Published by Bethany House, who kindly sent me a copy to review, the Fascinating Bible Studies on Every Parable by Dr. William H. Marty focuses primarily on the parables of Jesus, which He frequently used to teach. But why did He? As the author explains in the Introduction:
Jesus “used parables to draw his audience into the story. Once they identified with the characters, he would make a point, usually with an unexpected development.”
That literary technique can still work well in delivering sermons and other types of writing aimed toward revealing biblical truths. In this book, however, Dr. Marty brings insights to Bible parables we have read often enough to think we’ve gleaned all the biblical truths they contain. Not!
For example, in the very familiar parable “The Sower and the Soils,” the author highlights “A Surprising Harvest” with this comment:
“Jesus’ stories always include a surprising twist, and that’s the good news in this parable. A quarter of the seed fell on good soil, and the harvest was incredible. The seed produced a crop of a hundred, sixty, or thirty times what was planted. The harvest was far above what farmers could expect – in first century Israel, most farmers would have been satisfied with a yield of ten percent.”
In this same first chapter, a chart address the parables, their meanings, and the “take-away” or Kingdom truth. As we consider the parable of The Sower, for example, the meaning relates to “The competing obstacles to the proclamation of the Word of God” while the Kingdom truth points out “The remarkable growth of the kingdom of God in spite of competing obstacles.”
The chapter “The Hidden Treasure and the Pearl of Great Price” discusses two parables beginning with “The kingdom of heaven is like….” In one, “The man who found the hidden treasure was probably a field hand. It’s unlikely he was digging in another man’s field. He was most likely working for the land owner when he accidentally discovered a buried treasure. Throughout Israel’s history, the land had been overrun by invading armies. When there was a threat of invasion, people would often protect their treasure by burying it in the ground.”
The other parable talks about a merchant or jeweler who was “actively searching for the perfect pearl.” Both of these stories “make the same point about the matchless value of the kingdom. I think, however, we can also make a valid point about how the worker and the merchant found the kingdom: the worker found the buried treasure by chance; the merchant found the perfect pearl after a diligent search. Point: People discover the kingdom in different ways.”
Following this and every other parable, the author includes a section entitled “Reflect” with questions for readers to consider in applying these biblical truths to their own lives. After the parables of the pearls, for instance, one of the questions for reflection is “What were the circumstances of your coming to faith in Christ? Was it intentional or unintentional?”
This chapter concludes, as do the rest, with a memory verse – in this case Matthew 6:33:
“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
Some chapters, such as “The Vine and the Branches,” include “Optional” questions to ask ourselves and/or additional comments. For example:
“Jesus’ teaching about the vine and the branches is the basis for the concept of ‘union with Christ’ that Paul and other writers explain as the fundamental union for all the benefits we have received as believers.”
The “Memory Verse” reminds us of Jesus’ timeless word to His followers:
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”
Mary HarwellSayler, ©2020, poet-writer, Bible reviewer
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