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The Waiting Father: Sermons on the Parables of Jesus
A collection of sermons offering deep insights into the spiritual message of Jesus's fifteen major parables by Helmut Thielicke, the great German preacher and theologian. These were originally preached in Michaelskirche, Hamburg, in the mid-1950s. Thielicke approaches the parables in novel ways. In treating the prodigal son, for instance, he concentrates more on the loving father than the rebellious son, emphasizing the centrality of forgiveness. Similarly on the Pharisee and the publican, he shows that the publican is guilty of spiritual pride and arrogance, drawing attention to the dangers for the faithful. Both among expositions of the parables and among books for preachers, 'The Waiting Father' stands in a class of its own. Great scholars are usually poor preachers, and great scholars are rarely good preachers, but Thielicke manages to combine distinguished scholarship with fine preaching.
192 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1959
About the author
Helmut Thielicke
170 books23 followersHelmut Thielicke (1908–1986) was a German Protestant theologian, pastor, author, and influential Christian thinker whose work explored the relationship between faith, ethics, culture, and modern life.
Born in Wuppertal, Germany, Thielicke studied philosophy and theology at the University of Erlangen, earning doctorates in both disciplines. His academic career developed during the increasingly hostile climate of Nazi Germany. A member of the Confessing Church, he faced repeated interrogation by the Gestapo and was eventually dismissed from his professorship in Heidelberg in 1940. Despite restrictions on his teaching, preaching, travel, and publishing, he continued to speak and write widely, becoming known for addressing Christian faith in language that engaged directly with the realities of ordinary life.
During the Second World War, Thielicke preached extensively and maintained contact with members of the German resistance, while also developing his vision for rebuilding Germany's intellectual and spiritual life after the war. His ideas contributed to the founding of the Evangelical Academy at Bad Boll in 1945.
After the war, Thielicke returned to academic life, first at the University of Tübingen and later at the University of Hamburg, where he helped establish a new theological faculty. He served as rector of the University of Hamburg from 1960 to 1978 and was also pastor of Hamburg's celebrated St. Michaelis church.
Thielicke became widely known beyond Germany through his books, sermons, lectures, and international travels. He lectured throughout Europe, North America, Asia, Africa, Australia, and New Zealand, meeting figures including Billy Graham and President Jimmy Carter.
His writing is noted for its combination of theological depth, philosophical reflection, and pastoral warmth. Rather than treating Christianity as an abstract system of ideas, Thielicke sought to explore what faith means in the midst of doubt, suffering, moral responsibility, culture, and everyday human experience.
He died in Hamburg in 1986, aged 77. His books remain valued by readers interested in Christian theology, ethics, philosophy, and the challenges of living out faith in the modern world.
Born in Wuppertal, Germany, Thielicke studied philosophy and theology at the University of Erlangen, earning doctorates in both disciplines. His academic career developed during the increasingly hostile climate of Nazi Germany. A member of the Confessing Church, he faced repeated interrogation by the Gestapo and was eventually dismissed from his professorship in Heidelberg in 1940. Despite restrictions on his teaching, preaching, travel, and publishing, he continued to speak and write widely, becoming known for addressing Christian faith in language that engaged directly with the realities of ordinary life.
During the Second World War, Thielicke preached extensively and maintained contact with members of the German resistance, while also developing his vision for rebuilding Germany's intellectual and spiritual life after the war. His ideas contributed to the founding of the Evangelical Academy at Bad Boll in 1945.
After the war, Thielicke returned to academic life, first at the University of Tübingen and later at the University of Hamburg, where he helped establish a new theological faculty. He served as rector of the University of Hamburg from 1960 to 1978 and was also pastor of Hamburg's celebrated St. Michaelis church.
Thielicke became widely known beyond Germany through his books, sermons, lectures, and international travels. He lectured throughout Europe, North America, Asia, Africa, Australia, and New Zealand, meeting figures including Billy Graham and President Jimmy Carter.
His writing is noted for its combination of theological depth, philosophical reflection, and pastoral warmth. Rather than treating Christianity as an abstract system of ideas, Thielicke sought to explore what faith means in the midst of doubt, suffering, moral responsibility, culture, and everyday human experience.
He died in Hamburg in 1986, aged 77. His books remain valued by readers interested in Christian theology, ethics, philosophy, and the challenges of living out faith in the modern world.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
January 11, 2025
Thielicke preaches in a different mode than most modern, conservative pastors. Similar to Luther's lectures on Genesis, Thielicke psychologically fills out what the people of Jesus' parables would be thinking, feeling, and experiencing. He stays relatively connected to the actual text, making these sermons not just a wandering off into whatever he was pondering in the moment. I really appreciate his psychological depth and insight, as well as his lack of temerity to mention philosophers and theologians, which indicates that his congregation is familiar with (for instance) nihilism, Nietzsche, and Marx.
He twice commends unbelievers who might be listening to his sermons to take Jesus seriously; to really try to pray to God and open oneself up to him, and see whether or not they find a void or a loving, waiting Father. All in all, I found these sermons fascinating and more edifying than I initially expected.
He twice commends unbelievers who might be listening to his sermons to take Jesus seriously; to really try to pray to God and open oneself up to him, and see whether or not they find a void or a loving, waiting Father. All in all, I found these sermons fascinating and more edifying than I initially expected.
December 23, 2019
I read this back in 2001 and my notes from that time show that I found it very helpful in terms of digging deeper in Jesus' parables, their meanings and their applications. Something I could do with reading again, I think!
Read again in 2020. Better even than I remember. The translation, which is overall very good, in spite of some dated language, never reduces the power of what Thielicke is saying. This is the sort of book that is worth reading once every one or two years (like Martin Lloyd Jones' Spiritual Depression). It's the sort of book that brings you back to basics and shows where you need to take hold of your Christian life more clearly. But it's immensely encouraging as well, and that's probably its greater strength.
Read again in 2020. Better even than I remember. The translation, which is overall very good, in spite of some dated language, never reduces the power of what Thielicke is saying. This is the sort of book that is worth reading once every one or two years (like Martin Lloyd Jones' Spiritual Depression). It's the sort of book that brings you back to basics and shows where you need to take hold of your Christian life more clearly. But it's immensely encouraging as well, and that's probably its greater strength.
February 7, 2025
A really lovely collection of sermons on Jesus’s parables. Thielicke is a very eloquent preacher, and his unusual style of preaching gave me a fresh appreciation of many of the parables that I’ve gotten too used to. I also loved his recurring emphases on the importance of prayer (particularly of having time first thing each morning to get alone with God) and of the value of meditating on Scripture. Thielicke’s sermons are themselves models for meditating on Scripture, as he delves into layers of the parables.
May 13, 2021
The hype is lost on me
February 28, 2012
This is a marvelous collection of sermons on the parables. I began reading these to help broaden my language for preaching through some parables and found this collection to serve as a very convicting devotional. A deep love for Jesus, a gentle passion for the people he shepherded and a German mind make for a much needed perspective on some of the most important things Jesus told us 2000 years ago. Thank you, Helmut!
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May 9, 2010 I read an earlier edition long ago. This is one of my favorite books. It gave me a much clearer understanding of who we are in relation to our heavenly Father through Jesus when we play the role of the rebelious little brother and also when we play the role of the diligent older brother. If you think you are too much of a sinner to ever relate to God, you must read this book.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews