Jesus makes dozens, even hundreds of comparisons to gently illustrate his message and not just hammer it home as a theory. With metaphor there is often a literal meaning and then a broader symbolic meaning.
The art of metaphor is to speak of one new concept in terms of what the listener already knows. In that way the speaker adjusts to audience. Jesus spoke to ordinary people on the land and many of his images are of nature, fruits, trees, harvests. When he spoke to farmers he spoke of planting and weeds. When he spoke to winegrowers he spoke of vines and wine jugs. When he spoke to homemakers she spoke of yeast and baking.
When he spoke to those in the desert he used images of thirst, water, shade. He spoke to shepherds with images of shepherds, sheep and problems of getting lost as sheep often do. When he spoke to travellers he spoke of dusty roads and leaving the home empty. When he spoke to Pharisees and scribes, the learned in the community, he referred to the sayings of the prophets and texts they knew well. He spoke about what people have in common, human bodies, pain, fears, desire to have things turn out well in weather and life.
The metaphor creates an illustration of the concept that is very concrete and memorable.
A certain man said “I will say to my soul, Soul thou has much goods”
A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell among thieves
a woman in travail hath sorrow but, delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish
are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of?
arise and walk
at the end of the world the angels shall sever the wicked from the just and cast them into fire
Be thou clean
beware of the leaven of the Pharisees
blessed are your eyes for they see
come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden
destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up
every branch that beareth not fruit he taketh aaay
every good tree bringeth forth good fruit but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit
every plant that my father hat not planted, shall be rooted up
Follow me
give and it shall be given unto you, good measure, pressed down, shaken, running over
have salt in yourselves
he is cast forth as a branch, is withered and men cast them into the fire
he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good
he that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me
he that gathereth not with me, scattereth abroad
I am come to send fire on earth, and what will I, if it be already kindled?
I go to prepare a place for you.
I have a baptism to be baptized with
I have meat to eat that ye know not of. My meat is to do the will of him that sent me
I must work the works while it is day. The night cometh
I will give unto thee the keys oF the kingdom of heaven
If a man walk in the night he stumbleth, because there is no light in him
It is written I will smite the shepherd and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered
it were better for him that a millstone were hanged around his neck and he cast into the sea
labour not for the meat which perisheth but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life
lay not treasures upon earth where moth and rust doth corrupt, and thieves break through
make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise
Many shall come from the east and west and sit down in the kingdom of heaven
men loved darkness rather than light
Mine hour is not yet come
my father will love him and we will make our abode with him
no man putteth new wine into old bottles
now they have no cloak for their sin
provide yourselves bags which wax not old
salt is good but if the salt have lost its flavor, wherewith shall it be seasoned?
she hath washed my feet with tears
some seed fell upon stony places; some fell among thorns; some fell into good ground
Take my yoke upon you
the maid is not dead but sleepeth
The fowls of the air sow not yet your heavenly Father feedeth them
the grass of the field today is and tomorrow is cast into the oven
the harvest truly is plenteous but the laborers are few
The lilies of the field. They toil not and yet even Solomon was not arrayed like one of these
then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory
The tree is known by its fruit
they enlarge the order of their garments and love the uppermost rooms at feasts
they had a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes
they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets
this is my blood which is shed for many
thou art loosed from thine infirmity
Thy sins are forgiven thee. Arise and walk
what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one doth not light a candle and sweep the house?
when you depart out of that house shake off the dust of your feet
Wheresover the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together
ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth
your house is left unto you desolate
Your names are written in heaven
Speech Style of Jesus 