Parable of the Prodigal Son
The Pharisees grumble against Jesus for eating with sinners. Jesus responds with 3 parables which challenge their definition of repentance and their attitude towards repentant and unrepentant sinners.
Parable of the Good Samaritan
What do you do if you know that — left to yourself apart from the grace of God — you are unable to “go and do likewise” (Luke 10:37)?
Parable of the Wheat & Weeds
Since the Messiah was expected to establish his kingdom on earth and that would involve a moral cleansing, why isn’t Jesus judging Gentiles and evildoers? The Parable of the Wheat & the Tares explains why Jesus’ ministry is not meeting this expectation.
Parable of the Sower & the Seed
Since just what you would expect to happen in the Parable of the Sower & the Seed happens, this story must have sounded pointless to those who heard it without explanation. Why would Jesus tell it?
Understanding Parables
Parables are serious theology. But they are metaphorical theology. They teach through metaphor, simile, and dramatic action rather than through logic or reasoning, drawing us into the story.
Parables of Jesus
A 15-week study on the parables of Jesus. hey teach through dramatic action rather than through logic, drawing us into the story.
Once a believer, always a believer?
Can I resist the working of God’s grace in my life to the point where I am no longer saved?
Do I choose God or does God choose me?
You may never have thought this question through. You may be inconsistent in how you live it out. But how you answer some basic theological questions makes a world of difference in daily life.
When to Use Commentaries (and When Not To)
Commentaries can kick-start your thinking when you hit a dead end but should not be a substitute for your own work. Here’s my two rules of thumb.
Are congregations a means to an end or a flock to shepherd? 3 examples
What happens when pastors start looking at their congregation as a means to an end instead of a flock to shepherd? Consider these real-life examples of the ways 3 different churches went about seeking volunteers.
Why Every Bible Student Should Use an Encyclopedia
Multi-volume encyclopedias are good sources for historical and biblical themes. But background information does not impose meaning.
What’s the Difference Between a Bible Lexicon and Dictionary?
Lexicons & dictionaries can reveal what might be “lost in translation” but they also tempt us to fall into the trap of “I learned a fact about a word and I must use it.”
About the Author
Krisan Marotta is a Bible teacher and host of Wednesday in the Word, the podcast about what the Bible means and how we know.