The Parables of Jesus. Pt. 1 Use of parables explained by Christ.
Good morning....
I want to circle back around to study more of the parables of Jesus Christ. Last year we looked at the parable of the seed and the sower and the parable of the wheat and the tares. Jesus taught several other parables that I believe are instructive for us in uncertain times.
What is a parable and why did Jesus teach using parables?
By the end of Matthew 12, the King of Israel, their Messiah had authenticated His credentials by many powerful miracles that He did. However, He faced growing opposition from the civil and religious leaders of Israel which culminated in the nation formally rejecting their King.
It is at this point in Matthew's gospel that Jesus began to teach using parables. Right after Jesus taught the parable of the seed and sower in Matthew 13, His disciples noticed the change in teaching and asked Christ about it.
Matthew 13:10-17 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? 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. 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. 13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. 14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: 15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. 16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. 17 For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.
Jesus gave His disciples 3 reasons why He was using parables.
Matthew 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.
First, He used parables to teach truth to His disciples because they were the blessed ones who were given this truth in order to share the gospel. His disciples needed this truth because they were being prepared to take the gospel out into the world. Apostolic teaching as the gospel spread into the world is recorded in the book of Acts.
Matthew 13:11-12 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. 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.
Second, Jesus spoke in parables to hide the truth from unbelievers. The leaders of Israel had formally rejected their Messiah so they would no longer be given truth from heaven.
Christ brought the truth of God to these people. He gave it to them with plain and understandable teaching but they responded in unbelief so that truth which they rejected was taken from them.
Matthew 13:14-15 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: 15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
Third, Jesus spoke in parables in fulfillment of Isaiah 6:9-10. The leaders heard the word but did not understand. The word understand means to join things together in the mind and they could not do this. They saw with their eyes but were not able to comprehend what they saw.
Their heart is surrounded by thick and callous layers of fat and their their ears are heavy and unable to hear, like a deaf person. They shut their eyes to the truth because they liked their own agenda instead of heaven's agenda. This is a graphic way of describing unbelief using these terms.
What is a parable?
The word “parable” comes from two Greek words (para and ballÅ), which together mean “to throw alongside.” A parable, like an illustration, makes a comparison between a known truth and an unknown truth; it throws them alongside each other.
A parable drives home a certain moral truth from God and uses distinctive details to make the teaching stick in the hearers mind.
Matthew 13:16-17 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. 17 For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.
Christ's disciples were blessed because they had working eyes and ears. They saw what Jesus did and heard what Jesus said and they believed. The coming of Messiah and offering of the kingdom to Israel was long anticipated by the prophets. Righteous men and prophets longed to see the kingdom of God be established on the earth.
1 Peter 1:10-12 Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: 11 Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. 12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.
The apostle Peter also touched on the reality that many Old Testament saints and prophets asked about the kingdom, searched the scriptures carefully and that even the angels in heaven wanted to look into these things that Christ was showing His disciples.
Thus, Christ's disciples were to count themselves blessed and happy because Jesus was taking the cover off the mysteries of the kingdom and showing them to his disciples.
Thoughts to Ponder...
We see that a parable is a unique but powerful teaching tool that Jesus used to show His disciples truths about the coming kingdom of God.
We see that parables were used because Israel collectively rejected Christ as their Messiah. The disciples of Jesus would be able to understand these truths but those who rejected His teaching would have their understanding taken away.
We see that the disciples were richly blessed because their eyes and ears took in the truth and they responded by faith to what they were taught.
May our Lord grant us ears that are ready to hear from Him and eyes that are eager to see Him. May He grant us understanding as we receive His truth and may He have His way in each of our lives today.
Bob
I want to circle back around to study more of the parables of Jesus Christ. Last year we looked at the parable of the seed and the sower and the parable of the wheat and the tares. Jesus taught several other parables that I believe are instructive for us in uncertain times.
What is a parable and why did Jesus teach using parables?
By the end of Matthew 12, the King of Israel, their Messiah had authenticated His credentials by many powerful miracles that He did. However, He faced growing opposition from the civil and religious leaders of Israel which culminated in the nation formally rejecting their King.
It is at this point in Matthew's gospel that Jesus began to teach using parables. Right after Jesus taught the parable of the seed and sower in Matthew 13, His disciples noticed the change in teaching and asked Christ about it.
Matthew 13:10-17 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? 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. 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. 13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. 14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: 15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. 16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. 17 For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.
Jesus gave His disciples 3 reasons why He was using parables.
Matthew 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.
First, He used parables to teach truth to His disciples because they were the blessed ones who were given this truth in order to share the gospel. His disciples needed this truth because they were being prepared to take the gospel out into the world. Apostolic teaching as the gospel spread into the world is recorded in the book of Acts.
Matthew 13:11-12 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. 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.
Second, Jesus spoke in parables to hide the truth from unbelievers. The leaders of Israel had formally rejected their Messiah so they would no longer be given truth from heaven.
Christ brought the truth of God to these people. He gave it to them with plain and understandable teaching but they responded in unbelief so that truth which they rejected was taken from them.
Matthew 13:14-15 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: 15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
Third, Jesus spoke in parables in fulfillment of Isaiah 6:9-10. The leaders heard the word but did not understand. The word understand means to join things together in the mind and they could not do this. They saw with their eyes but were not able to comprehend what they saw.
Their heart is surrounded by thick and callous layers of fat and their their ears are heavy and unable to hear, like a deaf person. They shut their eyes to the truth because they liked their own agenda instead of heaven's agenda. This is a graphic way of describing unbelief using these terms.
What is a parable?
The word “parable” comes from two Greek words (para and ballÅ), which together mean “to throw alongside.” A parable, like an illustration, makes a comparison between a known truth and an unknown truth; it throws them alongside each other.
A parable drives home a certain moral truth from God and uses distinctive details to make the teaching stick in the hearers mind.
Matthew 13:16-17 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. 17 For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.
Christ's disciples were blessed because they had working eyes and ears. They saw what Jesus did and heard what Jesus said and they believed. The coming of Messiah and offering of the kingdom to Israel was long anticipated by the prophets. Righteous men and prophets longed to see the kingdom of God be established on the earth.
1 Peter 1:10-12 Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: 11 Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. 12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.
The apostle Peter also touched on the reality that many Old Testament saints and prophets asked about the kingdom, searched the scriptures carefully and that even the angels in heaven wanted to look into these things that Christ was showing His disciples.
Thus, Christ's disciples were to count themselves blessed and happy because Jesus was taking the cover off the mysteries of the kingdom and showing them to his disciples.
Thoughts to Ponder...
We see that a parable is a unique but powerful teaching tool that Jesus used to show His disciples truths about the coming kingdom of God.
We see that parables were used because Israel collectively rejected Christ as their Messiah. The disciples of Jesus would be able to understand these truths but those who rejected His teaching would have their understanding taken away.
We see that the disciples were richly blessed because their eyes and ears took in the truth and they responded by faith to what they were taught.
May our Lord grant us ears that are ready to hear from Him and eyes that are eager to see Him. May He grant us understanding as we receive His truth and may He have His way in each of our lives today.
Bob
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