Bible Studies

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Why do
You
speak to them,
in Parables?
[Matthew 13:10]
********************
"LORD?
How come,
those DISCIPLES,
didn't understand
that PARABLE-SEED,
STORY?"

[PATIENT GAZE.]
"Read It
to Me,
child."

(Whiny voice.)
(Kvetchy grimmace.)
"The WHOLE THING?
It's.....too LONG!"

[PATIENT NOD.]

(Mumble.)
"Yeah;
here it is.

Listen,
Behold,
a sower went out
to sow...
some seed fell
by the wayside..
the birds.. came
and devoured
it......
some fell on
stony ground.....
some seed fell
among thorns...
But other seed
fell on good ground
and yielded
a crop....
[Mark 4:3-8]"

[NOD.]

"WHY didn't
those guys
UNDERSTAND it?
There were TWELVE
of them! You
think,
ONE 'a them,
would've
GOTTEN it!"

[PATIENT SILENCE.]

(Impatient squirm.)
(Flip pages, around.)
"Look at
THIS part:

But when
He was alone,
those around
Him with the
twelve asked
Him about the
Parable.
[Mark 4:10]

How come
they didn't
UNDERSTAND IT?"

[PATIENT VOICE.]
"Did you,
My child?"

"Not at ALL!
I think....about,
a YEAR,
LATER!"
(Yell. )
"I think,
I finally GOT IT!"

[NODDING.]

"Yeah!
But, I'm from west PHILLY,
LORD!"
(Thoughtful squint.)
(Woeful whine.)
"They hardly had
any GRASS.....
where I GREW UP!"

[NOD.]
[CHUCKLING.]

"Weren't all these
guys,
FARMERS?"

"No,
My beloved."

(Irritable shout.)
"YEAH!
THEY WERE!"

[VERY PATIENT VOICE.]
"No."

"YEAH!"
(Shrug.)
"So....they
were ALL FISHERMEN!
SAME THING!"

[PATIENT SIGH.]

(Shout.)
"OKAY!
ONE WAS AN
IRS GUY!"

[MORE SIGHING.]
"OY VEY."

(More shouting,
to the ceiling.)
"I mean....
all their RELATIVES,
were probably FARMERS!"

[PATIENT SHAKE
OF THE HEAD.]

(Impatient shake
of the scruffy head.)
(Sip some Orange Crush.)
"Well....
they certainly,
didn't have GROCERY
STORES,
in those DAYS!
SOMEBODY HAD
TO FARM!"

[PATIENT SILENCE.]

(Irritable silence.)
"It would be like.....
telling ME,
of a PARABLE...
about a CITY BUS,
ON ..NORTH BROAD STREET,
IN PHILADELPHIA!"

[PATIENT SIGH.]

(Glance up, at ceiling fan.)
"I don't UNDERSTAND?
WHY didn't Jesus
pick SMARTER GUYS,
to be His DISCIPLES?"

[SMILE!]
"Why,
My child?"

(Whiny, nasal voice.)
"I DUNNO!
How 'bout,
some 'a those
PHARISEE GUYS?
THEY WERE PRETTY SMART!"

[TENDER VOICE.]
"Read My Word,
child.
Then,
you will
understand."
**********************
And
He said to them,
Do you not
understand
this parable?
How then
will you
understand
all the
parables?
[Mark 4:13]

____________________
To Stuart.

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