A parable is a succinct, didactic story, in prose or verse, that illustrates one or more instructive lessons or principles. It is a usually short fictitious story that illustrates a moral attitude or a religious principle. Parables often involve a character who faces a moral dilemma or makes a bad decision and then suffers the unintended consequences. Although the meaning of a parable is often not explicitly stated, it is not intended to be hidden or secret but to be quite straightforward and obvious. The defining characteristic of the parable is the presence of a subtext suggesting how a person should behave or what he should believe. Parables frequently use metaphorical language which allows people to more easily discuss difficult or complex ideas. Parables express an abstract argument by means of using a concrete narrative which is easily understood.
Jesus used parables to teach those who questioned his teachings. His parables were stories that were “cast alongside” a truth in order to illustrate that truth. His parables were teaching aids and can be thought of as extended analogies or inspired comparisons. A common description of a parable is that it is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning.
