A talk with Indonesian graduate students in the US and audiences in Indonesia

I was live on YouTube to talk with Indonesian graduate students in the US and international audiences in Indonesia. It was a great experience that I presented about 20 mins and we had a Q and A time. The questions I received from them were remarkable and thoughtful. They were so enthusiastic about new insight and new knowledge about the New Testament.

Pearl

In the parable of the Pearl, a merchant sought fine pearls (as he does business as usual), but changed the course of his life upon finding one pearl of great value. He is not a businessperson anymore. He does not resell it either. For an ordinary merchant’s business practice, the rule is you buy many fine pearls for maximizing your profit. One pearl of great value to the merchant may be subjective! It may be a call of God or a new vocation! 

In what way is this parable of the pearl different from the parable of treasure? In what way is it similar? What is your “one pearl of great value” for which you will invest all and that you cannot live without it?

Treasure

The parable of the treasure teaches that God’s rule (love, peace, justice) is a precious gift. But it may not be seen or realized easily in one’s life. Once it is found, a radical action to obtain it is required. Otherwise, in this parable, ethical consideration is out of view.

Wheat and Weeds

How can we live in a world we must face "weeds," so to speak?
But the harsher reality is that we also have weeds in ourselves.
Is the separation of enemies the best policy?
This parable does not endorse that.

The parable of the Talents (or Pounds)

The parable of Talents or Pounds is found in Matthew and Luke.

Each person is given a valuable gift (grace) of God. Do your best (work ethic).
Just do it. Try it. The place to invest the talents is the world/people, not the ground.
Don’t worry about failure. If a slave with one talent or one mina tried to do something but failed, 

would he receive the same harsh judgment?

Lost sheep (parable)

The parable of the lost sheep deals with leadership and community issues.
The importance of ”one” lost or led astray in the community.
The shepherd notices immediately the loss of a sheep. How come?
The shepherd does everything to find it. Why?

The Parable of the Leaven

Leaven is one of the most original parables of Jesus because it looks strange.

How come does Jesus compare the kingdom of God with leaven, which is the symbol of corruption or evil?

The parable of the budding fig tree (or any tree)

Does this parable come from Jesus or from the Evangelists? 

What is the possible meaning of it? 

According to this parable, Jesus seems to be a strong apocalypticism advocate. Do you agree? 

Or, some think that this parable is not from Jesus and that it comes from the Evangelists. 

Should we expect the end of the world coming soon? Why or why not? 

What is the role of apocalyptic literature that deals with “last things”?

The parable of tenants

The parable of tenants digresses from the seed parables, which are irenic, and deals with a whole lot of different issues that entail violence and conflict: social relations and economic justice.

-From Jesus: aggressive resistance or non-violent resistance? Think about the situation of tenants in first-century Palestine in rural countries. What would you do if you were peasants?

-From Mark: How to justify the harsh treatment of the tenants? Is the allegory working with you? Supersessionism? What is the Markan view of the mission to the world?

The parable of the mustard seed

Why does Jesus compare the reign of God with a mustard seed?
Is the mustard seed the smallest seed? Why hyperbole?
Why do Mark, Matthew, and Luke tell the same parable of Jesus differently?
What is the point of Jesus's truth?