Studying the Bible (part 2)

For Sunday, March 21st, 2009

1) Last week we looked at a three interrelated passages where one story provides context for another. Those stories were historical in nature. In such a case, reading one story helps you understand the context of a later story. This week we're going to look at parables.
* What is a parable? [A brief story that illustrates a point]
* What's hard about reading a parable?
* What are some parables you can remember without looking in the bible?

2) Read: Luke 8:5-8 [Note: Don't let them read the explaination afterwards]

"A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up. Some fell on rock, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown."

[Note: It's likely that someone already knows the second part where Jesus explains what the parable means. In which case, jump on ahead to the second part.]
* What are the various symbolic elements of this parable?
* What do you think they represent?
* Do you think there is more than one way to interpret this parable? [Note: Yes is a valid answer to this question.]

3) Read: Luke 8:11-15

"This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.

* Having read this portion, does it make it easier or harder to understand the parable?
* What type of ground are you and why?

4) Read: Luke 13:18-19

Then Jesus asked, "What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to? It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air perched in its branches."

* What are the elements of this story?
* What do you think they represent?
* If we assume the birds in this parable are the same birds as in the previous parable, what extra is this parable telling us?

5) Read: Luke 13:20-21

Again he asked, "What shall I compare the kingdom of God to? It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough."

This parable comes right after the previous one in the book of Luke. It also draws an analogy of the Kingdom of God.
* What are the elements of this story?
* What do you think this parable is trying to say?

6) Sometimes when we read the bible, it seems to make perfect sense. Other times it can seem completely incomprehensible. And sometimes, we can re-read something we had read before and find that it means something different than it did before.
[Read Proper 28 from the Book of Common Prayer]