NIV 365 / What is the Significance of Parables?

The NIV 365-Day Devotional Reading Plan

Day 115 of 365 What Is the Significance of Parables? Although parables in the context of Psalm 78 refer to history with practical teaching applications (see, for example, Acts 7), Matthew 13:35 also refers to Psalm 78:2 as a prophecy of Jesus' parabolic teaching. A parable, from the Greek word meaning "comparison," draws similarities between heavenly, eternal realities and the realities of earthly life. Although the Old Testament contains some parables (see, for example, 2 Samuel 12:1 - 4), Jesus is unique in his near-exclusive use of them as a teaching tool (for examples of well-known parables, see Matthew 13:3 - 23; Mark 4:30 - 32; Luke 10:30 - 37; 15:11 - 32). By tapping into the common knowledge of everyday life, Jesus enabled people to understand things that had been "hidden" since the beginning of the world. Taken from NIV The Case for Christ Study Bible Psalms 78:1-8 Psalms 78:1-8 KJV 1 Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth. 2 I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old: 3 Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us. 4 We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the Lord , and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done. 5 For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children: 6 That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children: 7 That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments: 8 And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.