My name is Brederick McDonald and I have been a Christian my entire life. I attend a Protestant church service nearly every week and read the Bible regularly. I am, however, a "layman" having never studied the Scriptures (i.e.~the Bible) in any formal setting.

There was a moment in my life quite recently when I was reading through the Parables of Jesus in the Gospel of Luke. I realized in a moment of clarity I had understood what Jesus was trying to say to his audience. Or better put, at least one interpretation or take away from His teaching. This struck me as profound, for many times before in my life I can remember having no idea what Jesus was trying to say in the Parables and being completely lost as to His meaning.

I pondered this moment over the next few days and humbly concluded to stock this realization up to God provisioning me the beginnings of wisdom in my life. At the time of this writing I am a 30-year-old bachelor, college educated, and work by-day as an engineer. While certainly not an old man with deep wisdom of life, I am also no longer a young man of youth and inexperience.

While thinking further, the idea stuck me to put down my thoughts regarding Jesus's parables as I see them now. Cementing my understanding in textual form for future analysis. My mind began to race and I devised a plan to revisit the Parables of Jesus every ten years throughout my life, each decade pausing to put my thoughts down regarding their meaning.

My hope is to see how life’s experiences shape my view of the Parables, as well as, my relationship with God. I anticipate some views will change dramatically, some perhaps a little, and still others not at all.

Seeing I am a "layman" in the church, I hope to keep these analyses accessible to a general audience. That being said, I also am aware that much ink has been spilled regarding the Bible and God's word before these remarks and I am certainly no expert. My hope is to offer another opinion, which will be updated regularly throughout my life, with the novelty of the exercise being appreciated as the years pass and the views evolve. That is, the body of work as a whole when complete will be worthy of attention, but perhaps this iteration less so.

Perhaps I will complete this grand project proposal, or perhaps not. I only hope to live with the Spirit and plan my life according to James's charge, that is we should condition all plans on the phrase, "If the Lord wills it."

With the introduction aside, and "God Willing," let us begin this lifelong project of learning, documenting, and sharing the wonderful wisdom contained in the Parables of Jesus.

Brederick McDonald
Berkeley, California - 2020