Parable
A parable is... (definition)
The word for "parable" in the New Testament was often the word used to translate "mashal" in the Hebrew Old Testament as a "dark saying intended to provoke thought."
What is it in literary terms?
1. Draws an earthly parallel to a spiritual truth
2. Used 50 times in the New Testament of the Bible
3. Often the application was left ambiguous, leaving the hearer to understand the moral himself.
Fun Fact!
The Greek word "parabole" comes from "ballo," which means "to throw, cast," and "para," which means "on the side, alongside." Parable, then, might be seen as something "cast alongside."
Some examples:
The Prodigal Son
The Prodigal Son, a parable found in both the Book of Luke and in the Lotus Sutra teachings of Mahayana Buddhism, teaches about the compassion that God has for humanity.
The Mustard Seed
The parable of the mustard seed is a story that Jesus told about a very small seed, the mustard seed, growing into a large tree that provides shelter for many birds (representing God's people). The story is a reference to the kingdom of Heaven.
The Boy Who Cried Wolf
A "secular parable" (fable) which discusses the moral consequences of lying. The boy discovers that a liar will seldom be believed, even when he is telling the truth.
The phrase "the boy who cried wolf" has even become a part of common vernacular.