same because Jesus said that even if God had raised Lazarus from the dead to warn them they would not have changed their ways. The main crux of the message is do you hoard your blessings for yourself, or do you use them to help others? Pray to be blessed so that you might be a blessing to those around you. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In his name & for his glory,

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Resources: Life Application Study Bible, p.2242; Expositor's Bible Commentary (Abridged Edition): New Testament, Copyright 2004.

The Parables of Jesus

The Parable of the Prodigal Son

Luke 15:11-32 ^{Amplified Bible}

Luke 15:11-12

Then He said, “A certain man had two sons. The younger of them [inappropriately] said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the property that falls to me.’ So he divided the estate between them.

                  Here we find the well-known Parable of the Prodigal Son. The Prodigal was the younger son. He came to his father and asked him for his share of the property...in other words his inheritance. This was inappropriate to say the least because his father was still alive, but the father divided up the estate and gave his younger his portion. Upon the death of his father the younger son would have received a third of the estate, while the older son would receive two thirds or a “double portion” (Deuteronomy 21:17).

                  The parable goes on to say that the younger son traveled of to a distant land and “wasted his fortune on reckless and immoral living” (v.13). Well he spent all his money and lo and behold a famine hit the land. His resources depleted, he basically begged for work to sustain himself. A man hired the younger son to feed his pigs. “This would have seemed especially disgusting to Jesus’ Jewish listeners because pigs were ceremonially unclean animals, forbidden to them as food.”⁽¹⁾

                  The word of God states that the younger son “finally came to his senses”, which seems to mean he repented in his own heart and left for home. He was planning to acknowledge to his father that he had “sinned against heaven and in your sight”. He declared that he was no longer worthy to be one of his sons, but rather simply one of the hired workers. His repentant heart provided for his forgiveness, for no sooner had he acknowledged his sinful behavior his father embraced him and called for the servants to get his son a fine robe, a ring (a symbol of his standing as a son) and prepare a great feast for his son was dead, but now he is alive again.

                  The story could have easily ended there, but it doesn’t. The elder son caught wind of what was taking place and griped to his father about what he considered to be grossly unfair treatment. He apparently didn’t have the same penchant for readily offering forgiveness. He lashed out regarding the actions of his father and his brother. His comments reveal his possible long smoldering discontent with his father. He wouldn’t even call the younger son his brother but instead called him “this son of yours”. The elder son was showing marked disrespect for both his father and his brother. The parable ends with the father saying “He (the younger son) was lost and has been found.” There is no other dialogue with the elder son, but it doesn’t seem that there was any resolution from the elder son’s perspective. The lesson to be learned here is that “God is rich in mercy and always ready to forgive”. ⁽²⁾

                  Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In his name & for his glory,

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

⁽¹⁾ - www.biblegateway.com, note for Luke 15:15.

⁽²⁾ - https://safehubcollective.org/blog/what-is-the-main-message-of-the-prodigal-son/

The Parables of Jesus

The Parable of the Lost Coin

Luke 15:8-10 ^{Amplified Bible}

“Or what woman, if she has ten silver coins [each one equal to a day’s wages] and loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she has found it, she calls together her [women] friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, because I found the lost coin!’  In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents [that is, changes his inner self—his old way of thinking, regrets past sins, lives his life in a way that proves repentance; and seeks God’s purpose for his life].”

            This parable comes on the heels of the Parable of the Lost Sheep which appears right before this one.  A silver coin was a “drachma”. Each one was worth approximately a day’s wage. Tradition says that this woman probably received these 10 drachmas as a wedding gift and to lose one would be very distressing to her. It is also implied that it was all she had saved. A lamp was needed to search for the one lost coin because the house would have had just a few small windows or only a low doorway. She would literally sweep the earthen floor until she hears the clinking sound of the coin. Her joy at finding the lost coin is understandable, especially if the 10 coins were the entirety of her savings. 

                  Jesus says that there is the same type of joy in heaven when even one sinner repents, and thus receives God’s gracious gift of salvation...forgiveness of all sins committed. What an incredible blessing to know that you can, by merely confessing your need of forgiveness, receive total forgiveness for any ungodly thing you’ve ever done. Do you realize what an incredible blessing that is? Do you understand that Jesus took the punishment that was earmarked for you willingly, unto death. Are soul has been rescued from the punishment that awaits those who ignore the Holy Spirit’s call to repent.

                  God takes no joy in souls being lost forever because of the enemies lies. Just as the serpent first lied to Eve in the Garden of Eden, so he has been lying to mankind ever since. Scripture says in Ezekiel 18:23 (AMP), “Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked,” says the Lord God, “rather than that he should turn [away] from his [malevolent] acts and live?” and again in 2 Peter 3:9 (AMP), “The Lord does not delay [as though He were unable to act] and is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is [extraordinarily] patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.” If you’ve never confessed your need to have your sins forgiven, now is as good a time as any. Romans 3:22-24 (AMP) says the following: “This righteousness of God comes through faith in Jesus Christ for all those [Jew or Gentile] who believe [and trust in Him and acknowledge Him as God’s Son]. There is no distinction, since all have sinned and continually fall short of the glory of God and are being justified [declared free of the guilt of sin, made acceptable to God, and granted eternal life] as a gift by His [precious, undeserved] [a]grace, through the redemption [the payment for our sin] which is [provided] in Christ Jesus...”.  Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In his name & for his glory,

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Resources: Expositor's Bible Commentary (Abridged Edition): New Testament, Copyright 2004.

The Parables of Jesus

The Parable of the Lost Sheep

Luke 15:1-7 ^{Amplified Bible}

Luke 15:3-4

So He told them this parable: “What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one which is lost, [searching] until he finds it?

                  In the first couple of verses of this chapter the religious leaders were complaining about Jesus total disregard for their laws of cleanliness to remain undefiled by those they considered second class citizens. He even ate with sinners. This greatly disturbed the Pharisees and teachers of religious law.

                One needs to realize that the Pharisees put together a system of 613 laws, 365 of which were negative commands and 248 which were of a positive nature. All that did was produce a heartless, cold, and arrogant type of righteousness. These laws had at least 10 flaws: 1) New laws continually needed to be invented for new situations; 2) Accountability to God was replaced by peoples accountability to men; 3) It reduced a person’s ability to personally discern; 4) It created a judgmental spirit; 5) The Pharisees confused personal preferences with divine law; 6) This myriad of new laws produced inconsistencies; 7) They created a false standard of righteousness; 8) These laws became a burden to the Jewish people; 9) They were all dealing with the external; and 10) It was completed and totally rejected by Christ.

                  Regarding the parable, it may seem silly for a shepherd to leave 99 sheep unattended to go find one that had gotten itself lost, but they would have been left in the sheepfold. * Each sheep was precious to the shepherd and of great value; therefore he wouldn’t wish to lose even one. So he would search high and low until he found the lost sheep. In like manner, Jesus seeks to bring to repentance all who would be considered beyond hope. All of us are sinners until we repent and are forgiven. Then we become sinners saved by God’s grace. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In his name & for his glory,

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Resource: Outlined from Fan the Flame, J. Stowell, Moody, 1986, p. 52; Life Application Study Bible, footnote from p. 2238.

*Sheepfold - At night the sheep are driven into a sheepfold if they are in a district where there is danger from robbers or wild beasts. These folds are simple walled enclosures. On the top of the wall is heaped thorny brushwood as a further safeguard. Sometimes there is a covered hut in the corner for the shepherd. Where there is no danger the sheep huddle together in the open until daylight, while the shepherd watches over them.

The Parables of Jesus

The Parable of the Invited Guests

Luke 14:7-14 ^NLT

Luke 14:7 

“When Jesus noticed that all who had come to the dinner were trying to sit in the seats of honor near the head of the table, he gave them this advice:....”

            We see from the first verse of chapter 14 that Jesus went to dine at the home of a leader of the Pharisees. He incorporated 3 different elements in his visit: a healing, a conversation, and a parable. The discussion leads to the cost of discipleship and how we should treat those less fortunate.

Jesus had noticed that all the invited guests took seats in places of honor near the head of the table and offered this advice: let yourself be placed in a seat of honor, rather than sitting there yourself. This is because if someone comes in after you that is deemed more important you may be asked to move, which would be humiliating for you who took it upon yourself to sit in the high place. 

The setting would have been a series of couches low to the floor that guests could recline on, two to a couch. It was typically formed in the shape of a ‘U’ with the host seated at the apex of the ‘U’. The most important guests sat nearest the host. His statement regarding choosing the seats closest to the host was to introduce the Kingdom principle “those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”(v.11)

Jesus then speaks directly to the host, saying that he shouldn’t invite people close to him who will pay him back with like kindness, but rather invite those who cannot repay him, such as the infirmed and the indigent*. This statement highlights his concern for those who are impoverished and ill as also shown in Luke 4:18 & 6:20-21... “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free....” and “Then Jesus turned to his disciples and said, ’God blesses you who are poor, for the Kingdom of God is yours. God blesses you who are hungry now, for you will be satisfied. God blesses you who weep now, for in due time you will laugh.” Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In his name & for his glory,

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Resource: Expositor's Bible Commentary (Abridged Edition): New Testament, Copyright 2004.

* Indigent = poor

The Parables of Jesus

The Parable of the Barren Fig Tree

Luke 13:6-9 ^NLT

Luke 13:6

Then Jesus told this story: “A man planted a fig tree in his garden and came again and again to see if there was any fruit on it, but he was always disappointed.”

The Parable speaks of repentance and impending judgment. The fig tree represents Israel, and it could also be applied to modern day as well. According to scripture, all have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23). Israel had not heeded Christ’s warning to repent and turn to God. They are the fig tree that had borne no fruit. They didn’t surrender to the will of God, so they were cut off, thus allowing the gentiles to be grafted into the vine. Does this mean unproductive believers today will be cut off from God if their trust is not in the Lord? Honestly, it appears that way.

                  It is clearly shown that God is merciful to Israel by the fact that the man allows one more year for the tree to produce figs. God does not tolerate a lack of productivity from those who call themselves his children. Christianity isn’t a game to be played. It is serious business that involved life and death. Life thru redemption or death due to continued sinful living. John the Baptist, the precursor of Jesus, brought the same sentiment to his listeners when he said in Luke 3:9, “Even now the axe of God’s judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.” 

                                    In the Old Testament, fruitful tree was often used as a symbol of godly living. Psalm 1:2-3 and Jeremiah 17:7-8 illustrate that: “But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbanks, bearing fruit each season” and “But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit.” Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In his name & for his glory,

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries                 

Resources: Life Application Study Bible, Tyndale House Publishing, 2007; Expositor's Bible Commentary (Abridged Edition): New Testament, Copyright 2004.

The Parables of Jesus

The Parable of the Rich Fool

Luke 12:13-21 ^NLT

Luke 12:16

“Then he told them a story: ‘A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops.’”

                  In the first verse of Chapter 12 Jesus tells his disciples to beware of the hypocrisy of the Pharisees. In the 14^thverse of Chapter 16 points out that the Pharisees “dearly loved their money”. The gospel according to Luke deals a lot with the topic of wealth. Jesus teaching regarding a person’s motivation for acquiring wealth made the religious leaders very angry, for it hit them squarely where they live, essentially calling them out publicly without speaking directly to them.

                  That same 1^st verse of Chapter 12 also states that the crowd grew until thousands were in attendance listening to Jesus speak. A man from the crowd called out to the “Teacher” to tell his brother to split their father’s estate with him. Jesus, who certainly would have the authority to do as he was asked, decided instead to use this opportunity to tell another parable. He spoke of a rich man who had fertile land that produced a bumper crop* too great to be held in his barns. He decided to tear down his barns and build bigger ones. Once he would accomplish this he would “rest on his laurels”. ** God spoke to the rich man saying, “You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?” 

                  “The word ‘fool’ is used in the OT sense of one who rejects the knowledge and precepts of God as a basis for life. God addresses the man on his own pragmatic terms, dealing not with matters of the kingdom or of life beyond death but with the question of the disposition of his possessions.”

                  Those that seek monetary gain above all else are seen from a biblical perspective as being ‘greedy’. This is not equal to true living, for material possessions will become a substitute for searching for and worshipping God. In light of this, greed has become a form of idolatry. The key factor here is what a person’s motivation is for their actions. Wealth, in and of itself, is not wrong. How you get it and what you do with it is most important. And if it takes precedence over knowing and serving Almighty God then your motivation is distorted.  Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In his name and for his glory,

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Resource: Expositor's Bible Commentary (Abridged Edition): New Testament, Copyright 2004.

* a bumper crop is an extremely large crop that is excellent in quality.

** To be satisfied with one's past success and to consider further effort unnecessary.

The Parables of Jesus

The Parable of the Friend at Midnight

Luke 11:5-13 ^NLT

Luke 11:5

Then, teaching them more about prayer, he used this story: “Suppose you went to a friend’s house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread.”

            To start with let’s look at the culture in which they lived at this time. The scene is that of a home where the family probably all sleeps in one room. It very well may be a one room home. They would all be sleeping on one single large mat so it would be difficult for the father to get to the door and slide the heavy bolt that locks it without waking up his family. In the middle of the night I wouldn’t imagine anyone would be happy about responding to a knock on their door, but the custom in first-century society was that the host would be expected to welcome a guest no matter what time he arrived.

            Both the word ‘persistence’ and ‘boldness’ are used to describe the actions of the night caller. Since God is repeatedly described as being eager to grant our requests when asked, the word ‘boldness’ very likely is the word meant here. In this case it would appear that it was not persistence in prayer that was required, but rather the intensity of the prayer found in ‘boldness’. 

            While v. 9 leans toward persistence, v. 10 makes it clear that all who ask shall receive, not only those who ask repeatedly. This lends itself to the notion that there are different ways to pray. That is for a different study, but you can be sure that there are different circumstances in which we pray so the importance and intensity of each prayer would be altered in some small way. The key is that God hears all of us when we cry out to him in prayer. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In his name & for his glory,

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Resources: Expositor's Bible Commentary (Abridged Edition): New Testament, Copyright 2004; https://www.gotquestions.org/types-of-prayer.html; Life Application Study Bible, Tyndale House Publishing, 2007. 

The Parables of Jesus

The Parable of the Good Samaritan

Luke 10:25-37 ^NLT

Luke 10:25

One day an expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus by asking him this question: “Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?”

                  This parable starts with a legal expert posing a question to our Lord as a means of testing him.  Jesus asked him how he interpreted the law of Moses. The man responded by saying, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength and all your mind. And ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” Jesus agreed and told him to do these things and he would live. The man had a follow-up question. “Who is my neighbor?” It is then that Jesus begins his parable.

                  Samaria was the capital city of the Northern kingdom of Israel until its’ fall in 722-721 BC. It was roughly 42 miles north of Jerusalem and 25 miles east of the Mediterranean Sea. When the 10 tribes of Israel were taken into captivity by Assyria, the Assyrian king sent peoples from various parts of their country to occupy Samaria. “These foreigners intermarried with the Israelite population that was still in and around Samaria.” ⁽¹⁾ They combined the idolatry of the foreigners with Judaism which made them much hated by the Jews after the captivity was over. Samaritan’s were considered half-breeds and shunned. Their hatred for them ran very deep causing the Jews to have no dealings with them. 

                  So Jesus told the story of a Jewish man who was attacked and left for dead on the road down to Jericho. “The distance from Jerusalem to Jericho was about 17 miles, descending sharply toward the Jordan River just north of the Dead Sea. The road curved through rugged, rocky terrain where robbers could easily hide. It was considered especially dangerous.” ⁽²⁾

                  The first two representatives of Jewish law didn’t dare go near the wounded Jew for fear of contamination. The first was a priest who offered sacrifices in the temple. The second was a temple assistant who maintained the temple and kept everything in order. The third passerby wasn’t just a layman, but a dreaded Samaritan. This was the man who showed compassion toward the Jewish man in need. The first two passersby had no legitimate excuse for avoiding contact with the fallen man. The Samaritan showed love and mercy despite the traditional hostility been Israel and Samaria.  Is it not possible that the first two men did not truly recognize their own need of God’s love themselves?

                  So who is our neighbor? Our neighbor is anyone of any race, creed, or social background who is in need. Wherever you live, needy people are close by and there is no good reason for refusing to help them. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In his name & for his glory,

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Resources: Expositor's Bible Commentary (Abridged Edition): New Testament, Copyright 2004; Life Application Study Bible, p. 2221; The Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible: The Good Samaritan, Abingdon Press, 1962, 1981.

⁽¹⁾ https://www.gotquestions.org/Samaritans.html

⁽²⁾ Expositor's Bible Commentary (Abridged Edition): New Testament, Copyright 2004.

The Parables of Jesus

The Parable of the Heart of Man

Mark 7:14-23 ^NLT

 Mark 7:14-16

Then Jesus called to the crowd to come and hear. “All of you listen,” he said, “and try to understand. It’s not what goes into your body that defiles you; you are defiled by what comes from your heart. [Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.]” *

            This is Mark ‘s version of the Parable of the Wine Skins.  It speaks more of what goes in compared to what comes out of any individual. A person’s heart is their stronghold. The place where truth resides if it resides anywhere at all. The mind is what feeds the heart. The emphasis is not on old and new wine skins, but rather the fact that those things which come out of a man, woman or child originate in the heart. Scripture is clear that only God can know the motives of a man’s heart. Proverbs 16:2 AMP, “All the ways of a man are clean and innocent in his own eyes [and he may see nothing wrong with his actions], But the LORD weighs and examines the motives and intents [of the heart and knows the truth].”

            Evil actions or reactions start with a single thought. We mustn’t allow our minds to dwell on such things as lust, envy, hatred and/or revenge for these things will lead you into sin. We are to think on that which is true, honorable, right, pure, admirable, and lovely (Philippians 4:8). Just as when we feed our bodies junk food, so our minds and our hearts will be tainted and fouled by what we feed into it.

            On a cultural note, Jesus trekked 30 miles on foot to the city of Tyre, which was at one time a friend of Israel’s, but eras of wickedness had ruined that relationship. Evil had entered the city, where their king had claimed to be God. It was to this evil, materialistic culture that Jesus brought this message. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In his name & for his glory,

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Resource: Life Application Study Bible, verse notes, p. 2124.

* [  ] - The bracketed portion is found in some manuscripts, yet left out in some others. I added it because it is something Jesus has said before in other places in the Gospels.

The Parables of Jesus

The Parable of the Growing Seed

Mark 4:26-29 ^NLT

Mark 4:26

Jesus also said, “The Kingdom of God is like a farmer who scatters seed on the ground.” 

This parable happens to be unique to Mark because it doesn’t appear in the other gospels. Once again we find a parable that uses the current day illustration of a farmer who plants seed. As a cultural note, Palestinian farmers of that day began their workday in the evening and not in the morning. The climate in that area may be hot during the day, but freezing at night. The barren area by the Dead Sea may reach temperatures as high as 122 degrees. ⁽¹⁾ 

            Jesus is comparing the things of God to the everyday world of the farmer. He is placing emphasis on the mysterious power of a seed to produce crops. The farmer simply has to plant it and while he also has to weed and water, the growing is done by itself, and no one knows how this happens. This is compared to the kingdom of God which remains hidden and somewhat unclear until one day it “bursts forth in its full glory”. 

            The harvest spoken of is also seen in Joel 3:13 where the Lord says thru the prophet, “Swing the sickle, for the harvest time has come.  Come, tread the grapes, for the winepress is full. The storage vats are overflowing with the wickedness of these people.” Both the harvest spoken of in the parable and the harvest referred to in Joel are one in the same, the end time judgment of man. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In his name & for his glory,

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Resources: Expositor's Bible Commentary (Abridged Edition): New Testament, Copyright 2004; Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary of the New Testament, Copyright 2002.

⁽¹⁾ https://phdessay.com/agriculture-in-jesus-time/

The Parables of Jesus

The Parable of the Lamp

Mark 4:21-25 ^NLT

Mark 4:21

Then Jesus asked them, “Would anyone light a lamp and then put it under a basket or under a bed? Of course not! A lamp is placed on a stand, where its light will shine.”

            The gospel of Mark has two chapters that have 4 parables each. That is the extent of Jesus parabolic teaching in this book. 

            In this parable the lamp represents Jesus. The purpose of any lamp is to put in on a lampstand and not under a bowl or basket so that it can bring light to an entire household. Therefore, when you find Jesus and receive his life changing forgiveness thru redemption, you must understand what you have acquired and let this light of freedom and forgiveness shine forth from every part of you.

            Whatever perception you have attained shall be taken from you if you do not cultivate it by virtue of going deeper in Christ. It is imperative that we, as Christians, not remain hidden from sight, but instead, be a beacon of light as to the glory and majesty of the God whom we serve. 

            “A rabbinic tradition professes: Observe how the character of the Holy One, blessed be He, differs from that of flesh and blood. A mortal can put something into an empty vessel, but not into a full one. But the Holy One, blessed be He, is not so; He puts more into a full vessel, but not an empty one….” ⁽¹⁾ What is being said here is that those who go deeper in God will be given more perception as to the things of God. 

            Exodus 15:26 NLT - “He said, ‘If you will listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in his sight, obeying his commands and keeping all his decrees, then I will not make you suffer any of the diseases I sent on the Egyptians; for I am the Lord who heals you.’”

            Here God is telling his people, of whom we are now one, what is expected from them as they strive to live for him and his kingdom. This is an eternal truth that applies to all who know and love God and not solely reserved for the Jews back in Moses’ day. Do not hide your faith from those around you. Let them know that you have every reason to have hope in the future and joy in the present by telling whoever will listen that Jesus is the one and only way to total and eternal forgiveness of all their sins and lasting peace, fulfillment, and contentment both now and forevermore. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In his name & for his glory,

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Resources: Expositor's Bible Commentary (Abridged Edition): New Testament, Copyright 2004; Life Application Study Bible, footnote on p.2111.

⁽¹⁾ Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary of the New Testament, Copyright © 2002.

The Parables of Jesus

The Parable of the Three Servants

Matthew 25:14-30 ^NLT

Matthew 25:14-15

“Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone. He gave five bags of silver to one, two bags of silver to another, and one bag of silver to the last—dividing it in proportion to their abilities. He then left on his trip.”

                  During this time period servants many times would be given duties and responsibilities, almost like they were a business partner to the owner, rather than a common slave. They were given money, each amount comparable to their abilities. The first two servants used the money they were given as an investment to make a profit for their owner. The third servant didn’t wish to work or take any risk, knowing that the owner was a “hard man”, so he buried it in the ground.

                  Both of the industrious servants were highly praised by their owner and were given additional responsibilities and an opportunity to celebrate with him. The third servant was admonished for his lazy and wicked decision to only give back what he was given. His portion was given to the first servant and the “useless” servant was cast “into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

                  The owner is Jesus, and the servants are believers. This parable reminds of us the phrase in Luke 12:48, which says, “to whom much is given, much will be required”. “The idea of “to whom much is given, much will be required” is that we are held responsible for what we have. If we are blessed with talents, wealth, knowledge, time, and the like, it is expected that we use these well to glorify God and benefit others. We have been granted the abundant grace of God (Ephesians 1:3–10; 3:16–21; Romans 5:8–11; 8:14–17), the Word of God, and the gifts of the Holy Spirit (John 14:16–21; 16:13; Romans 12:6). “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms (1 Peter 4:10).” ⁽¹⁾

                  It would be presumptuous to think that the less we know of God and his gifts the less will be required of us for the kingdom, for Micah 6:8 shows us what is expected from us: “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In his name & for his glory,

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

⁽¹⁾ https://www.gotquestions.org/much-given-required.html

Resource: Expositor's Bible Commentary (Abridged Edition): New Testament, Copyright 2004.

The Parables of Jesus

The Parable of the Fig Tree

Matthew 24:32-35 ^NLT

“Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its young shoots become tender and it puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near; so you, too, when you see all ^[a] these things [taking place], know for certain that He is near, right ^[b] at the door. I assure you and most solemnly say to you, this generation [the people living when these signs and events begin] will not pass away until all these things take place. Heaven and earth [as now known] will pass away, but My words will not pass away.”

         The parable speaks of what the Greeks called the ‘Parousia’, the 2^nd Coming of Christ. It is telling us that there are signs that Christ is returning. Scripture is clear. Matthew 24:36 states, “But of that [exact] day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son [in His humanity], but the Father alone.”However, there shall be many trials and tribulations that must take place prior to his return.

            It should be pointed out that the ‘Last Days’ began when Christ was taken up to heaven in the beginning of the Book of Acts. The disciples thought his return would be in their lifetime and mankind has been waiting ever since. 

            The fig tree tells people when summer is near due to its appearance. Likewise, the appearance of things all around us will indicate when Christ’s return is near as well. The fact that we have no idea when his return will take place tells us how imperative it is to not just be ready, but live ready for the day and hour are not known. The end of the parable declares that the Word of God is now and forever the same. All things disintegrate over time, but God’s Word shall remain.  Isaiah 40:8, “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.” Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In his name & for his glory,

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Resources: Expositor's Bible Commentary (Abridged Edition): New Testament, Copyright 2004; Reformation Study Bible; Life Application Study Bible.

The Parables of Jesus

The Parable of the Wedding Feast

Matthew 22:1-14 ^NLT

Matthew 22:2

“The Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a king who prepared a great wedding feast for his son.”

            It would appear that this is the 3^rd and final parable used to rebuke the priests and leading elders. In the culture of that day it was customary for a king to send out two invitations for a wedding banquet. The first invitation was a general invite without date, time, or location, for it was in advance of the event and those details hadn’t been settled on yet. Scripture shows us that the initial invitation was refused by those invited.  When the feast was ready the king sent other servants to take the 2^nd invitation, announcing that the feast was ready and that those invited should come straight away. A 2^nd time the announcement was ignored, only this time some other invitees, “seized (the king’s) messengers, insulted them and killed them”. As you can well imagine this infuriated the king who quickly sent his army out to destroy the murderers and burn their town to the ground. In that culture you simply did not refuse the king’s invitation, for it was considered an honor to be invited.

            The king determined that those who had been invited were not worthy of the honor, so he sent his servants to go to the highways and byways and invite any who would come.

Another custom of the day was that the king would provide wedding garments for those invited to the feast to wear. According to the story some came wearing whatever THEY thought to be appropriate. Again, this would be an insult to the king, so because of their decision, they were cast out of the banquet. 

            In this parable, the king is God, the bridegroom is Jesus, those invited would be the religious leaders and leading elders, who were enemies of the Lord. Those from the highways and byways were all others, both Jew and gentile, that chose to come. The garments would be the righteousness that God provides to those who honor his invitation and those who were cast out “where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” were those who came but did not take seriously their need for righteousness. They didn’t realize there is only one way to heaven, and that way is thru the Son.  Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In his name & for his glory,

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Resources: Life Application Study Bible, verse footnote, pp.2062-63; IVP New Testament Commentary Series, IVP New Testament Commentaries are made available by the generosity of InterVarsity Press; Expositor's Bible Commentary (Abridged Edition): New Testament,

Copyright 2004.

 

The Parables of Jesus

The Parable of the Evil Farmers

Matthew 21:33-45 ^NLT

Matthew 21:33

“Now listen to another story. A certain landowner planted a vineyard, built a wall around it, dug a pit for pressing out the grape juice, and built a lookout tower.”

            This parable is the 2^nd of 3 speaking out against the tyrannical religious leaders of the day.  The main characters in the parable were the landowner, the vineyard itself, the tenant farmers, the servants of the landowner, the son, and the other tenants. The tenant farmers were the Jewish religious leaders. The servants of the landowner were the prophets and priests who remained loyal to God, preaching his word to Israel. Just as the tenant farmers murdered the servants to came to collect the landowners share of the crops, so the religious leaders had the faithful prophets and priests murdered. Anyone and anything that they saw as a threat to their rule of the people had to be eliminated. Just as the tenant farmers murdered the landowner’s son, so the religious leaders of the day had God’s Son, Jesus, murdered. Since Pilate washed his hands (literally) of the blood of Jesus, this put the responsibility of his death squarely on the religious leaders. This responsibility they gladly took not realizing that Jesus truly was the awaited Messiah, a blight that would bring punishment to them for generations to come.

            Since the Jewish leaders rejected Jesus and had him put to death, as foretold by the prophet Isaiah, this opened the door to the gentiles, or non-Jews. The Pharisees & Sadducees error in judgment blessed all of creation, in that not only was Israel God’s chosen children, but all non-Jews in his creation could now avail themselves to the redemptive work of Christ. 

The telling sign that the religious leaders knew Jesus was speaking against them in this parable was found in verse 45 when it says: “When the leading priests and Pharisees heard this parable, they realized he was telling the story against them—they were the wicked farmers.” They were the blind leading the blind. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In his name & for his glory,

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Resource: Life Application Study Bible.

The Parables of Jesus

The Parable of the Two Sons

Matthew 21:28-32 ^NLT

Matthew 21:28-30

“But what do you think about this? A man with two sons told the older boy, ‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’ The son answered, ‘No, I won’t go,’ but later he changed his mind and went anyway. Then the father told the other son, ‘You go,’ and he said, ‘Yes, sir, I will.’ But he didn’t go.”

             Jesus came into the Temple and began to teach. The leading priests and elders came up to him, wishing to know by who’s authority he was teaching the scriptures.  In response, Jesus asked them a question. By whose authority did John baptize, heavenly or earthly authority? They knew they were trapped, for if they said from heaven, Jesus would want to know why they didn’t believe him, and if they said earthly authority they would be mobbed by the crowd, so they said they didn’t know the answer. Jesus then responded that neither would he tell them where his authority came from.

                  This is the first of three parables Jesus uses to rebuke the religious leaders of his day.  He started his parable with a question… “But what do you think about this?”  A father told he eldest son to go work in the vineyard that day. The son said “No”, but later repented and did as he was told.  The father then told his younger son to do the same and that son said “Yes” but didn’t end up going. What is the message Jesus was attempting to convey? The first son represents the sinners; the tax collectors and prostitutes. They rejected John the Baptist’s message regarding the correct way to live, but later came to accept it and repent, having sins forgiven. The second son represents the religious leaders who talked a good game but whose actions didn’t match up with their words. In essence, Jesus was calling the religious leaders phonies, in that they were saying they were obedient, yet were always disobeying.

                  Are you like the first son or the second son? Do your intentions always fall far short of your actual actions? Do you talk the talk but don’t walk the walk? God knows all our intentions and also knows all our heart’s motivations. We must take our walk with the Lord seriously, for a serious price was paid for our freedom from sin. Don’t be like the Pharisees or the Sadducees and give God lip service. Say little, listen a lot to learn of the things of the Lord. When we speak, we learn nothing of any consequence.  It is in our listening that we acquire the knowledge of God. However, knowledge is nothing without a corresponding action. Live for God, not for yourself. Until next time, walk with the King and be blessing.

In his name & for his glory,

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Resources: Life Application Study Bible, p.2061; Expositor's Bible Commentary (Abridged Edition): New Testament, Copyright 2004.

The Parables of Jesus

The Parable of the Vineyard Workers

Matthew 20:1-16 ^NIV

Matthew 20:1

“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard.”

            This is another parable describing the kingdom of heaven. The landowner represents God. The laborers represent the believers. A denarius was a normal daily wage for laborers back then. The parable shows the landowner’s generosity in that he paid each group of laborers he hired during the course of the day the same wage. This shows us that redemption is available to anyone at any time prior to the final trumpet being sounded. 

            The laborers who were hired first had a gripe with the landowner. It bothered them that they worked all day in the heat only to earn the same amount as those who were hired towards the end of the day. The landowner took issue with their complaint and stated that they agreed to work for a normal day’s wage, therefore, what business was it of theirs how much he paid anyone else regardless of how long they worked. The fact is it wasn’t any of their business. 

            We can liken this story to real life situations where someone comes to the saving knowledge of Christ on their death bed after they had been sinners all their lives. Those who were cleansed by Christ’s blood early on in life might take issue with the fact that another lived as they pleased yet was awarded heaven at the last possible moment. This thinking is illogical and flawed. They are displeased for selfish reasons rather than overjoyed that another sinful soul had gotten saved from their sin. What God chooses to do is none of our affair. He does as he so chooses and certainly doesn’t need to consult anyone, least of all his own creation. We must look past ourselves toward the greater good for the kingdom. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In his name & for his glory,

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Resource: Life Application Study Bible, footnote on p. 2056.

The Parables of Jesus

The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant

Matthew 18:21-35 ^NIV

 

Matthew 18:21-22

“Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, ‘Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?’ Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.’”

            In Rabbinic teachings back in Jesus day it was acceptable to forgive the same sin up to 3x, however, should the same sin be committed a 4^th time there was to be no forgiveness given. So Peter felt he was being generous by offering up forgiveness 7x, however, Jesus stated that they were to forgive 70x7 times. This shouldn’t be taken literally, for it represents a limitless number of times we are to forgive others. We should also keep in mind that we’ve been forgiven far more than we would ever need to forgive. In this case we’re talking about personal sins against a brother or sister in Christ and not forgiveness that is equal to redemption for all sins ever committed by an individual. Only God can do that.

            That brief conversation leads us to Jesus’ next lesson which involves an unmerciful servant. A King’s servant owed him 10,000 bags of gold. The King ordered him to sell off all he had to pay his debt. The servant begged for mercy, insisting that he would pay back every penny if only the King would be patient with him. The servant’s master took pity on him and forgave the entire debt, then sent him on his way.

            That same servant came across a fellow servant who owed him 100 silver coins. The servant demanded the man pay him what he owed him. When the man refused the servant, showing no mercy whatsoever, had him thrown in jail. When the King heard about this, he called for the servant whose debt he had forgiven and punished him for his lack of mercy toward a fellow servant for a much, much smaller amount owed him. The King reinstated his original debt and turned him over to the jailers who were to torture him until the debt was repaid. 

            In verse 35 Jesus explains this parable. Essentially, what Jesus is saying here is the amount of mercy and forgiveness you show your brethren is the same amount God will show you. This calls to mind the ‘Golden Rule’ which states, “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 7:12 NIV) If you want to be forgiven by others, forgive others and do it without conditions placed upon that forgiveness. Also, do it without any hesitation or regret. Amen. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In his name & for his glory,

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Resource: Expositor's Bible Commentary (Abridged Edition): New Testament, Copyright 2004.