Jesus tells a parable about two men who went to the temple to pray: a Pharisee and a tax collector. The Pharisee, considered righteous by society, prays confidently, thanking God that he’s not like other sinners. He lists his good deeds, such as fasting twice a week and tithing everything he gets. In contrast, the tax collector, despised by society, stands at a distance, not even lifting his eyes to heaven. He beats his chest and prays, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!”
The Jews called storytelling to illustrate a message AGGADAH; it was creating word pictures to bring a deeper understanding of God and the world. Aggadah, to the Hebrews, was known as parables to the Greeks. Parables didn’t have to be long stories; they could also be simple illustrations conveying deeper spiritual concepts. In Luke 12 when Jesus says, “Consider how the wildflowers grow,” that was still considered Aggadah. It was a way of conveying that even everyday things can speak to the nature of your life in the Kingdom of God. Ultimately, parables are/were all about living in the Kingdom of God today. Eternal life with God begins now. Jesus creates word pictures so we would understand more of God, the world He made, and how we are to live in it.
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