What's up with the parables?

Ellen's slides to the introductory session

Jesus’s parables are both familiar and strange.  If you have ever felt puzzled—even disturbed—by the lectionary reading, take heart:  scholars Amy-Jill Levine and John Dominic Crossan think that Jesus intended his teaching stories to have that effect.  Up for the challenge of engaging these enigmatic stories?  Please join us in the 9:30 Sunday Morning Bible Study Zoom sessions.

June 28  Robert Parrish will lead a study on the Parable of the Sower.  The scripture text is Matthew 13:1-23.

Here is the outline for the discussion from Robert.

I. Description of the Farming Regions of Israel
II. Our Formation From Dust (Gen 2:7)
III. Reading of Parable (Matthew 13:1-23)
IV. Insights and Questions About Parable
A. Those who don’t Hear- teachers of the law and religious leaders of Jesus’ time Matthew 13:19)-(Matthew 12:35-42)  (Isaiah 44:18)
*Where in our society are the ethics of God not heard or understood?
                B.  Rocky soil-There is no spiritual Growth
                       1.  Study the Bible or other religious text-(Timothy 2:15)
                       2.  Prayer-(Thessalonians 5:16-18)
                       3. Community-(Hebrews 10-25)
                            *Is there harm in our society due to the lack of
                               Church or worship attendance? 
C.   Thorns-Expectations of our society-(Matthew 13:22)
*What expectations are really thorns?
*What are “treasures in heaven”-(Matthew 6:19-20) (Matthew 6:33)
             D.  Good Soil-Those who hear (Matthew 13:23)
                     *As it applies to the kingdom of Heaven, what is this
                        Increase that Jesus is referring?

For the Zoom meeting information, contact Bill Lamb william.e.lamb@gmail.com.

Ellen Beidler's slides from the introductory session June 21