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A parable is a story in which a real and earthly thing is used to
parallel or illustrate a spiritual or heavenly thing. Such a story acts
as a "riddle" that both veils and reveals all at once -- veiling the
spiritual behind words that reveal the earthly and which can be
penetrated to reach the spiritual by those "who have ears to hear."
Jesus tells us that He spoke in parables precisely to veil and reveal,
to speak, in a sense, "secretly" while not in secret at all. As
recorded in Matthew 13:10-17:
And his
disciples came and said to Him: Why speakest Thou to them in parables?
Who answered and said to them: Because to you it is given to know the
mysteries of the kingdom of heaven: but to them it is not given. For he
that hath, to him shall be given, and he shall abound: but he that hath
not, from him shall be taken away that also which he hath.
Therefore do I speak to them in parables: because seeing they see not,
and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And the prophecy
of Isaias is fulfilled in them, who saith: By hearing you shall hear,
and shall not understand: and seeing you shall see, and shall not
perceive. For the heart of this people is grown gross, and with their
ears they have been dull of hearing, and their eyes they have shut:
lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their
ears, and understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should
heal them.
But blessed are your eyes, because they see, and your ears, because
they hear. For, amen, I say to you, many prophets and just men have
desired to see the things that you see, and have not seen them, and to
hear the things that you hear and have not heard them.
There is no
"secret doctrine"; Jesus Himself said, as recorded in John 18:20, "In
secret I have spoken nothing." There are His words spoken in open for
all to hear -- but which "go over the heads" of those who will
not to hear them and whom God has allowed to be hardened in their
choices. To those wearing dark sunglasses, a rose's red looks
black -- but the rose is there in its colorful brilliance for all to
see if they'd simply remove the obstacles between their eyes and the
flower. St. Hilary, Bishop of Poitiers (d. 368) spoke of this when he
wrote, "we do not read that our Lord was wont to preach at night, and
expound His doctrine in the dark: but He says this because His speech
is darkness to the carnal-minded, and His words are night to the
unbeliever."
All of the parables are found -- often repeated -- in the synoptic
Gospels, that is, the Gospels of SS Matthew, Mark, and Luke; none are
found in St. John's Gospel. They've been numbered differently at
various times, depending on whether proverbial expressions and simple
metaphors are counted as separate parables and whether certain parables
are grouped together, such as "The Hidden Treasure" and "The Pearl of
Great Price." Here I present them, grouped as thirty-three stories,
with commentary by St. John Chrysostom for most of those from St.
Matthew's Gospel, and other commentary by other Saints and Doctors,
from the Catholic Encyclopedia, etc. when available. Click on the
titles to read...
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Lamp Under a Basket
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Found:
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Matthew 5:13-16
Mark 4:21-22
Luke 8:16-17, 11:33-36 |
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Theme:
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Being a witness
to the power of Christ
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The Wise Man Who Builds on Rock and the Fool
Who Builds on Sand
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Found:
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Matthew 7:15-29
Luke 6:47-49 |
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Theme: |
The importance
of sound doctrine and doing good works
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New Cloth on Old Garments & New Wine in
Old Wineskins
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Found:
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Matthew 9:14-17
Mark 2:18-22
Luke 5:33-39 |
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Theme:
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On preparation,
timing, and refraining from judgment
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The Sower
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Found:
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Matthew 13:1-23
Mark 4:1-29
Luke 8:4-15 |
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Theme:
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On orienting the
will to receive Christ, and doing so in a manner in which grace isn't
lost during times of temptation and testing
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The Cockle (or "Tares") Among the Wheat
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Found:
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Matthew 13:24-30 |
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Theme:
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On the
importance of vigilance against heresies, and of some tolerance of
heretics brought about by the Enemy
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The Mustard Seed & The Leaven
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Found:
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Matthew 13:31-35
Mark 4:30-34
Luke 13:18-21 |
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Theme:
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On how so few
can change the world by spreading the Gospel and putting on Christ
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The Hidden Treasure & The Pearl of Great
Price
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Found:
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Matthew 13:44-46
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Theme: |
On the
preciousness of belonging to God's Kingdom
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The Draw Net
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Found:
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Matthew 13:47-50
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Theme:
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On the
separation of the good from the evil
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The Lost Sheep & The Lost Coin
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Found:
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Matthew 18:1-14
Luke 15:1-10 |
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Theme:
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On the value to
God of each and every soul, even those of the smallest ones and of the
greatest sinners
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The Unmerciful Servant
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Found:
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Matthew 18:21-35
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Theme:
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On being as
merciful to and forgiving of others as God is to and of us
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The Labourers in the Vineyard
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Found:
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Matthew 20:1-16 |
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Theme:
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On the
sovereignty of God, doing what is right because it is right, spiritual
jealousy, and how it is never too late to repent
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The Two Sons
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Found:
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Matthew 21:28-32
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Theme:
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On doing the
will of God instead of being a hypocrite
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The Wicked Husbandmen
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Found:
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Matthew 21:33-46
Mark 12:1-12
Luke 20:9-20 |
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Theme:
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On the Old
Covenant being fulfilled and the New Covenant coming into being
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The Marriage of the King's Son
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Found: |
Matthew 22:1-14 |
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Theme:
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On responding to
God and showing fruits
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The Fig Tree
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Found:
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Matthew 24:32-42
Mark 13:28-33
Luke 21:29-36 |
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Theme:
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On being
prepared (compare with the parables of the Ten Virgins, The
Faithful and Wicked Stewards, and The Man Going on a Long Journey)
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The Man Going on a Long Journey
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Found:
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Matthew 24:42-51
Mark 13:33-37 |
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Theme:
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On being
prepared (compare with the parables of The Fig Tree, The Ten Virgins,
and The Faithful and Wicked Stewards)
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The Faithful and Wicked Stewards
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Found:
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Matthew 24:45-51
Luke 12:35-48 |
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Theme:
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On being
prepared (compare with the parables of The Fig Tree, The Ten Virgins,
and The Man Going on a Long Journey)
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The Ten Virgins
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Found:
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Matthew 25:1-13 |
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Theme:
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On being
prepared (compare with the parables of the Fig Tree, The Man
Going on a Long Journey, and The Faithful and Wicked Stewards)
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The Talents
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Found:
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Matthew 25:14-30 |
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Theme:
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On being fruitful
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The Two Debtors
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Found:
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Luke 7:41-43 |
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Theme:
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On God's awesome
mercy as contrasted with the judgmentalism of man (compare with the
Parable of The Prodigal Son)
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The Good Samaritan
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Found:
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Luke 10:23-37 |
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Theme:
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On charity as
opposed to legalism
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The Friend at Midnight
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Found:
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Luke 11:1-10 |
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Theme:
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On persistence
in prayer (compare with The Parable of the Unjust Judge)
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The Rich Fool
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Found:
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Luke 12:16-34 |
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Theme:
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On laying up
treasures in Heaven rather than on earth (compare with the parable of
the Dives and Lazarus)
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The Barren Fig Tree
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Found:
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Luke 13:6-9 |
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Theme:
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On the faithless
of the Old Covenant, and the importance of bearing spiritual fruit
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The Great Supper
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Found:
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Luke 14:7-24 |
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Theme:
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On the
universality of the Church, the great commission to preach the Gospel
to all, and the necessity of responding to God when called
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The Tower and the War-making King
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Found:
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Luke 14:25-35 |
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Theme:
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On prioritizing
our lives such that God is first
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The Prodigal Son
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Found:
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Luke 15:11-32 |
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Theme:
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On God's mercy
(compare with the parable of The Two Debtors)
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The Unjust Steward
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Found:
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Luke 16:1-10 |
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Theme:
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On being crafty
and making use of opportunities in an innocent manner
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The Dives (Rich Man) and Lazarus
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Found:
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Luke 16:19-34 |
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Theme:
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On laying up
treasures in Heaven rather than on earth (compare with The Parable of
the Rich Fool)
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The Unprofitable Servants
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Found:
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Luke 17:7-10 |
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Theme:
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On how we are
saved by grace and not of works (compare with the parable of The
Pharisee and the Publican)
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The Unjust Judge (or "The Persistent Widow)
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Found:
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Luke 18:1-8 |
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Theme:
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On longsuffering
and persistent prayer
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The Pharisee and the Publican
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Found:
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Luke 18:9-14 |
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Theme:
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On humility and
grace (compare with the parable of The Unprofitable Servants)
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The Pounds (or "The Minae")
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Found:
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Luke 19:11-27 |
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Theme:
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On using what
God gives you, to His glory |
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