A parable (pronounced PAIR uh bul) is a comparison of two things, often done through a story that has two meanings. Another name for a parable is an allegory.

Jesus Christ did much of his teaching in parables. Telling tales of familiar characters and activities was a favorite way for ancient rabblis to hold an audience's attention while illustrating an important moral point.

Parables appear in both the Old and New Testement but are more easily recognizable in the ministry of Jesus. After many rejected him as Messiah, Jesus turned to parables, explaining to his disciples in Matthew 13:10-17 that those who sought God would grasp the deeper meaning, while the truth would be hidden from unbelievers. Jesus used earthly stories to teach heavenly truths, but only those who sought the truth were able to understand them.