Have you ever read one of Jesus’ parables and wondered, “What did He mean to convey with this story? What was His purpose in choosing the specific time, place, and audience for that particular parable? And how does this story connect to other, similar examples?” If these thoughts have ever crossed your mind, you will be delighted to discover a new book published by Thomas Nelson and written by bestselling author and pastor John MacArthur. It is entitled Parables: The Mysteries of God’s Kingdom Revealed Through the Stories Jesus Told.

When I first picked up this book, I was under the impression that it would briefly cover all, or perhaps the majority, of the parables revealed in Mathew, Mark, Luke and John. In actuality, however, only a dozen of the most notable parables are discussed, but with a detailed analysis. For each parable, an in-depth overview of vital context and background information is explained. At times, this brings amazing clarity to Jesus’ symbolic messages, and is exciting to discover. At other times, the information seems to continue on without pause and can become a little tedious. Mr. MacArthur also occasionally makes statements that come across as close-minded, considering his interpretation as the only right one, and anything that contradicts it to be in error.

Overall, this informative book is packed with insight into Jesus’ parables. I learned a great deal of fascinating context about each one. Interestingly, it helped not only in my understanding of that particular story, but also about life in Biblical times as a whole. For this reason, I recommend this book for readers who are willing to wade through a large amount of scholarly information to find gems of wisdom. It will undoubtedly enrich their understanding of Jesus’ words as he shared the most influential short stories ever told.

I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.