The word "parable" comes from the Greek word parabolee. In the Greek para means beside, and ballo means to cast or throw. So parable means to cast beside.
The Parable that Nathan the Prophet told to David the King lets us see in action the process described above. Nathan the prophet used a parable to awaken David to the sin he had committed regarding Bathsheba (2Sm 12:1-15).
David, a former shepherd, had no difficulty in seeing the injustice done to the poor man deprived of his pet lamb by a rich and powerful man. He became quite angry about it, and wanted to punish the person who had committed the injustice. Then Nathan simply said to David, “You are the man!” David then realized that the story illustrated his own act of injustice. The analogy was so strong that David immediately saw his own sin. His anger at another man's unjust deeds became shame and penitence regarding his own.
Like Nathan, Jesus was a Master of the parable, and often used parables to point out people's sins.
Jesus was an artist in the telling of parables. He painted vivid word pictures to dramatize his teachings. Jesus told his parables in such a way that they were easy to visualize, and thus to remember.
The Parable that Nathan the Prophet told to David the King lets us see in action the process described above. Nathan the prophet used a parable to awaken David to the sin he had committed regarding Bathsheba (2Sm 12:1-15).
David, a former shepherd, had no difficulty in seeing the injustice done to the poor man deprived of his pet lamb by a rich and powerful man. He became quite angry about it, and wanted to punish the person who had committed the injustice. Then Nathan simply said to David, “You are the man!” David then realized that the story illustrated his own act of injustice. The analogy was so strong that David immediately saw his own sin. His anger at another man's unjust deeds became shame and penitence regarding his own.
Like Nathan, Jesus was a Master of the parable, and often used parables to point out people's sins.
Jesus was an artist in the telling of parables. He painted vivid word pictures to dramatize his teachings. Jesus told his parables in such a way that they were easy to visualize, and thus to remember.