Jesus could have taught with straightforward rules and definitions, but instead He gave parables, stories that require imagination, reflection, and interpretation.
Why do you think God chose that teaching style?
Are parables meant to reveal truth, conceal it, or invite us into something deeper?
And what does that say about how God wants us to learn?
I’d love to hear different perspectives.
He did not do that at the start of his ministry. He began it when the pharisees showed up. Read Matthew 13:13-17 Jesus literally tells us why he uses parables as prophesied in Isaiah 6:9,10
Mat 13:10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
Mat 13:11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
Mat 13:12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
Mat 13:13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
There is a sort of threshold that keeps out those who have no real interest. Truth is available, but only to those that seek it.
Joh 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
Joh 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Even when the Bible was explicit (for example, Leviticus) the ancient Hebrews still didn’t listen. ‘Clarity’ comes from the work of the Spirit, not didactic instructions.
I’ve heard a couple different explanations for this.
One thing I’ve heard is that Jesus purposefully taught in parables because those whose hearts were open to hear his words would have been able to understand what they needed to, while those whose hearts were hardened wouldn’t have been able to understand the truth, even if it was told to them plainly.
The other important thing to remember about Jesus teaching in parables is that humans are wired to pay attention to stories. Often, we can absorb truths from stories that we couldn’t from straightforward doctrine. Stories reveal truths via the “back gate” of our hearts, as I heard someone put it once, even when the front door may be locked.
I’m sure glad that the Bible isn’t only a list of doctrines and truths. There is plenty of that, of course, but the parables and stories speak to me when I’m having a challenging time or going through a trial or experiencing a situation with high emotion when doctrine cannot get to my heart, even though I may acknowledge its truth in my mind.
Why Jesus teaches using parables and stories. I think there are a few reasons. First, for sinners, being told directly what to do often doesn’t help. Also, if you point out faults too strictly, it can make people feel guilty or discouraged—like with teenagers, high expectations sometimes just make them feel worse.
I feel that Jesus used parables out of love. They let people see different truths at different stages of life and grow gradually. This is God’s love—thank God.