Psalm 119:11: Parables of Jesus are primarily about Salvation

I recently heard someone say that parables of Jesus are primarily about Salvation. So I thought I do a little study to see if that claim holds true.

All these things Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed, he said nothing to them without a parable. This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet

“I will open my mouth in parables;

I will utter what has been hidden since the foundation of the world.”

- Matthew 13:34-35

The Catholic Encyclopedia states: "There are no parables in St. John's Gospel. In the Synoptics ... we reckon thirty-three in all; but some have raised the number even to sixty, by including proverbial expressions."[14] The Gospel of Luke contains both the largest total number of parables (24) and eighteen unique parables; the Gospel of Matthew contains 23 parables of which eleven are unique; and the Gospel of Mark contains eight parables of which two are unique. - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parables_of_Jesus

In secular terms:

A parable is a succinct, didactic story, in prose or verse, which illustrates one or more instructive lessons or principles. It differs from a fable in that fables employ animals, plants, inanimate objects, or forces of nature as characters, whereas parables have human characters. A parable is a type of analogy... parable (meaning "comparison, illustration, analogy.") is more condensed than the allegory: it rests upon a single principle and a single moral, and it is intended that the reader or listener shall conclude that the moral applies equally well to his own concerns. - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parable

Google gives 1,140,000 results on "why did Jesus use parables"

The Bible gives a good reason from Jesus himself in Matthew 13:10, "The disciples came to him and asked, "Why do you speak to the people in parables?"

Jesus answers, Matthew 13:11,14,15 "He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them...In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:

“‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding;

you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.

For this people’s heart has become calloused;

they hardly hear with their ears,

and they have closed their eyes.

Otherwise they might see with their eyes,

hear with their ears,

understand with their hearts

and turn, and I would heal them.’"

In other words, "SALVATION"; Jesus said plainly in Luke 19:9-10 “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

Matthew 13:16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.

So here's my attempt at seeing the key context while looking at the Parables of Jesus. Green highlight shows Jesus gave the meaning. Key context pulls meaning from verses before and after the parable, where the parable is provided to emphasize truth. My interpretation based on the these context would be bold, yellow highlight and underlined.

#	Subject	Scripture	Key Context
1	The Growing Seed	Mark 4:26–29	God's word accepted in our hearts, grows into harvest, it can't be stopped. - Mark 4:20
2	The Two Debtors	Luke 7:41–43	Saving faith, forgiveness of sin and believers love response - Luke 7:37-38,47-50
3	The Lamp under a Bushel	Matthew 5:14–15 Mark 4:21–25 Luke 8:16–18	Light for all to see, learning by listening and results in abundance (Luke 8:15) or ruin (Luke 8:12-14). Notice Luke 8:9 says "secrets of kingdom of God" and Luke 8:17 says, "Nothing secret will not be known"
4	Parable of the Good Samaritan	Luke 10:25–37	Inheriting eternal life: Love God and neighbor as yourself - Luke 10:25-28 by showing compassion and mercy (Luke 10:33,36-37)
5	The Friend at Night	Luke 11:5–8	Persistence in prayer asking for the Holy Spirit (Luke 11:9-13) so that we can reverently pray to God our Father's will be done and forgiveness of sins - leadership out of temptation (Luke 11:1-4)
6	The Rich Fool	Luke 12:16–21	Hypocrisy (Luke 12:1-3), fear God not man (Luke 12:4-7), acknowledge Christ to people (Luke 12:8-9), honor the Holy Spirit (Luke 12:10-12) and don't be anxious about basic needs (Luke 12:22-29) God provides, seek Him and treasure people (Luke 12:30-34)
7	The Wise and the Foolish Builders	Matthew 7:24–27 Luke 6:46–49	Hearing God's word and do it (Matthew 7:24, Luke 6:46). Otherwise you don't know Him and he doesn't know you (Matthew 7:21-23). Recognizing false prophets by their fruit (Matthew 7:15-20)
7.1	Blind Leading Blind	Luke 6:39-42, Matt 15:13-14	Judging others and yourself (Luke 6:37-38), Love others, kind to ungrateful and evil, merciful as children of God (Luke 6:27-36), see yourself in light of God (Luke 6:20-26). Remove your own hypocrisy to help others (Luke 6:42) Matthew 15:10-11 what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them, things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. For out of the heart come evil thoughts (Matt 15:18-12)
8	New Wine into Old Wineskins	Matthew 9:17–17 Mark 2:21–22 Luke 5:37–39	Seeking God by fasting or being with God (Mark 2:18-20, Matthew 9:14-15) Being "born again" of the Holy Spirit (John 3:3-15). To be forgiven of sins, completely restored (Mark 2:9-12, Luke 5:20, 23-26). Religious observances are for man, not man for the religious observance (Mark 2:23-28). Grace of God through faith in Jesus (Matthew 9:18-26) Why it's hard for old, wealthy to be saved (Luke 5:39), but not impossible (Luke 5:27-28,32)
9	Parable of the strong man	Matthew 12:29–29 Mark 3:27–27 Luke 11:21–22	Demon oppression (Matthew 12:22) cast out by the Spirit of God (Matthew 12:28). Don't speak against the Spirit of God (Matthew 12:30-32), Revelation 20
10	Parable of the Sower	Matthew 13:3–9 Mark 4:3–9 Luke 8:5–8	Explained by Jesus immediately preceding. Only one soil is fruitful, some hundredfold, some sixty and some thirty. Never underestimate the power of God’s Word to change a person’s heart God makes saving faith available to all people, yet some reject it
11	The Weeds	Matthew 13:24–30	People can look the part without having the results of being the part Isomorphic mimicry Jesus explains this parable in Matthew 13:36-43.
12	The Barren Fig Tree	Luke 13:6–9	All have sinned and need to repent (Luke 13:1-5), not "seeing fruit of repentance" add to it (2 Peter 1:3-15) No Self Made Christians: Holy Spirit begets us through faith in Jesus
13	Parable of the Mustard Seed	Matthew 13:31–32 Mark 4:30–32 Luke 13:18–19	A few "small" words from God in your heart can turn into a "huge" reality in your life. Person with a disabling spirit (bound by Satan) even after 18 years can by set free by Jesus (Luke 13:11-13,16). The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” And the Lord said, “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you. (Luke 17:5-6)
14	The Leaven	Matthew 13:33–33 Luke 13:20–21	kingdom of heaven: hidden since the foundation, till it permeated everywhere (Matthew 13:35) we receive the Holy Spirit and eternal life wells up inside. Holy Spirit's trans-formative power in the world and in the individual Genesis 1:2; Numbers 11:16-17; Psalm 51:10-13; John 7:37-39; 14:17;16:7-8; Psalm 16:8-11; 110:1; John 3:3-8; Matthew 16:18; Romans 12:3-5; 1 Corinthians 12:27; Ephesians 4:11-13; 1 Peter 2:4-8; Matthew 5:9; John 1:12-13; 11:51-52; Romans 8:14-17; Galatians 3:23-29; 1 John 3:1-10; 5:2,19 The final state of the Church is eternal worship of God Revelation 4:8-11;7:9-12;11:15-18;15:1-4;19:1-10;
15	The Hidden Treasure	Matthew 13:44–44	Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. Matthew 10:39
16	Parable of the Pearl	Matthew 13:45–46	My interpretation: Jesus is the pearl of great of value. When we find him he is everything to us. Matthew 10:39
17	Drawing in the Net	Matthew 13:47–50	End of the age...separate evil from righteous... evil thrown into fiery furnace... weeping and gnashing of teeth Matthew 13:49 (Rev 20:11-21:8) God abolishes sin and death, creating a new heaven and earth
18	Counting the Cost	Luke 14:28–33	Luke 14:33 So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple. Romans 12:1-2 present yourself as living sacrifice
19	The Lost Sheep frequently called The Good Shepherd	Matthew 18:10–14 Luke 15:4–6	"go after the one until he finds it" Luke 15:4 Hebrews 13:5 “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Matthew 18:14 "So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish." Luke 15:5 lays him on his shoulders (in practice the shepherd breaks the legs and keeps the sheep near so he won't run away again)
20	The Unforgiving Servant	Matthew 18:23–35	Matthew 18:35, "So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart."
21	The Lost Coin	Luke 15:8–9	Luke 15:9, "when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’"
22	Parable of the Prodigal Son	Luke 15:11–32	A child, squandered his property in reckless living, hired himself out to feed pigs...starving and desperate. Came to himself, I will go to my father and say to him “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ And he arose and came to his father who saw him felt compassion, ran to embrace him, kissed him Luke 15:23-24,32 let us eat and celebrate, for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.
23	The Unjust Steward	Luke 16:1–13	Being faithful in little, you'll be faithful with much - if your not faithful with unrighteous wealth who will entrust you the true riches. If you're not faithful with another's, who will give you your own? No servant can serve two masters one will be hated the other loved, devoted to one despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.
24	Rich man and Lazarus	Luke 16:19–31	Those who die and suffer in hell wish someone would warn loved ones still alive "remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish...Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’”
25	The Master and Servant	Luke 17:7–10	Temptations to sin are sure to come, but woe to the one through whom they come! Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him. (Luke 17:1,3-4) - have real faith (Luke 17:5-6) Do your job (Luke 17:7-9), So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’” Luke 17:10
26	The Unjust Judge	Luke 18:1–8	Jesus heals 10 lepers, 1 a foreigner when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving him thanks... Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.(Luke 17:11-19) The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed, nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.” ( For the kingdom of God is among you [because of My presence]. AMP) (Luke 17:20-21)...Just like the days of Noah and Lot, so will it be in the days of the Son of Man...Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will keep it. (Luke 17:33) Luke 18:1 parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart
27	Pharisees and the Publican	Luke 18:9–14	He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: Not the religious but the sinner who says ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
28	The Workers in the Vineyard	Matthew 20:1–16	Matthew 19:16-30 Rich young man asked must I do to have eternal life?, Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven...“Who then can be saved?” But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Then Peter said in reply, “See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?” (you) will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first. This is about not grumbling at God with comparisons toward others but doing what you've agreed to with God, God is generous. Next chapter Jesus is going to the cross Jesus’ celebrity entrance in Jerusalem and Temple interrupts everyone
29	The Two Sons	Matthew 21:28–32	Jesus returns to the Temple compassionately teaching the priest and elders (18-20) Jesus curses fig tree and it withered up immediately – disciples amazed how (21-22) faith without doubt, pray for anything – with faith you will receive it (23-24) Jesus returns to Temple teaching, leading priest/elders demanded by what authority/right? (25-26) Jesus answers with a question, did John’s authority to baptize come from heaven or man? If heaven, why didn’t we believe – if man we’ll be mobbed by because people said he’s a prophet (27) “we don’t know”, “then I won’t tell you” (28-30) Parable of two sons, older – go to work in vineyard/no but later went: other /yes but didn’t go (31a) who obeyed? – the first. (31b-32) bad people get to heaven because they believe, repent of sins while others won’t even when they see miracles
30	The Landowner and Wicked Tenants	Matthew 21:33–41 Mark 12:1–9 Luke 20:9–16	Matthew 21: (33) Parable of landowner and tenant farmers. He planted vineyard, built wall, dug pit for pressing juice, lookout tower. Then leased it. (34-36) harvest time sent servants to collect but farmers beat, killed first servant, second group of servants (37-39) Finally owner sent his son, plotted and kill him to get the estate (40) Jesus still talking with religious leaders, “what do you think the owner will do to the farmers?” (41-42) “horrible death to them, then lease to others who will give his share after each harvest” Psalm 118:22-23, “stone builders reject has become cornerstone, Lord’s doing, wonderful to see” (43-46) Kingdom of God taken from you given to nation produce proper fruit – stumble broken, crush on anyone it falls on. They wanted to arrest him but were afraid of crowds
31	The Wedding Feast and Great Banquet	Matthew 22:1–14 Luke 14:7–24	(Matt 22:4-7) Come to the wedding feast, But they paid no attention, others seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. Matt 22:9-14 Sent servants to invite as many as could be found both bad and good...But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment...‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ For many are called, but few are chosen.” (none of those men who were invited [and rejected the offer because they had other things to do] shall taste my banquet Luke 14:24) For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. Luke 14:11 For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just. Luke 14:14
32	The Budding Fig Tree	Matthew 24:32–35 Mark 13:28–31 Luke 21:29–33	Matthew 24:3-31 Signs of the end of the age and Jesus return: Many false teachers in the name of Jesus. Wars and rumors of wars, famines, earthquakes in various places. Christians delivered to tribulation/death/hated by ALL nations for Jesus name's sake. Many fall away, betray one another, hate one another. False prophets arise, lead many astray because lawlessness will be increased the love of many will grow cold. endures to the end will be saved and this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the world as a testimony to ALL nations and then the end will come... So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
33	The Faithful Servant	Matthew 24:42–51 Mark 13:34–37 Luke 12:35–48	You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. Not all are equal (Luke 12:41-43)...that servant who knew his master's will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating. But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.
34	The Ten Virgins	Matthew 25:1–13	5 were wise, 5 were foolish. The wise had extra oil for their lamps while they waited, so they could see the Lord when he came. ..Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour. Matthew 7:21-23 - not a profession or work but to know Him (1 John 2:3) Listen to Jesus, do what He commands that you may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. (Luke 9:35,Rev 22:14)
35	The Talents	Matthew 25:14–30 Luke 19:12–27	like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. Servant given 5 made 5 more, next given 2 made 2 more ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ Other servant given 1 one did nothing with it; his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew [about me but did nothing], So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. Luke talks about 10 servants each given 1, First made 10 more, second made 5 more then another came with what he was given kept away in a handkerchief ...Hear the instruction: ‘Engage in business until I come.’ But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to reign over us.’ When he returned, having received the kingdom, he ordered these servants to whom he had given the money to be called to him, that he might know what they had gained by doing business. God, Gary, Larry and Harry
36	The Sheep and the Goats	Matthew 25:31–46	“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” Matt 25:41-46 amp