Parables are stories which explain an idea by making a comparison. Usually, a parable has one main idea. We will use the parable of the Lost Sheep (Luke 15:1–7) for an example. Jesus welcomed sinful people to spend time with Him. He wanted them to trust in Him and be forgiven. The Pharisees did not like this because they were proud of their own self-righteousness. They thought Jesus should be like them and stay away from sinful people. They thought Jesus shouldn’t care about the sinners. One day the Pharisees complained about Jesu eating with sinful people. Jesus answered their complaints with a parable. Jesus told a story of a sheep that had become lost. In the story, the shepherd leaves the rest of his sheep, and goes to look for the lost sheep. When he finds the sheep, he joyfully carries the sheep home. He calls friends to rejoice with him because the sheep has been found. Then Jesus clarifies the idea of the story: “I say to you that in the same way greater joy will be in heaven because one sinner who repents than because of ninety nine righteous having no need of repentance” (Luke 15:7, author’s translation).
The shepherd rejoiced that the lost sheep was found and rescued. This shows the joy God has when a sinner repents. The attitude of the Pharisees did not reflect God’s compassion or joy.
This attitude is so important that Jesus told two more stories with the same main idea in Luke 15.