Unfamiliar Parables of Jesus - at least "unfamiliar" to me :)

"All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables; and without a parable He did not speak to them, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying 'I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world.'" -Matthew 13:34-35

We all know the common parables spoken by our Lord to the multitude, such as:

The Pearl of Great Price (Matthew 13:45-46)
The Ten Virgins  (Matthew 25:1-13)
The Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37)
The Pharisee & the Tax Collector (Luke 18:9-14)

Be sure to view the links...enjoy!

I was recently telling and encouraging my teens to read their Bibles on a regular basis, and I figured why not take my own advice. I came across some "unfamiliar" parables told by Jesus that I honestly had never even heard before (confession on my part) and I thought I would share them. 

The Creditor & Two Debtors (Luke 7:40-43):
And Jesus answered and said to him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." So he said, "Teacher, say it."  "There was a certain creditor who had two debtors.  One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.  And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both.  Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more."  Simon answered and said, "I suppose the one whom he forgave more."  And He said to him, "You have rightly judged."

The Barren Fig Tree (Luke 13:6-9):
He also spoke this parable: "A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none.  Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, 'Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none.  Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?' But he answered and said to him, 'Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it.  And if it bears fruit, well.  But if not, after that you can cut it down.' "

Be Lowly (Luke 14:7-11):
So He told a parable to those who were invited, when He noted how they chose the best places, saying to them: "When you are invited by anyone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in the best place, lest one more honorable than you be invited by him; and he who invited you and him come and say to you, 'Give place to this man,' and then you begin with shame to take the lowest place.  But when you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes he may say to you, 'Friend, go up higher.' Then you will have glory in the presence of those who sit at the table with you.  For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

Biblical quotations taken from The Orthodox Study Bible.

-A Day in the Life of the Youth Director