Many resources have been written to offer assistance in exploring and understanding the lectionary texts for the purpose of preaching.

However, few have sought to provide this kind of preaching commentary on texts that do not follow the lectionary's grouping. For those whose preaching does not customarily follow the lectionary, and for those who depart from the lectionary text during certain periods of the year, little guidance has been offered for how to select, and preach on, important biblical texts.

The Parables: A Preaching Commentary, the third book in The Great Texts series, gives guidance to preachers on preaching about this central part of faith.

The principles by which volumes in The Great Texts series have been chosen are primarily two-fold:

• Thematic: Texts on certain overarching themes or ideas of the Christian faith are brought together.
• Biblical/traditional: Texts have long been recognized as belonging together, and as being particularly beneficial to the work of preaching.