Hey there, truth seekers. In this episode Lance Smith examines an apparent tension between the Gospels: Matthew (and Mark) claim Jesus always taught the crowds in parables, while John records extended theological dialogues instead of short parables. The episode compares context, literary style, and scholarly arguments to show how both accounts can be complementary—Matthew highlights Jesus’ public parabolic teaching, while John emphasizes intimate, identity-focused discourse. Listeners are encouraged to study carefully and see how different Gospel perspectives deepen, rather than contradict, our understanding of Jesus’ teaching.

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1. Skeptics Annotated Bible: https://www.gotquestions.org/Jesus-parables.html
2. “Are there Parables in John? It is Time to Revisit the Question” by Ruben Zimmermann, Journal for the Study of the Historical Jesus 9 (2011) 243–276: https://brill.com/view/journals/jshj/9/3/article-p243_3.xml (Note: Excerpts provided in conversation attachment)
3. Why did Jesus teach in parables?: https://www.gotquestions.org/Jesus-parables.html
4. Enduring Word Bible Commentary on Matthew 13: https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/matthew-13/
5. Why Did Jesus Speak in Parables? (Their Purpose Explained): https://bibleproject.com/articles/are-the-parables-of-jesus-confusing-on-purpose/
6. Major Differences Between John and the Synoptic Gospels: https://bible.org/seriespage/2-major-differences-between-john-and-synoptic-gospels/
7. Three Ways John is Different from the Synoptic Gospels (and three ways it’s similar): https://www.ntwrightonline.org/three-ways-john-is-different-from-the-synoptic-gospels-and-three-ways-its-similar/
8. Why Aren't There Any Parables in the Gospel of John?: https://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-study/topical-studies/why-arent-there-any-parables-in-the-gospel-of-john.html
9. Why does Jesus not use Parables in John?: http://blog.charleshedrick.com/2017/01/why-does-jesus-not-use-parables-in-john.html
10. Parables in the Gospels (Baylor University PDF): https://ifl.web.baylor.edu/sites/g/files/ecbvkj771/files/2023-02/parables.pdf