what they are and how they function. A parable is an extended metaphor or illustration. It is an illustration turned into a tale, a tale elaborated on the spur of the moment by a gifted teacher. Jesus was a supremely gifted teacher. Accustomed to preaching to a crowd with a wide range of understanding and attitudes, he based each parable on the common, everyday events that made up first-century life—lost money, sheep and shepherds, cruel creditors. Like most illustrations, parables usually have one