Parables in Luke

Parables that are equivalent to those in Mark:

• The patches and the wineskins (Luke 5:36–39).
• The sower (Luke 8:4–8).
• The lamp under the bed – no one hides a lamp under a bed; it is put out for all to see (Luke 8:16–18).
• The mustard seed (Luke 13:18–19).
• The tenants in the vineyard (Luke 20:9–18).

Parables that do not appear in Mark and may be from Luke’s source L or Q:

• The Good Samaritan (told in response to the question, ‘Who is my neighbour?’; Luke 10:25–37). A man is attacked, beaten, robbed and left for dead. A priest and a Levite pass him by, but a Samaritan (regarded by the Jews as an enemy) stops, tends his wounds and takes the man to an inn, leaving money for him to be looked after until he has recovered. The neighbour is thus shown to be the one who showed the man kindness.
• The rich fool (Luke 12:13–21). A rich man grew many crops and decided to store them in a barn and then take life easy; but that night God said to him, ‘You fool, this very night you must surrender your life; you have made your money – who will get it now?’ (This is how it is for a man who amasses wealth for himself but remains a pauper in the eyes of God.) Jesus teaches that God clothes even the lilies in the fields and how much more will he look after his little ones. ‘Set your mind upon His Kingdom and all the rest will come to you as well.’
• The watchful servants (Luke 12:35–40). Jesus teaches that servants should be alert for the master can return at any time. He says if the Master comes and finds his servants ready he will seat them and wait on them. He reinforces his point by saying that if the householder had known about the burglar, he would not have left his house. (From this story Christians understand that death comes like a thief in the night, stealing up on the unprepared.) This is a message to the Jews who compare the coming of the Messiah to a banquet. Jesus says all must be careful of their power. A servant without a master must not be too severe on others. From he who has much, much will be expected. Thus rights bring responsibility (Luke 12:41–48). Candidates should be able to transfer the teaching of the lost sheep to their understanding of what justification a Christian might give for working with a caring agency such as ‘Shelter’ or ‘Crisis at Christmas’.
• The Great Feast (Luke 14:7–24). A man prepares a feast (verse 16) and invites his friends; they do not come, pleading business, possessions and relationships as excuses. The man sends his servants to find the poor and the beggars to sit at his table. He says, ‘Not one of those who were invited shall taste my banquet.’ This parable is about the messianic banquet to which many are called and should respond.
• The lost sheep (Luke 15:1–7). A farmer loses one sheep and leaves the other 99 to search for it; on finding it he rejoices. There is more rejoicing in heaven over one repentant sinner than over 99 righteous people who do not need to repent. Jesus emphasises his call to sinners, the weak in every way, the outcasts of society.
• The lost coin (Luke 15:8–10). This parable has a message similar to that of the lost sheep (above).
• The prodigal (lost) son (Luke 15:11–32). A younger son asks for his inheritance, takes it and spends it having a good time and winning many friends. When he has no money he has no friends and gets a job tending pigs and eating their swill. He decides his father’s servants are better off so he returns home. When his father sees him he kills the best calf and has a big party. The elder son, who has stayed at home, says, ‘Why do you never have a party for me?’ His father tells him, ‘Everything I have is yours but how can I help welcoming my son who was lost and is found?’ This parable teaches about the constant forgiveness of the Father, God’s unconditional love.
• The shrewd manager (unjust steward) (Luke 16:1–17). The shrewd manager uses his master’s debts to win friends for himself. Jesus teaches that money can be put to good purpose but that someone untrustworthy in small things is untrustworthy in great things. He also says you cannot serve God and money.
• The rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19–31). This is the story of a rich man who is separated from Abraham after his death. He sees Lazarus, once a beggar, sitting with Abraham at a feast in heaven. The rich man begs that Lazarus might bring him water, but Abraham tells him that no one can cross the chasm between heaven and Hades (hell). On earth the rich man had everything and Lazarus nothing – now it is for Lazarus to have consolation. The rich man asks that someone be sent to warn his brothers of what will befall them, but Abraham says, ‘If they pay no heed to Moses and the prophets, they will pay no heed to someone who rises from the dead.’
• The gold coins (Luke 19:11–27). A master goes away giving each of his ten servants one pound to trade with. One of them makes ten pounds from one, another makes five pounds, while a third makes none and only has the one pound to return to his master. His pound is taken from him to be given to the one with ten, and the master says, ‘The man who has will be given more and the man who has nothing, even what he has will be taken from him.’ This difficult teaching is part of the justification for ‘liberation theology’, the means of using the teachings of Jesus to work for justice for the poor in the developing world especially.

The purpose of the parables in Luke is to demonstrate Jesus’ commitment to the poorest of the poor, to the outcasts, to sinners and the marginalised in society. They emphasise that Jesus was the Saviour of all.