Notes from Life Transforming College International Course No. 202: The Life of Christ

1. The Ministry of
Jesus
The later stages of Galilean
Ministry

3. The synoptic gospels continue to deal with
Jesus’ ministry topically at this time - and
that is the simplest way for us to follow:
Parables Mk 4:1-34
Miracles Mk 4:34-6:6, 6:30-56
Sending out the 12 will be discussed
afterwards and the death of JTB has already
been dealt with
Withdrawal from Galilee Mk 7:1-9:50 -
critique of Jewish traditions (going north and
east) and then brief return before the journey
to Jerusalem

4. Parables

5. Parables
Why did Jesus speak in
parables? Why did he use
parables?

6. Parables
Why did Jesus speak in
parables? Why did he use
parables?
If you were reaching people
(on a local level, forget the
internet, tv etc.) today
what would you use, how
would you speak?

7. Parables
Why did Jesus speak in
parables? Why did he use
parables?
If you were reaching people
(on a local level, forget the
internet, tv etc.) today
what would you use, how
would you speak?
What is your favourite
parable - why?

8. The Greek word from which we
get ‘parable” means “to throw
alongside” - giving us an idea
that a parable has two
meanings one of which might be
symbolic or analogical - in
simplicity a story with two
meanings.
Whilst it is not the object of this
course to talk about parables
and Jesus’ use of them we
should note that historically
Christians have approached
parables in differing ways.

9. Augustine famously said
the Good Samaritan was the
story of Adam who left the
heavenly city and was
attacked by satan - the Law
and the prophets were
unable to save him, but
Christ, the Samaritan, did
rescue him and took him to
the church for safekeeping
until he returned.
Blomberg suggests the
problem with this is that it
neglects the question, “Who
is my neighbour?”

10. A movement led by Julicher at
the end of the 19th cent. brought
this allegorical interpretation to
an end and led people to see
more that parables involved
lifelike description of 1st century
Palestine, had a point of
application and illustrated
truths about the KOG.
In more recent times a
movement has grown suggesting
that there is some allegorical
aspect to the parables and that
parables do not necc. contain one
central truth.

11. What is the
following parable:
what does it tell
you?

18. Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd
that gathered round him was so large that he got
into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all
the people were along the shore at the water’s
edge.2 He taught them many things by parables,
and in his teaching said: 3 ‘Listen! A farmer went
out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the
seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came
and ate it up.5 Some fell on rocky places, where it
did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly,
because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun
came up, the plants were scorched, and they
withered because they had no root.

19. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up
and choked the plants, so that they did not bear
grain. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came
up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying
thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.’
9 Then Jesus said, ‘Whoever has ears to hear, let
them hear.’
10 When he was alone, the Twelve and the others
around him asked him about the parables. 11 He
told them, ‘The secret of the kingdom of God has
been given to you. But to those on the outside
everything is said in parables 12 so that,
‘“they may be ever seeing but never perceiving,
and ever hearing but never understanding;
otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!”’

20. 13 Then Jesus said to them,‘Don’t you understand
this parable? How then will you understand any
parable?14 The farmer sows the word. 15 Some
people are like seed along the path, where the
word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan
comes and takes away the word that was sown in
them. 16 Others, like seed sown on rocky places,
hear the word and at once receive it with joy.
17 But since they have no root, they last only a
short time. When trouble or persecution comes
because of the word, they quickly fall away.

21. 18 Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear
the word;19 but the worries of this life, the
deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other
things come in and choke the word, making it
unfruitful. 20 Others, like seed sown on good soil,
hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop –
some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times
what was sown.’

22. Parables in Mk 4, Matt. 13, Luke 8
The Sower - Mk 4:1-9, 13-21
- seen as a parable about
parables the understanding of
which will help you, in general,
to understand Jesus’ teaching
- Jesus does present things as
allegorical v.13-21
- God’s word is seen as seed in
other places e.g Ezra 9:30-33
- 3 soil types produce
inadequate harvest
- the farmer cares about the
soil producing a good harvest

23. - all 4 responses are seen at
other places in the gospels
- a 100x harvest was exceptional
- in spite of rejection Jesus
promises fruitfulness
So why did Jesus speak in
parables?
Mk 4:10-12, 21-25, 31-34
Insert 10-12 here
So what does that mean? (For it
sounds like Jesus is saying
parables conceal not reveal
truth)

24. Blomberg suggests we
consider:
1. True spiritual
understanding in the Bible is
never simply in the mind but
also in the will and actions -
unless you act as a disciple
would you have no
understanding
2. Parables (when
understood) either attract or
repel - so either their effect is
to produce repentance or to
drive people further from
Jesus

25. 3. Isa 6:9-10 is in the context
of God pronouncing
judgement yet at the end of
the chapter there is still hope
in a remnant reemerging. God
never so exercises judgement
in this life as to prevent
anyone who wants to move
from being an “outsider” to
“insider” so doing
Blomberg concludes by
suggesting Jesus is now
revealing secrets not
previously understood about
God’s plan for his people

26. - 24-25 suggests that those
already out of touch with
God’s plan will be more
alienated
- v33 for those open to Jesus a
new way of discipleship and
understanding follows

27. Pop quiz

28. Pop quiz

29. 23
Place the following 10 events
from the life of Jesus Christ in
the correct order
•Clearing of the Temple
•Jesus and Nicodemus
•Rejection at Nazareth
•Jesus Walks on Water
•Temptation of Jesus
•Raising of Lazarus
•Crucifixion
•Water into Wine
•The Woman at the Well
•John Baptizes Jesus

30. 24

31. 24
1. John Baptizes Jesus

32. 24
1. John Baptizes Jesus
2. Temptation of Jesus

33. 24
1. John Baptizes Jesus
2. Temptation of Jesus
3. Jesus Turns Water into Wine

34. 24
1. John Baptizes Jesus
2. Temptation of Jesus
3. Jesus Turns Water into Wine
4. Clearing of the Temple

35. 24
1. John Baptizes Jesus
2. Temptation of Jesus
3. Jesus Turns Water into Wine
4. Clearing of the Temple
5. Jesus and Nicodemus

36. 24
1. John Baptizes Jesus
2. Temptation of Jesus
3. Jesus Turns Water into Wine
4. Clearing of the Temple
5. Jesus and Nicodemus
6. The Woman at the Well

37. 24
1. John Baptizes Jesus
2. Temptation of Jesus
3. Jesus Turns Water into Wine
4. Clearing of the Temple
5. Jesus and Nicodemus
6. The Woman at the Well
7. Rejection at Nazareth

38. 24
1. John Baptizes Jesus
2. Temptation of Jesus
3. Jesus Turns Water into Wine
4. Clearing of the Temple
5. Jesus and Nicodemus
6. The Woman at the Well
7. Rejection at Nazareth
8. Jesus Walks on Water

39. 24
1. John Baptizes Jesus
2. Temptation of Jesus
3. Jesus Turns Water into Wine
4. Clearing of the Temple
5. Jesus and Nicodemus
6. The Woman at the Well
7. Rejection at Nazareth
8. Jesus Walks on Water
9. Raising of Lazarus

40. 24
1. John Baptizes Jesus
2. Temptation of Jesus
3. Jesus Turns Water into Wine
4. Clearing of the Temple
5. Jesus and Nicodemus
6. The Woman at the Well
7. Rejection at Nazareth
8. Jesus Walks on Water
9. Raising of Lazarus
10.Crucifixion

41. What are the
following parables -
what do they tell
you?

47. The parable of the seed growing
secretly Mk 4:26-29
- 2 elements, the farmer, the seed
- farmer is always uncertain of
the harvest - it depends on nature
- the good seed guarantees a
harvest due to the sovereignty of
God
France, “Despite appearances to
the contrary, [the kingdom of God
is growing], and the harvest will
come. It will come in God’s time
and in God’s way, not by human
effort or in accordance with
human logic”
He also said, ‘This is what the
kingdom of God is like. A man
scatters seed on the ground.
27 Night and day, whether he
sleeps or gets up, the seed
sprouts and grows, though he
does not know how. 28 All by
itself the soil produces corn –
first the stalk, then the ear,
then the full grain in the ear.
29 As soon as the corn is ripe,
he puts the sickle to it,
because the harvest has
come.’

48. The parable of the seed growing
secretly Mk 4:26-29
- 2 elements, the farmer, the seed
- farmer is always uncertain of
the harvest - it depends on nature
- the good seed guarantees a
harvest due to the sovereignty of
God
France, “Despite appearances to
the contrary, [the kingdom of God
is growing], and the harvest will
come. It will come in God’s time
and in God’s way, not by human
effort or in accordance with
human logic”

49. The mustard seed and the yeast Mk 4:30-32
Both of these contrast the idea of great results
from small beginnings
- some say a mustard seed could become only a
medium sized bush, in that case the result here
is amazing growth, it becomes a tree!
- considering the initial group of followers that
Jesus had we can see amazing results there too
- although yeast is not seen favorably in some
instances e.g. Passover it seems here it is
‘What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or
what parable shall we use to describe it? 31 It is
like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all
seeds on earth. 32 Yet when planted, it grows
and becomes the largest of all garden plants,
with such big branches that the birds can perch
in its shade.’
33 With many similar parables Jesus spoke
the word to them, as much as they could
understand.34 He did not say anything to them
without using a parable. But when he was alone
with his own disciples, he explained everything.

50. The mustard seed and the yeast Mk 4:30-32
Both of these contrast the idea of great results
from small beginnings
- some say a mustard seed could become only a
medium sized bush, in that case the result here
is amazing growth, it becomes a tree!
- considering the initial group of followers that
Jesus had we can see amazing results there too
- although yeast is not seen favorably in some
instances e.g. Passover it seems here it is
‘What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or
what parable shall we use to describe it? 31 It is
like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all
seeds on earth. 32 Yet when planted, it grows
and becomes the largest of all garden plants,
with such big branches that the birds can perch
in its shade.’
33 With many similar parables Jesus spoke
the word to them, as much as they could
understand.34 He did not say anything to them
without using a parable. But when he was alone
with his own disciples, he explained everything.

51. The mustard seed and the yeast Mk 4:30-32
Both of these contrast the idea of great results
from small beginnings
- some say a mustard seed could become only a
medium sized bush, in that case the result here
is amazing growth, it becomes a tree!
- considering the initial group of followers that
Jesus had we can see amazing results there too
- although yeast is not seen favorably in some
instances e.g. Passover it seems here it is

58. The parable of the weeds and the net - Matt
13:24-30, 36-43, 47-50
- the weeds parable also has a long explanation
(cf sower)
- God and satan are opponents with farmer, seed
and weeds being the focus for a while
- initially the weeds seem to be winning
- then the wheat survives and grows
- on judgement day all will be sorted out properly
- similarly in the net we see good and bad fish as
well as fishers (angels)
47 ‘Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a
net that was let down into the lake and caught
all kinds of fish.48 When it was full, the
fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they
sat down and collected the good fish in baskets,
but threw the bad away. 49 This is how it will be
at the end of the age. The angels will come and
separate the wicked from the righteous50 and
throw them into the blazing furnace, where
there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

59. The parable of the weeds and the net - Matt
13:24-30, 36-43, 47-50
- the weeds parable also has a long explanation
(cf sower)
- God and satan are opponents with farmer, seed
and weeds being the focus for a while
- initially the weeds seem to be winning
- then the wheat survives and grows
- on judgement day all will be sorted out properly
- similarly in the net we see good and bad fish as
well as fishers (angels)
47 ‘Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a
net that was let down into the lake and caught
all kinds of fish.48 When it was full, the
fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they
sat down and collected the good fish in baskets,
but threw the bad away. 49 This is how it will be
at the end of the age. The angels will come and
separate the wicked from the righteous50 and
throw them into the blazing furnace, where
there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

60. The parable of the weeds and the net - Matt
13:24-30, 36-43, 47-50
- the weeds parable also has a long explanation
(cf sower)
- God and satan are opponents with farmer, seed
and weeds being the focus for a while
- initially the weeds seem to be winning
- then the wheat survives and grows
- on judgement day all will be sorted out properly
- similarly in the net we see good and bad fish as
well as fishers (angels)

61. Matthew also includes parables not found in Mark
Treasure and pearl 13:44-46
- twin parables of mustard seed and yeast
- make one point in different ways, the value of the
kingdom or the need to sacrifice all to obtain it
‘The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a
field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in
his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.
45 ‘Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant
looking for fine pearls.46 When he found one of great
value, he went away and sold everything he had and
bought it.

62. Matthew also includes parables not found in Mark
Treasure and pearl 13:44-46
- twin parables of mustard seed and yeast
- make one point in different ways, the value of the
kingdom or the need to sacrifice all to obtain it

63. New and old
treasures (the
scribe trained for
the kingdom)
13:51-52
- discerning
followers of Jesus
will distinguish
both the continuity
and discontinuity
with the OT law
51 ‘Have you
understood all these
things?’ Jesus
asked.
‘Yes,’ they replied.
52 He said to
them,‘Therefore
every teacher of the
law who has become
a disciple in the
kingdom of heaven
is like the owner of a
house who brings
out of his storeroom
new treasures as
well as old.’

64. New and old
treasures (the
scribe trained for
the kingdom)
13:51-52
- discerning
followers of Jesus
will distinguish
both the continuity
and discontinuity
with the OT law

71. 36 When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to
have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s
house and reclined at the table. 37 A woman in
that town who lived a sinful life learned that
Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she
came there with an alabaster jar of perfume.
38 As she stood behind him at his feet weeping,
she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she
wiped them with her hair, kissed them and
poured perfume on them.
39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw
this, he said to himself, ‘If this man were a
prophet, he would know who is touching him and
what kind of woman she is – that she is a sinner.’

72. 40 Jesus answered him,‘Simon, I have something to
tell you.’ ‘Tell me, teacher,’ he said.
41 ‘Two people owed money to a certain money-
lender. One owed him five hundred denarii,[c] and
the other fifty. 42 Neither of them had the money to
pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now
which of them will love him more?’
43 Simon replied, ‘I suppose the one who had the
bigger debt forgiven.’
‘You have judged correctly,’Jesus said.
44 Then he turned towards the woman and said to
Simon, ‘Do you see this woman? I came into your
house.

73. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she
wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her
hair. 45 You did not give me a kiss, but this woman,
from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my
feet. 46 You did not put oil on my head, but she has
poured perfume on my feet. 47 Therefore, I tell you,
her many sins have been forgiven – as her great love
has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little
loves little.’
48 Then Jesus said to her,‘Your sins are forgiven.’
49 The other guests began to say among themselves,
‘Who is this who even forgives sins?’
50 Jesus said to the woman,‘Your faith has saved
you; go in peace.”

74. One other parable is found in Luke 7:36-8:3
Jesus is found at the home of Simon, a Pharisee
and is the subject of attention for a woman
(sinner v37) who weeps, wets his feet with her
tears, kisses his feet, wipes them with her hair
and finally anoints his feet with expensive oil
- Jesus tells a parable of two debtors owing
differing amounts and asks who will be more
grateful - the obvious answer, the one who is
forgiven more

75. Luke then follows on by talking of
the women who accompanied
Jesus - 8:1-3
- they had been healed of
infirmities and delivered of evil
spirits
- Cuza’s wife would have been well-
to-do (we do not know about the
others)
- travelling like this would have
been unusual / scandalous in the
ancient world
- there is no sign they were treated
in the same way as the 12, though
at the same time not treated in
any way inappropriately

76. Luke then follows on by talking of
the women who accompanied
Jesus - 8:1-3
- they had been healed of
infirmities and delivered of evil
spirits
- Cuza’s wife would have been well-
to-do (we do not know about the
others)
- travelling like this would have
been unusual / scandalous in the
ancient world
- there is no sign they were treated
in the same way as the 12, though
at the same time not treated in
any way inappropriately
Elena Cuza (June 17, 1825 – April
2, 1909), also known under her
semi-official title Elena Doamna,
was a Moldavian-born Romanian
noble woman and philanthropist.
She was princess consort of the
United Principalities and the wife
of Alexander John Cuza.