One of Jesus’ favorite ways to teach about the Kingdom was through parables. Some of his most well-known stories are parables, and together they make up nearly one-third of all his teachings in the Gospels. And yet, parables are also among the most misunderstood.
Most of us assume Jesus used parables as simple illustrations to make spiritual truths clearer, or as moral lessons to show us how to live. But Jesus himself explained that parables serve a deeper purpose: they draw some people into the Kingdom, and they push others away from the Kingdom. Parables aren’t just moral tales, theology lessons, or simple illustrations. They are surprising, subversive stories that confront us with the reality of the Kingdom.
And just like our response to the parables, our response to the Kingdom is never neutral: we can resist and turn away, or be drawn in and transformed.
