WHY DID JESUS SPEAK IN PARABLES?

 

WHY DID JESUS SPEAK IN PARABLES?

CHRISTIANITY

10Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?”

11And he answered them,

“To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.

12For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.

13This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says:

‘YOU WILL INDEED HEAR BUT NEVER UNDERSTAND,

AND YOU WILL INDEED SEE BUT NEVER PERCEIVE.”

15For this people’s heart has grown dull,

and with their ears they can barely hear,

and their eyes they have closed,

lest they should see with their eyes

and hear with their ears

and understand with their heart

and turn, and I would heal them.’

16But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear.

17For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.”

MATTHEW 13:10-17

COMMENTARY

This event happened in between the parable of the Sower, and the explanation of this parable by Lord Jesus to his disciples. This parable and its explanation can be read in the verses above and after these verses 10 to 17.

In this occasion, the apostles asked Jesus why did He speak in parables to the crowds, and why clearly to them.

Lord Jesus gave an explanation that throws light into the criteria of free will, the effects of our personal choices, and how they affect salvation as we encounter the direct consequences of our decisions later in life.

JESUS explained that He spoke directly and clearly to them, his disciples, because ‘they had been given the know the secrets of the Kingdom of GOD’ but not to the Jews outside (V.11), BECAUSE, according to GOD, they had entered into a period of Judgement, they had become mind and conscience blinded and deaf, and the grace of GOD to understand his messages, had been cut out of them (V.12).

And before saying this, Jesus also said that to the ‘ones who had’, that more will be given to them, meaning, more grace and mercy to know their Savior GOD (V.11).

But what did they already have to deserve this blessing?

The giving and taking away of this capacity to understand the gospel, given to every human since birth (Romans 2:14-15), it is caused by the elections every man does in regards to his CREATOR and righteousness.

Some of the Jews at the time, had hardened their hearts towards GOD and his righteousness, making HIM a dead ritual, following not what it was correct, but what the ‘religion’ told them, like automats.

LORD GOD YHWH, had warned them several times before about this, but most did not repent, neither changed their ways (Hosea 6:6-7), and now, they had also rejected John the Baptist who announced the coming of the Messiah and repentance, and also rejected the message of repentance of Jesus.

For this reason, GOD, had taken spiritual assistance from them, leaving them to their own deviations, and thus, they had become dull to the Holy Spirit and the call of Jesus to repentance. (Romans 1:18, 21).

But to the disciples of Jesus, those who had heard the warning of John the Baptist, and were righteous prior to meeting the Lord. To all those who recognized in Jesus the voice of GOD. To all of them, further grace was granted in order that they may have a flatten ground to come to repentance and acceptance of Lord JESUS’ ministry. To those who had righteous hearts, even more grace was given.

That they all had come to a period of Judgement is plain in the fact that now Lord Jesus explained things to them in parables, or symbolic imagery.

All heard these stories, there are many in the gospels, the parable of the Sower is only one of them, but it tested the hearts of the hearers.

Men who lived a good life in front of GOD, would understand the symbolism, They, would be ‘given more of what they had’, but those whose hearts were lost in lust, ambition and deceit, would miss totally the meaning of the parables, and never be moved to repentance by them.

HOWEVER, is one of these unrepentant, desired to change ways on his own power, GOD YAHWEH was always open for mercy, as HE HIMSELF said it in Isaiah 6:10:

“AND TURN AND BE HEALED”

Finally, after quoting Isaiah 6:9-10, in his own words, Lord Jesus called his disciples, ‘blessed’ for having their hearts open and ready for GOD, and specially, for having the opportunity to have been born and elected as disciples of the Son of GOD and MESSAIAH, and learning these things from Him.

And He added that many patriarchs and prophets desired to see the Messenger of GOD, Jesus, the SON OF GOD, and learn from Him, and did not live to it.

Praised be GOD YAHWEH that allowed us to live in these times, to know Jesus and his teachings, and be reminded of all the greatness of our Heavenly FATHER and his love for us.

OFR.