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| Why Parables? |
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 When the disciples asked Jesus as to why he taught the public in parables, he made a seemingly strange statement. The mysteries of the kingdom of heaven are not for public consumption. Why did Jesus hide the meaning of his teachings in veiled parables? Is God just arbitrary and unfair?
The key is the receptivity of the individual. Those who are open to learn from Jesus will receive divine illumination to understand further. Those who reject the message of the kingdom from the start, any little bit of understanding they may have had will vanish. They will no longer be able to plumb the depths and real meaning of Christ's parables.
Many of Christ's hearers were diligent students of the Bible, but even that understanding would be removed by God, because they rejected the message of the Messiah. The Greek implies a willful closed-mindedness of seeing but not wanting to see, hearing but not wanting to hear. Why?
Jesus goes on to quote from Isaiah 6:9-10 which describes a people with hard hearts who do not want to see or hear. It is the people who are culpable. It was their unwillingness to repent at the gospel message that made it impossible for them to understand the Messiah's teachings. On the other hand, the disciples were willing to repent, and therefore God gave them understanding of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven.
So, to those who respond, the parables of Jesus provide further insight into the kingdom of heaven. However, to those who do not repent, those same parables remain a mystery. What a privilege we have when we come to know the deeper things of Christ!
13:10 And the disciples came and said to him, Why do you say things to them in the form of stories? 13:11 And he said to them in answer, To you is given the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. 13:12 Because whoever has, to him will be given, and he will have more; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 13:13 For this reason I put things into the form of stories; because they see without seeing, and give ear without hearing, and the sense is not clear to them. 13:14 And for them the words of Isaiah have come true, Though you give ear, you will not get knowledge; and seeing, you will see, but the sense will not be clear to you: 13:15 For the heart of this people has become fat and their ears are slow in hearing and their eyes are shut; for fear that they might see with their eyes and give hearing with their ears and become wise in their hearts and be turned again to me, so that I might make them well. 13:16 But a blessing be on your eyes, because they see; and on your ears, because they are open. 13:17 For truly, I say to you that prophets and upright men had a desire to see the things which you see, and saw them not; and to have knowledge of the words which have come to your ears, and they had it not. |
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| To add a comment to "Why Parables?" |
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| June 21, 2008 |
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| Great blog Grant. I will cling to this: For everyone who asks receives, he who seeks will find, and to those who knock the door will be opened. (Lk 11:10) To me this clearly emphasizes receptiveness! |
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| June 21, 2008 |
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| So true Mike! Excellent comment my friend! |
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| June 22, 2008 |
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Good thoughts Grant
We've all talked with someone I'm sure who wanted to know "what church do you go to"?
They wanted to know what "box" or mental compartment to put you into.
We all have preconceived ideas and opinions about everything!
My response to "Why Parables" is it gives the Holy Spirit a chance to get the seed to germinate while they are dwelling on the meaning, or can I say "meditate" on it's hidden meaning.
If the bottom line was up front and obvious, too many people might dismiss it to soon, before the "seed" germinated in their hearts.
And as the Greek in Mikes verse implies a "and keeps asking,and keeps seeking, and keeps knocking" they are the ones that will have "the seed" germinate in their hearts and grow!
Peace, and Joy to Ya'll |
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| June 22, 2008 |
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| He who has ears to hear what the Spirit is saying. The parables are a natural story with a spiritual meaning. The carnal mind can not understand the things of God for they are spiriutally appraised. I am glad that Jesus took time to interpret some of the parables for the disciples thus showing us how to understand them. |
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| June 23, 2008 |
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| Juan, that is true. There are as many interpretations of these things as people. However, there are always some anchors that help us. 1) The Holy Spirit will (eventually) guide us into all truth, even if we sometimes stray due to stubbornness or unreadiness to receive at the moment. 2) Jesus also interpreted some of the parables for us in Matthew 13. He did not overinterpret, leaving perhaps some room for either deeper thought, variance of thought on some minor issues or even to hint that overinterpretation is not always necessary. |
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