The Parables: Understanding What Jesus Taught

By: Andrea Lorenzo Molinari, John T. Conroy

Narrated by: Andrea Lorenzo Molinari, John T. Conroy

How does the Gospel communicate the eternal truth?

Jesus was perhaps the world's greatest storyteller because his sometimes surprising parables conveyed timeless truths. While modern expressions of truth often reflect scientific frameworks, the ancient world just as powerfully expressed crucial truths through parables - stories that illustrate a truth by expressing it as fiction. In this exceptional lecture series, you will explore how Jesus used this teaching method to preach the good news and address vital issues in society. You will journey through the most beloved parables: the Prodigal Son, the Rich Man and Lazarus, the Lost Sheep, and many more. As you do so, you will come to understand the message of the Gospel as never before. As Fr. Raymond Collins praises, "Andrea Molinari and Jack Conroy breathe new life into the parables of Jesus".

You will take two Scripture experts as your guides for delving into the word of God. Under their guidance, you will examine the literary and historical context of the ancient texts that incorporate parables. After exploring a selection of illuminating parables in the Old Testament and documents outside of the biblical canon, you will dive into the New Testament, looking at 12 of the most powerful and enduring parables told by Jesus. You will ask two essential questions: "What does the parable say?" and "what does the parable mean?" As you move through these lectures, you will more fully understand the teaching of Jesus and engage the word of God in your daily life.

©2014 Now You Know Media Inc. (P)2014 Now You Know Media Inc.

Critic reviews

"Jesus’ parables are wonderful little stories with a powerful message. Told as often as they have been, they can get stale. Andrea Molinari and Jack Conroy, who have worked together for several years, collaborate in this series of lectures to breathe new life into the parables of Jesus. The message of the parables becomes as grasping as it once was. Let anyone with ears to hear listen!" (Rev. Raymond F. Collins, visiting scholar, Department of Religious Studies, Brown University)

"Jack Conroy is a fine New Testamment scholar, a gifted teacher, and a dedicated Catholic. These lectures combine faith and scholarship in clear and compelling presentations. They are a breath of fresh air for any who are interested in the parables." (Gregory E. Sterling, PhD, the Reverend Henry L. Slack Dean and Lillian Claus professor of New Testament, Yale Divinity School)