POP-RABLE QUIZ

1. Jesus speaks of a man who sows good seed (wheat) into his field. However, an enemy sows bad seed (weeds). The man's servants notice the weeds growing with the wheat and say, "Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?" (Matthew 13:27)

The master says, "An enemy has done this," and so the servants ask, "Then do you want us to go and gather them?" (Matthew 13:28) However, the man responds by saying, "No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, 'Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.'" (Matthew 13:29-30)

• The Seeds

• The Weeds

• The Wheat

• The Field

2. To begin, Jesus tells us about a person who is sowing seed. The seed ends up falling on four types of soil: On the path where people walk, On rocky ground, On soil already filled with plants having thorns, and on good soil.

These seeds all have different fates.

- The seed on the path is eaten by birds.

- That which fell on rocky ground does grow, but it grows too fast and it is scorched when the sun comes up, because the root is too shallow.

- The seed that falls on the soil with thorns also grows, but the thorns choke it and it too dies.

- Only the seed that falls on the good soil survives, and it produces grain up to a hundredfold.

• The Seeds' Journey

• Four Different Soils

• The Sower and The Four Soils

• The Consequences of a Seed

3. Jesus begins this parable by comparing two men who both went to the temple to pray. The Pharisee says, "God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income." (Luke 18:11-12)

In contrast, "the tax collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his [chest] and saying, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner!'" (Luke 18:13)

Jesus then makes his point: "I tell you, this man (the tax collector) went down to his home justified rather than the other (Pharisee); for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted." (Luke 18:14)

• The Tax Collector and The Pharisee

• The Pharisee and The Tax Collector

• Difference of Two Men

• Each person is Different

4. When Jesus tells this parable, he phrases it as a rhetorical question because the answer is obvious to his listeners.

"What do you think? If a shepherd has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray?" (Matthew 18:12)

"Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it?" (Luke 15:4)

• Losing A Sheep

• The Sheep That Was Lost

• Lost Sheep

• Finding Sheep

5. Jesus says, "Or what woman having ten silver coins, if she loses one of them, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.'" (Luke 15:8-9)

Jesus then makes his point for both the lost sheep parable and this parable: "Just so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents." (Luke 15:10)

• Lost Coin

• Lost Riches

• Lost Silver Coin

• Found Coin

6. Jesus begins by saying, "Someone gave a great dinner and invited many." (Luke 14:16)

The host has his servant tell everyone invited that the feast is ready. The servant tells the invited people, "Come, for everything is ready now." (Luke 14:17) However, all the invited guests make excuses for why they cannot come.

Upon hearing this information, the host is very upset and says to his servant, "Go out at once into the streets and lanes of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame." (Luke 14:21) When the servant returns, the host then says, "Go out into the roads and lanes, and compel people to come in, so that my house may be filled." (Luke 14:23)

The host ends by saying, "For I tell you, none of those who were invited will taste my dinner." (Luke 14:24)

• Dinner Feast

• The Great Supper

• A Wonderful Dinner

• The Great Dinner

7. "A certain creditor had two debtors; one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he canceled the debts for both of them." (Luke 7:41-42)

Jesus then asks Simon which debtor would love the creditor more. "Simon answered, 'I suppose the one for whom he canceled the greater debt.' And Jesus said to him, 'You have judged rightly.'" (Luke 7:43)

Jesus explains to Simon how the woman's sins are many, so she is more thankful for being forgiven. Jesus then tells the woman, "Your sins are forgiven" and "Your faith has saved you; go in peace." (Luke 7:48,50)

• A Woman's Sin

• The Unpaid Dept

• The Creditor and Two Deptors

• Canceled Dept

8. Jesus begins this parable by speaking about a judge who is unjust and does not fear God nor people. A widow keeps coming to him and saying, "Grant me justice against my opponent." (Luke 18:3)

The judge refuses to grant the widow justice at first, but she keeps bothering him. Finally, the judge decides to grant her justice so that she will leave him alone. It is at this time that Jesus makes his point, "Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them? I tell you, he will quickly grant justice to them." (Luke 18:7-8a)

Jesus then says, "And yet when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?" (Luke 18:8b)

• A Widow's Justice

• Persistent Widow

• Unjust judge

• Persistent Human

9. Jesus says, "A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none." (Luke 13:6)

The man goes to the gardener and says, "'See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?'" (Luke 13:7)

The gardener replies, "'Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it. If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.'" (Luke 13:8-9)

• Fig Tree

• Fruitless Fig Tree

• The Tree in the Vineyard

• Barren Fig Tree

10. Jesus says, "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it." (Matthew 13:45-46)

In this parable, the kingdom of heaven is compared to a merchant. This merchant is looking for fine pearls. When he finds one of great value, he gives up everything he has to obtain this pearl.

• Merchant and Pearls

• Pearls of Great Value

• Fine Pearl

• Single Pearl