Gerhard Lohfink (1934-2024), was professor of New Testament exegesis at the University of Tübingen. His many books include No Irrelevant Jesus, Jesus of Nazareth, Is This All There Is?, The Our Father, and Prayer Takes Us Home, all from Liturgical Press.

"'Jesus' parables are like diamonds," writes Lohfink, held within settings that both preserve and protect. The Forty Parables of Jesus presents the content of Jesus' unique sayings mindful of the traditions that preserved, preached, and interpreted those parables. But Lohfink also provides the larger context in which parables, as provocative short stories with a twist, were heard, read, and understood. Lohfink has deftly written a well-exegeted and researched book that is at the same time eminently readable. The Forty Parables of Jesus witnesses to the 'unbelievable nearness of God,' and invites us to embrace the implicit Christology of Jesus' parables."Laurie Brink, OP, PhD, Professor of New Testament Studies at Catholic Theological Union

• ContentsPreface xiPart One: How Parables Work1. The Lion, the Bear, and the Snake (Amos 5:18-20) 32. The Bramble Becomes King (Judges 9:8-15) 63. The Poor Man’s Lamb (2 Samuel 12:1-4) 114. The Song of the Vineyard (Isaiah 5:1-7) 145. The Faithless Wife (Ezekiel 16:1-63) 186. The Vine and the Branches (John 15:1-8) 227. The Elm and the Vine (Hermas Similitudes 2.1-10) 258. The King Who Gained a People (Mekhilta Exodus 20.2) 279. The Man in the Well (Friedrich Rückert) 3010. The Perfect Swimmer (Martin Buber) 35Part Two: Jesus’ Forty Parables1. The Successful Break-in (Luke 12:39) 422. Overpowering the “Strong Man” (Mark 3:27) 453. The Treasure in the Field and the Pearl (Matthew 13:44-46) 474. The Budding Fig Tree (Mark 13:28-29) 545. The Mustard Seed (Mark 4:30-32) 566. The Leaven (Luke 13:20-21) 617. The Seed Growing by Itself (Mark 4:26-29) 638. The Abundant Harvest (Mark 4:3-9) 659. The Two Debtors (Luke 7:41-42) 7310. The Lost Sheep (Matthew 18:12-14) 7511. The Lost Coin (Luke 15:8-10) 7712. The Lost Son (Luke 15:11-32) 7913. The Laborers in the Vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16) 89 14. The Judge and the Widow (Luke 18:1-8) 9515. The Importunate Friend (Luke 11:5-8) 9916. The Banquet (Luke 14:16-24) 10117. The Fishnet (Matthew 13:47-50) 10618. The Weeds in the Wheat (Matthew 13:24-30) 10919. The Pharisee and the Tax Collector (Luke 18:10-14) 11420. The Merciful Samaritan (Luke 10:30-35) 11821. The Two Different Sons (Matthew 21:28-31) 12222. The Rich Man and the Poor Man (Luke 16:19-31) 12623. The Ten Virgins (Matthew 25:1-13) 13124. The Barren Fig Tree (Luke 13:6-9) 13625. The Quarreling Children (Matthew 11:16-19) 13926. Going to Court (Matthew 5:25-26) 14127. The Foolish Wheat Farmer (Luke 12:16-20) 14328. The Guest without a Festal Garment (Matthew 22:11-13) 14529. The Unforgiving Servant (Matthew 18:23-34) 14730. The Vigilant Slaves (Luke 12:35-38) 15331. The Slave Keeping Watch (Matthew 24:45-51) 15932. A Slave’s Wages (Luke 17:7-10) 16233. The Money Given in Trust (Matthew 25:14-30) 16634. The Crooked Manager (Luke 16:1-13) 17335. The Assassin (Gospel of Thomas 98) 17836. Building a Tower and Making War (Luke 14:28-32) 18137. Building a House on Rock or on Sand (Matthew 7:24-27) 18438. The Lamp on the Lampstand (Matthew 5:15) 18739. The Grain of Wheat Dies (John 12:24) 18940. The Violent Farmworkers (Mark 12:1-12) 191Part Three: What Is Different about Jesus’ Parables1. The Material 2072. The Form 2103. The Tradition 2184. The Subject 2225. The Theme within the Theme 234Acknowledgments 241Works Cited 242Scriptural Index 248The Parables in the Church Year 255

Gerhard Lohfink (1934-2024), was professor of New Testament exegesis at the University of Tübingen. His many books include No Irrelevant Jesus, Jesus of Nazareth, Is This All There Is?, The Our Father, and Prayer Takes Us Home, all from Liturgical Press.

"'Jesus' parables are like diamonds," writes Lohfink, held within settings that both preserve and protect. The Forty Parables of Jesus presents the content of Jesus' unique sayings mindful of the traditions that preserved, preached, and interpreted those parables. But Lohfink also provides the larger context in which parables, as provocative short stories with a twist, were heard, read, and understood. Lohfink has deftly written a well-exegeted and researched book that is at the same time eminently readable. The Forty Parables of Jesus witnesses to the 'unbelievable nearness of God,' and invites us to embrace the implicit Christology of Jesus' parables."Laurie Brink, OP, PhD, Professor of New Testament Studies at Catholic Theological Union

• ContentsPreface xiPart One: How Parables Work1. The Lion, the Bear, and the Snake (Amos 5:18-20) 32. The Bramble Becomes King (Judges 9:8-15) 63. The Poor Man’s Lamb (2 Samuel 12:1-4) 114. The Song of the Vineyard (Isaiah 5:1-7) 145. The Faithless Wife (Ezekiel 16:1-63) 186. The Vine and the Branches (John 15:1-8) 227. The Elm and the Vine (Hermas Similitudes 2.1-10) 258. The King Who Gained a People (Mekhilta Exodus 20.2) 279. The Man in the Well (Friedrich Rückert) 3010. The Perfect Swimmer (Martin Buber) 35Part Two: Jesus’ Forty Parables1. The Successful Break-in (Luke 12:39) 422. Overpowering the “Strong Man” (Mark 3:27) 453. The Treasure in the Field and the Pearl (Matthew 13:44-46) 474. The Budding Fig Tree (Mark 13:28-29) 545. The Mustard Seed (Mark 4:30-32) 566. The Leaven (Luke 13:20-21) 617. The Seed Growing by Itself (Mark 4:26-29) 638. The Abundant Harvest (Mark 4:3-9) 659. The Two Debtors (Luke 7:41-42) 7310. The Lost Sheep (Matthew 18:12-14) 7511. The Lost Coin (Luke 15:8-10) 7712. The Lost Son (Luke 15:11-32) 7913. The Laborers in the Vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16) 89 14. The Judge and the Widow (Luke 18:1-8) 9515. The Importunate Friend (Luke 11:5-8) 9916. The Banquet (Luke 14:16-24) 10117. The Fishnet (Matthew 13:47-50) 10618. The Weeds in the Wheat (Matthew 13:24-30) 10919. The Pharisee and the Tax Collector (Luke 18:10-14) 11420. The Merciful Samaritan (Luke 10:30-35) 11821. The Two Different Sons (Matthew 21:28-31) 12222. The Rich Man and the Poor Man (Luke 16:19-31) 12623. The Ten Virgins (Matthew 25:1-13) 13124. The Barren Fig Tree (Luke 13:6-9) 13625. The Quarreling Children (Matthew 11:16-19) 13926. Going to Court (Matthew 5:25-26) 14127. The Foolish Wheat Farmer (Luke 12:16-20) 14328. The Guest without a Festal Garment (Matthew 22:11-13) 14529. The Unforgiving Servant (Matthew 18:23-34) 14730. The Vigilant Slaves (Luke 12:35-38) 15331. The Slave Keeping Watch (Matthew 24:45-51) 15932. A Slave’s Wages (Luke 17:7-10) 16233. The Money Given in Trust (Matthew 25:14-30) 16634. The Crooked Manager (Luke 16:1-13) 17335. The Assassin (Gospel of Thomas 98) 17836. Building a Tower and Making War (Luke 14:28-32) 18137. Building a House on Rock or on Sand (Matthew 7:24-27) 18438. The Lamp on the Lampstand (Matthew 5:15) 18739. The Grain of Wheat Dies (John 12:24) 18940. The Violent Farmworkers (Mark 12:1-12) 191Part Three: What Is Different about Jesus’ Parables1. The Material 2072. The Form 2103. The Tradition 2184. The Subject 2225. The Theme within the Theme 234Acknowledgments 241Works Cited 242Scriptural Index 248The Parables in the Church Year 255

Gerhard Lohfink (1934-2024), was professor of New Testament exegesis at the University of Tübingen. His many books include No Irrelevant Jesus, Jesus of Nazareth, Is This All There Is?, The Our Father, and Prayer Takes Us Home, all from Liturgical Press.

"'Jesus' parables are like diamonds," writes Lohfink, held within settings that both preserve and protect. The Forty Parables of Jesus presents the content of Jesus' unique sayings mindful of the traditions that preserved, preached, and interpreted those parables. But Lohfink also provides the larger context in which parables, as provocative short stories with a twist, were heard, read, and understood. Lohfink has deftly written a well-exegeted and researched book that is at the same time eminently readable. The Forty Parables of Jesus witnesses to the 'unbelievable nearness of God,' and invites us to embrace the implicit Christology of Jesus' parables."Laurie Brink, OP, PhD, Professor of New Testament Studies at Catholic Theological Union

• ContentsPreface xiPart One: How Parables Work1. The Lion, the Bear, and the Snake (Amos 5:18-20) 32. The Bramble Becomes King (Judges 9:8-15) 63. The Poor Man’s Lamb (2 Samuel 12:1-4) 114. The Song of the Vineyard (Isaiah 5:1-7) 145. The Faithless Wife (Ezekiel 16:1-63) 186. The Vine and the Branches (John 15:1-8) 227. The Elm and the Vine (Hermas Similitudes 2.1-10) 258. The King Who Gained a People (Mekhilta Exodus 20.2) 279. The Man in the Well (Friedrich Rückert) 3010. The Perfect Swimmer (Martin Buber) 35Part Two: Jesus’ Forty Parables1. The Successful Break-in (Luke 12:39) 422. Overpowering the “Strong Man” (Mark 3:27) 453. The Treasure in the Field and the Pearl (Matthew 13:44-46) 474. The Budding Fig Tree (Mark 13:28-29) 545. The Mustard Seed (Mark 4:30-32) 566. The Leaven (Luke 13:20-21) 617. The Seed Growing by Itself (Mark 4:26-29) 638. The Abundant Harvest (Mark 4:3-9) 659. The Two Debtors (Luke 7:41-42) 7310. The Lost Sheep (Matthew 18:12-14) 7511. The Lost Coin (Luke 15:8-10) 7712. The Lost Son (Luke 15:11-32) 7913. The Laborers in the Vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16) 89 14. The Judge and the Widow (Luke 18:1-8) 9515. The Importunate Friend (Luke 11:5-8) 9916. The Banquet (Luke 14:16-24) 10117. The Fishnet (Matthew 13:47-50) 10618. The Weeds in the Wheat (Matthew 13:24-30) 10919. The Pharisee and the Tax Collector (Luke 18:10-14) 11420. The Merciful Samaritan (Luke 10:30-35) 11821. The Two Different Sons (Matthew 21:28-31) 12222. The Rich Man and the Poor Man (Luke 16:19-31) 12623. The Ten Virgins (Matthew 25:1-13) 13124. The Barren Fig Tree (Luke 13:6-9) 13625. The Quarreling Children (Matthew 11:16-19) 13926. Going to Court (Matthew 5:25-26) 14127. The Foolish Wheat Farmer (Luke 12:16-20) 14328. The Guest without a Festal Garment (Matthew 22:11-13) 14529. The Unforgiving Servant (Matthew 18:23-34) 14730. The Vigilant Slaves (Luke 12:35-38) 15331. The Slave Keeping Watch (Matthew 24:45-51) 15932. A Slave’s Wages (Luke 17:7-10) 16233. The Money Given in Trust (Matthew 25:14-30) 16634. The Crooked Manager (Luke 16:1-13) 17335. The Assassin (Gospel of Thomas 98) 17836. Building a Tower and Making War (Luke 14:28-32) 18137. Building a House on Rock or on Sand (Matthew 7:24-27) 18438. The Lamp on the Lampstand (Matthew 5:15) 18739. The Grain of Wheat Dies (John 12:24) 18940. The Violent Farmworkers (Mark 12:1-12) 191Part Three: What Is Different about Jesus’ Parables1. The Material 2072. The Form 2103. The Tradition 2184. The Subject 2225. The Theme within the Theme 234Acknowledgments 241Works Cited 242Scriptural Index 248The Parables in the Church Year 255