Day 194
- Principle: Jesus Christ taught in parables to help deepen the understanding of those who listen.
- Book of Mormon Reading: Alma 32:21 - 32:33
- Alma uses the parable of the seed to teach faith. What do you learn from this parable that deepens your understanding of faith?
- There are three keys to understanding parables.
- Look for the question that led to the parable. Focus on how the parable answers that question.
- “I have a key by which I understand the scriptures. I enquire, what was the question which drew out the answer, or caused Jesus to utter the parable?” (Smith, Teachings, pp. 276–77.)
- Each parable has a major message.
- The parts of each parable have a special meaning.
- Look for the question that led to the parable. Focus on how the parable answers that question.
- Study Matthew 13 and look for the thee keys.
- Hint: “I shall now proceed to make some remarks from the sayings of the Savior, recorded in the 13th chapter of His Gospel according to St. Matthew, which, in my mind, afforded us as clear an understanding upon the important subject of the gathering, as anything recorded in the Bible.” (Smith, Teachings, p. 94.)
- Additional Study:
- Dallin H. Oaks, “The Parable of the Sower”, April 2015
- Come, Ye Thankful People, Hymns No. 94
- Go the Second Mile, Children’s Songbook No. 167