How do you know Jesus was ALWAYS talking in parables?

Question

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First of all in a parable should you really say things like slay them before me??? Isn't that a little violent?

Secondly, how do you know this was a parable and shouldn't be taken literally? Jesus proved himself to have a temper and be somewhat violent when he went into the temple and turned over tables where the merchants were selling things.

Answer 1

Let's not forget how he killed the fig tree for not having fruit....and the damn things weren't even in season to begin with! That's just being petty....or do the fundies have it wrong, and God Hates Figs, not "fags"?

Answer 2

Parables...have spiritual meaning with carnal or fleshly principles. Another words a parable in the greek is parabole..meaning a parallel. a similitude a comparison.

So typically when Jesus spoke or even simply lived his life ..it was a parallel..Jesus said in John 13:15-16 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.
16. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.

So let's look at a few things Jesus showed... When he called the disciples he said follow me I'll make you fishers of men
Think about all it takes to fish and then apply it to winning souls
he spoke to the farmer and said what you sow you are going to reap...

he spoke to the judicial system in luke and said when you go with your enemy as you are in the way take heed to the what the magistrate says...

It is not just the parables he spoke ..but his living ..was also a parallel ..to how we are supposed to live..before the Father....I could go on and on...God bless

Answer 3

He wasn't always talking in parables, but in the instance of the verse you brought up earlier, Luke 19:27, he obviously was. Read the rest of the text around that verse and you will find the parable of the talents. It is the final parable of the Jerusalem journey and highlights the disciple's stewardship in the interim between Jesus' death and return. It continues the theme of his preparation of the disciples for life after his departure. His servants must recognize that the consummation of the kingdom is yet future and they are accountable for their service in the meantime. With your wording, those merchants sound innocent, but in truth they weren't much more than thieves and rogues taking advantage of the situation by selling unclean animals and unfairly exchanging Roman currency for the traditional temple currency.

Answer 4

Jesus didn't always speak in parables. He often chose to speak in parables because it was, and still is, a good method of teaching. You probably have taught your children in a similar manner. It is a very effective way to communicate a new concept by relating it to a similar already understood concept.

Your reference to the Temple is a great example of anger.This is why God gave us the emotion of anger among others. It was righteous anger, such as we should show today when we see a wrong committed against another or against God.

Answer 5

so...the slay thing did get your attention, no?

Jesus sometimes "talked plainly" and when asked about th e meaning of parables privately did explain them

Jesus was gentle with some, like the woman caught in adultery (like where was the man??) and tough on some others like the Pharisees? It takes discernmet to know when to be gentle and when to show some "tough love"

Answer 6

He was NOT VIOLENT. He spoke in parables so the evil people could not even have a clue to what he was saying. YOU SEE you have to be of God to hear Gods words,,,, Can you understand that?? I think not or you would not even say such things about THE LORD.... HE hated sin in any form, those using the house of GOD for profit, and making money were wrong... It was to be a house of prayer ( ONLY ) NOTHING ELSE IS TO GO ON IN CHURCH EXCEPT WORSHIP, EVERYTHING ELSE IS WRONG........

Answer 7

Heh, we don't know ANYTHING "because of the bible." We can't even prove who wrote what. They say this book is attributed to this person, and that person wrote that....but there's way to know if they really did. We're just taking some scribe's word for it. So if we don't know the authors, how can we trust the content? Maybe the whole thing is a "trick of satan" =)

Answer 8

It's simple. If they like what he said then it is to be taken literally. If they don't, it is obviously a parable.

They will steal from secular ethics and bend the Bible to fit them by doing crazy mental gymnastics to make obvious words like "slay them before me" mean something totally different.

Answer 9

Nobody knows what Jesus said first hand as there are NO FIRST HAND ACCOUNTS OF JESUS ANYWHERE. All accounts are hearsay accounts. I could post a ridiculously long breakdown explaining this but the point is clear there is no first hand info on a historical Jesus in existence.

So not only is it impossible to know what he meant there is no way to really know what he said.

Feel free to email me if you are interested in the ridiculously long breakdown.

Answer 10

Jesus always spoke in parables or illustrations as shown at Matthew 13:34--"All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables; and without a parable He did not speak to them."
Mark 4:34--"But without a parable He did not speak to them. And when they were alone, He explained all things to His disciples."

Why did he teach using this method? Jesus himself explained why at Matthew 13:9-11--"And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?” He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given."
Matthew 13:13,14--"Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: ‘ Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, And seeing you will see and not perceive."

Jesus had a good reason to be upset over what was being done in his Father's house. He was showing righteous indignation which is an emotion one feels when one gets angry over perceived mistreatment, insult, or malice. Jesus' anger in this instance was well understood.