Which story is cited as an example of an allegory?

• A. The Prodigal Son
• B. The Good Samaritan
• C. The Parable of the Sower
• D. The Nativity Story

Answer: (C)

The story cited as an allegory uses symbolic mapping where elements of the tale point to deeper spiritual meanings. In the Parable of the Sower, the seed represents the word of God and the different soils symbolize the varied conditions of human hearts as they receive that word. The path, rocky ground, thorns, and good soil show distinct responses: immediate dismissal, shallow belief that withers, entanglement with worldly concerns, and genuine, fruitful faith. This layered symbolism—each detail standing for a particular spiritual reality—gives it the allegorical character.

The Prodigal Son and the Good Samaritan are vivid narratives that teach moral and theological lessons about repentance, forgiveness, and loving one’s neighbor, but they don’t present a tightly mapped symbolic system where each element consistently represents a deeper reality. The Nativity Story is a historical narrative about Jesus’ birth with its own theological themes, not an extended allegory.