Thematic Bible: In the parables of jesus


Thematic Bible



Then he proceeded to address them in parables. "A man planted a vineyard, fenced it round, dug a trough for the winepress, and built a tower; then he leased it to vinedressers and went abroad. When the season came round he sent a servant to the vine dressers to collect from the vine dressers some of the produce of the vineyard, but they took and flogged him and sent him off with nothing. read more.
Once more he sent them another servant; him they knocked on the head and insulted. He sent another, but they killed him. And so they treated many others; some they flogged and some they killed. He had still one left, a beloved son; he sent him to them last, saying, 'They will respect my son.' But these vinedressers said to themselves, 'Here is the heir; come on, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be our own.' So they took and killed him, and threw him outside the vineyard. Now what will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the vinedressers, and he will give the vineyard to others. Have you not even read this scripture? ??The stone that the builders rejected is the chief stone now of the corner: this is the doing of the Lord, and a wonder to our eyes." Then they tried to get hold of him, but they were afraid of the multitude. They knew he had meant the parable for them. So they left him and went away.

Listen to another parable. There was a householder who planted a vineyard, put a fence round it, dug a wine-vat inside it, and built a watchtower: then he leased it to vinedressers and went abroad. When the fruit-season was near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers to collect his fruit; but the vinedressers took his servants and flogged one, killed another, and stoned a third. read more.
Once more he sent some other servants, more than he had sent at first, and they did the same to them. Afterwards he sent them his son; 'They will respect my son,' he said. But when the vinedressers saw his son they said to themselves, 'Here is the heir; come on, let us kill him and seize his inheritance!' So they took and threw him outside the vineyard and killed him. Now, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to these vinedressers?" They replied, "He will utterly destroy the wretches and lease the vineyard to other vinedressers who will give him the fruits in their season." Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the scriptures, The stone that the builders rejected is the chief stone now of the corner: this is the doing of the Lord, and a wonder to our eyes? I tell you therefore that the Realm of God will be taken from you and given to a nation that bears the fruits of the Realm. [Everyone who falls on this stone will be shattered, and whoever it falls upon will be crushed.]" When the high priests and Pharisees heard these parables they knew he was speaking about them; they tried to get hold of him, but they were afraid of the crowds, as the crowds held him to be a prophet.

Then he proceeded to tell the people the following parable. "A man planted a vineyard, leased it to vinedressers, and went abroad for some time. When the season came round he sent a servant to the vine dressers to receive part of the produce of the vineyard, but the vinedressers flogged him and sent him off with nothing. He proceeded to send another servant, and they flogged him too, insulted him and sent him off with nothing. read more.
Then he sent still a third, but this one they wounded and threw outside. Said the owner of the vineyard, 'What shall I do? I will send my beloved son; perhaps they will respect him.' But when the vinedressers saw him, they argued to themselves, 'Here is the heir, let us kill him, so that the inheritance may be ours.' And they threw him outside the vineyard and killed him. Now what will the owner of the vineyard do to them? He will come and kill these vinedressers and give the vineyard to others." When they heard that, they said, "God forbid!" But he looked at them and said, "Then what does this scripture mean? ??The stone that the builders rejected is the chief stone now of the corner. Everyone who falls on that stone will be shattered, and whoever it falls upon will be crushed." At that hour the scribes and high priests tried to lay hands on him, but they were afraid of the people. They knew he had meant this parable for them. So watching their chance they sent spies who pretended to be honest persons, in order to seize on what he said and get him handed over to the authority and jurisdiction of the governor.

Next day, when they had left Bethany, he felt hungry, and noticing a fig tree in leaf some distance away he went to see if he could find anything on it; but when he reached it he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the time for figs. Then he said to it, "May no one ever eat fruit from you after this!" The disciples heard him say it.

Then he left them and went outside the city to Bethany, where he spent the night. In the morning as he came back to the city he felt hungry, and noticing a fig tree by the roadside he went up to it, but found nothing on it except leaves. He said to it, "May no fruit ever come from you after this!" And instantly the fig tree withered up. read more.
When the disciples saw this they marvelled. "How did the fig tree wither up in an instant?" they said.

Jesus said to him, "There was a man who was giving a large supper, to which he had invited a number of guests. At the hour for supper he sent his servant to tell the guests, 'Come, things are all ready.' But they all alike proceeded to decline. The first said to him, 'I have bought a farm and I am obliged to go and look at it. Pray consider me excused.' read more.
The second said, 'I have bought five pair of oxen and I am going to try them. Pray consider me excused.' Another said, 'I have married a wife; that is why I cannot come.' The servant went and reported this to his master. Then the master of the house was enraged, and said to his servant, 'Quick, go out to the streets and lanes of the town and bring in the poor, the maimed, the blind, and the lame.' When the servant announced, 'Your order has been carried out, sir, but there is still room,' the master said to the servant, 'Go out to the roads and hedges and make people come in, to fill up my house. For I tell you that not one of those who were invited shall taste my supper.'"

Tell me what you think. A man had two sons. He went to the first and said, 'Son, go and work in the vineyard to-day'; he replied, 'I will go, sir,' but he did not go. The man went to the second and said the same to him; he replied, 'I will not,' but afterwards he changed his mind and did go. read more.
Which of the two did the will of the father?" They said, "The last." Jesus said to them, "I tell you truly, the taxgatherers and harlots are going into the Realm of God before you. For John showed you the way to be good and you would not believe him; the taxgatherers and harlots believed him, and even though you saw that, you would not change your mind afterwards and believe him.

And he told this parable. "A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; he came in search of fruit on it but he found none. So he said to the vinedresser, 'Here have I come for three years in search of fruit on this fig tree without finding any; cut it down, why should it take up space?' But the man replied, 'Leave it for this year, sir, till I dig round about it and put in manure. read more.
Then it may bear fruit next year. If not, you can have it cut down.'"