KINGDOM OF GOD

In WORDS

PARABLES

Jesus presented the qualities of the Kingdom

using simple, everyday language
UNDERSTANDING THE
KINGDOM

SACRED
SCRIPTURE

5 parables on the
kingdom
 An old Chinese proverb says: “One picture speaks a
thousand words”.
Parables are “picture stories”. The etymological origin of
the word
Gk. Parabole suggests that they present comparisons. In
the teaching ministry of Jesus, parables were used to
present “heavenly things through earthly stories”.

PARABLES ON PARABLES ON PARABLES ON

THE GOOD THE CHILDREN THE KINGDOM
NEWS OF THE OF THE OF GOD AS
KINGDOM KINGDOM JUDGMENT
 PARABLE OF THE
MUSTARD SEED
• Kingdom of God starts from the smallest beginnings
but grows to much bigger proportions
• from the preaching and works of one man, Jesus, to
two-thirds of the world’s population today
•Small acts of goodness contribute to God’s Kingdom
of love, peace and justice
 PARABLE OF THE
YEAST
 just like the yeast in the dough, we cannot
always see the working of the Kingdom of God
 Jesus encourages us to trust that God is at
work, quietly establishing his kingdom here on
earth
 PARABLE OF THE TREASURE

 treasure – symbolizes God’s blessings that manifest

the Kingdom (experiences of love, friendships)
 Kingdom can come to us in the most ordinary ways
and times and through unexpected persons and events.
 Seek first the Kingdom of God and everything else
will be added unto you.
Not of lasting worth: POSSESSIONS, PERSONAL
REPUTATION AND POPULARITY, POWER
 PARABLE OF THE PEARL
OF GREAT PRICE
 PEARL – represents something so precious
The pearl is the Kingdom of God, the most precious
of possessions; all other possessions become secondary
and of less worth
E.g. Saying no to a friend who offers you to smoke
or drink is proclaiming that the Kingdom of God is
most precious
 PARABLE OF THE
NET
What will happen at the end of time when the
present world ends
describes general Judgment day when all the good
will be separated from the wicked
 but in the meantime, the good and the bad are
allowed to live together
Gives the sinners time to turn back to God
1. THE KINGDOM: VALUABLE BUT DEMANDING –
Discovering the Kingdom brings joy to life, but to enter it,
one has to make a stand, make a decision and live by it.
2. PROPHETIC AND CONTEMPORARY – The parables of
the Kingdom echoed through concrete life-situations
(which we still experience till now) what the ancient
prophets preached about neighborliness, social justice,
love, humility, service, etc.
3. URGENT AND SERIOUS – One accept the Kingdom and
postpone action. The Kingdom of God is no fairy tale.
While it’s message brings joy to the hearer, the Kingdom
is not simply “good feeling”. In fact, the Kingdom can be
an uncomfortable message to a person who adheres to
the value of the world.
…All of these Jesus teaches us through

PARABLES
The PARABLES of JESUS
 form a major part of his teachings
 present counter-cultural values of the
Kingdom
 compare the truths in his teachings to
everyday characters,objects,
situations
•Rabbis also taught using parables
•But the parables of Jesus are unique because
of the twist that he gives to them
•For example, what was the twist in the parable
of the Good Samaritan?
Therefore, parables challenge our values that
run counter to Gospel values
 Parables always invite a
response from
the readers
Challenge our worldly values
which are against gospel values

Therefore, we
change.
Invite us
to respond

Parables of
Jesus
Sermon on the Mount
 Matthew 5 to 7
• Calls for a Way of life from its hearers.
• Calls us to “imitate God”
– Merciful
– Love indiscriminately
– Perfect
– Forgives
• Teaches us that Righteousness is
mercifulness effective in compassionate
actions.
– Solidarity with the oppressed
– Non-violent response to evil
 Matthew 5 to 7
• Justice calls us to re-order our
house
– (re)ordering of Relationships with God,
and others
– socio-political (re)ordering of
resources
• Find expression in actions toward
our neighbor, especially the poor,
in life-giving works.
 Thus…
• Matthew 5 to 7…
– Calls for a way of life
• (an identity {Christian})
– Calls for an evangelization that liberates
• (a mission {to do justice and teach
justice})
– Calls for an identification with Jesus
• (an orientation {God’s righteousness})
 End…
• 'Therefore, everyone who listens to
these words of mine and acts on them
will be like a sensible man who built his
house on rock.
• Rain came down, floods rose, gales
blew and hurled themselves against that
house, and it did not fall: it was founded
on rock.