Once again Jesus began teaching by the lakeshore. A very large crowd soon gathered around him, so he got into a boat. Then he sat in the boat while all the people remained on the shore. He taught them by telling many stories in the form of parables…. Mark 4:1-2
Parables. Parables are just stories that compares or illustrates a real life story to a truth. Were those used in the Old Testament? Here are a couple of examples, with parables underlines for emphasis.
- A psalm of Asaph. O my people, listen to my instructions. Open your ears to what I am saying, for I will speak to you in a parable. I will teach you hidden lessons from our past—stories we have heard and known, stories our ancestors handed down to us. We will not hide these truths from our children; we will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the LORD, about his power and his mighty wonders. Psalm 78:1-4
- Their purpose (The book of Proverbs) is to teach people wisdom and discipline, to help them understand the insights of the wise. Their purpose is to teach people to live disciplined and successful lives, to help them do what is right, just, and fair. These proverbs will give insight to the simple, knowledge and discernment to the young. Let the wise listen to these proverbs and become even wiser. Let those with understanding receive guidance by exploring the meaning in these proverbs and parables, the words of the wise and their riddles. Proverbs 1:2-6
- I sent my prophets to warn you with many visions and parables." Hosea 12:10
Parables in the Old Testament were more like stories passed down in the generations telling of the account of ancestors describing their relationship to God and His wisdom. Jesus was building on the stories of the old days…ancient times. People then and now relate to stories. Maybe that is why so many pastors tell stories as part of their sermons. Stories draw us into the message…help us relate to what we are hearing. What is your story? How do you tell others about your relationship to God?
Meditate on these verses.
My favorite story of learning about God begins with a Sunday School class around a kitchen table at church where my Sunday School teacher described the “Give us this day our daily bread” from the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13) as a spiritual bread…not physical bread…toast or sandwich bread. How do we get that spiritual bread? Read God’s Word. It is the bread of life. This was a spiritual awaking for me.
Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, Moses didn't give you bread from heaven. My Father did. And now he offers you the true bread from heaven. The true bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." "Sir," they said, "give us that bread every day." Jesus replied, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. But you haven't believed in me even though you have seen me. However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them. For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will. And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them up at the last day. For it is my Father's will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day." John 6:32-40
Jesus goes on through His life and during His last meal with His disciples, He consecrates the bread and wine of that Passover Meal, to remind them to remember Him. He charges them to repeat often to remind them of what He did for them.
Do you believe in Jesus? Consider His words and His life. He is the bread of life. Feast on His words.
Prayer ~ Lord Jesus…give us this day our daily bread.
Verse of Salvation ~ For Jesus is the one referred to in the Scriptures, where it says, ‘The stone that you builders rejected has now become the cornerstone. There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:11-12
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© 2026 Text, photos, and illustrations by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved. All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm.
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