Jesus could have explained everything very directly, yet He often chose stories and parables instead.
Why do you think that was? Do you think parables reveal truth more deeply than direct explanations sometimes can?
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Parables are heavenly stories written in an earthly context. Jesus spoke in words His audience could understand to convey what they didnât understand. His parables were agricultural in context because that is something they were very familiar with. More importantly, Godâs laws are written in what Heâs created and can be seen through what He created.
Every farmer understands that a seed left on its own produces nothing. But that same seed when it is planted in the ground will transform and die and from that action it bears fruit. Speaking of Himself in that way, some will understand and others wonât be able to get past the physical aspect.
We donât have words for the spiritual world. Only for the physical world. So if weâre talking about something spiritual we often say âitâs likeâ and then compare it to something physical. Itâs only really by experience that spiritual things can be understood. As the Bible says, âThe message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing.â
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something interesting comes to mind when you ask these questions. His disciples asked Him the same question:
Matthew 13:10-17
10 The disciples came to him and asked, âWhy do you speak to the people in parables?â
11 He replied, "Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them.12 Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.13 This is why I speak to them in parables:
"Though seeing, they do not see;
though hearing, they do not hear or understand.
14 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:
" 'You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
15 For this peopleâs heart has become calloused;
they hardly hear with their ears,
and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them.â
16 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.17 For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.
so, it sounds to me, like Heâs in part saying, âthey donât care to hear the truth anyway, so I donât speak to them as plainly as I do to you. if they are actually interested, they will incline their ears, like you have.â
further:
Matthew 13:36 - Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, âExplain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.â
Jesus went on to explain what each part of the parable had stood for. the disciples had cared enough to ask questions to understand. they knocked on the door, so to speak. the people who heard the parables, knowing His wisdom, and didnât care to hear more, probably just didnt want to have to alter their lives. it was easier to wave him off when they didnt automatically know what He meant. but those who cared, like the disciples, got the answers they asked for; they were given clarity.
so, i dont think parables necessarily revealed truth âmore deeplyâ than direct explanations. Jesus says himself, it appears, that this approach was basically to separate wheat from tares. those who wanted more depth, received it, and not those who just walked away after hearing the parable.
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Your response is great insight @wantthetruth. I very much appreciate how you used The Holy Scriptures to answer a topic question.
Just as the disciples came to Jesus and asked Him the same thing. As you pointed out, they asked:, âWhy do You speak to them in parables?â
He answered and said to them, "Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. Matthew 13:10-11
This is hard to accept, hard to wrap our minds around. We want to believe God reveals the mysteries of the kingdom to everyone, and only those who are smart enough, or humble enough, or willing enough, or are interested enough, or something else enough tend to get it. Jesus doesnât ratify that thought. The answer Jesus gives leaves us understanding that Sovereign God opens the understanding of those He chooses as He opens the eyes of the blind He chooses, and opens the ears of the deaf He chooses. This miraculous understanding of the mysteries of the kingdom is a pure gift, not earned, not sought after, not given based on merit, but so the power and sovereignty of God is clearly seen and no flesh should ever glory in His presence.
Thanx for your spiritual input
KP
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I think that Jesus taught with parables, @ellenvera, for two reasons.
For one, the stories relate truths to the hearersâ everyday experiences, especially for those who really believed in him as the Messiah.
Another reason is that the parables hid his Messiahship until the time had come for him to die. He wanted to teach his disciples for three years instead of a mob taking him to be king. The Gospel of Mark especially emphasizes his hiddenness.