Parable

Parable, short tale or anecdote designed to make a moral point or to present a spiritual truth, using everyday language and homely imagery. The literature of the ancient Greeks and the Old Testament abound in parables. In the New Testament Jesus conveys much of his most profound teaching in the form of parables. Some of these are the stories of the house built on rock and sand (Matthew 7.24–27), the pearl of great price (Matthew 13.45–46), the talents (Matthew 25.14–29), the sower and the seed (Mark 4.3–8; 14–20), the mote and the beam (Luke 6.41–42), the Good Samaritan (Luke 10.29–37), and the prodigal son (Luke 15.11–32).