Lesson One:
Purpose of Parables
Revised Standard Version
Last Revised: 4/20/00
Matthew 13:10-17, 34-35
Block Diagram:
    13.10      And
                           having come to him
(A)       the disciples said to him,
 (1)                                 Why do you speak to them in parables?

    13.11      And
                in reply
(B)       he said to them,
 (2)                      To you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven,
                               but
 (3)                      to those it is not given.

    13.12                      For
                                               whoever has
 (4)                      it will be given to him
                               and
 (5)                      he will possess more abundantly;
                               but
                                                               whoever has not
 (6)                      even what he has will be taken from him.

    13.13                      Because of this reason
 (7)                      I speak to them in parables,
                               because
                                              seeing
                                       they do not see,
                                            and
                                              hearing
                                       they do not hear
                                            nor
                                       do they understand;
    13.14                      and
 (8)                      in them is the prophet Isaiah being fulfilled
                                    as it says, 
                                                      With hearing
                                               you will hear
                                                    and
                                               you will in no way understand.

    13.15                                           For
                                               the heart of this people has become dull
                                                    and
                                               they have become hard of hearing
                                                    and
                                               they have closed their eyes
                                                       lest they see 
                                                                    with the eyes
                                                                 and
                                                                    with the ears
                                                            they hear,
                                                                 and
                                                                    with the heart
                                                            they understand
                                                                 and
                                                            they turn,
                                                                 and
                                                            I heal them.

     13.16                     But
 (9)                      blessed are your eyes
                                     because they see,
                               and
 (10)                     ------- --- your ears
                                     because they hear.

     13.17                     For
 (11)                    I tell you 
                              in truth 
                                       that many prophets and righteous ones longed to see what you are seeing
                                                 and
                                            they did not see,
                                                 and
                                            they longed to hear what you are hearing
                                                 and
                                            they did not hear.

(C)  13.34  These things Jesus spoke in parables to the crowds,
                 and
                  apart from parables 
(D)         he was speaking nothing to them
 13.35            so that what was spoken by the prophet might be fulfilled,
                                  saying,
                                          I will open my mouth in parables
                                          I will proclaim things hidden 
                                                             from the foundation of the world.

Semantic Diagram:

              --------------------- (A)
     ---------|
     |        ---------------------    (1)
     |   
     |    ------------------------- (B)
-----|    |
|    |    |         ---------------    (2)
|    |    |     ----|
|    |    |     |   ---------------    (3)
|    -----|     |           
|         |     |             -----    (4)
|         |     |        ----|
|         |     |   -----|    -----    (5)
|         ------|   |    |
|               |   |    ----------    (6)
|               |   |
|               |   |    ----------    (7)
|               |   |----|
|               ----|    ----------    (8)
|                   |
|                   |         -----    (9)
|                   |    ----|
|                   |    |    -----    (10)
|                   ---- |
|                        ----------    (11)
|
|   ------------------------------- (C)
----|
    ------------------------------- (D)
 

Exegetical Outline:

I. (A-11)____________________________________________________________________

A. (A-1)_______________________________________________________________
1. (A)____________________________________________________________

2. (1)____________________________________________________________

B. (B-11)______________________________________________________________
1. (B)____________________________________________________________

2. (2-11)__________________________________________________________

a)   (2-3)_____________________________________________________
(1)   (2)_________________________________________________

(2)   (3)_________________________________________________

b)   (4-11)____________________________________________________
(1)  (4-6)________________________________________________
(a)  (4-5)___________________________________________
i)  (4)_________________________________________

ii)  (5)_________________________________________

(b)  (6) _____________________________________________
(2)  (7-8)________________________________________________
(a)  (7)_____________________________________________

(b)  (8)_____________________________________________

(3) (9-11)________________________________________________
(a)  (9-10)__________________________________________
i)  (9)_________________________________________

ii) (10)________________________________________

(b)  (11)____________________________________________
II. (C-D)____________________________________________________________________
A. (C)_________________________________________________________________

B. (E)_________________________________________________________________