Why Jesus taught in parables

The word parable is from the Greek root word para, which means to lay-alongside. A parable is like a riddle or an earthly story that has a heavenly meaning. This heavenly meaning often isn’t understood by us mere mortals unless the person who told the parable explains its spiritual meaning to us.

The Bible records about 40 parables that Jesus taught during His ministry, and they’re all recorded for us in the books of Matthew, Mark, and Luke.

But Jesus didn’t speak in parables during the first two years of His three-year ministry. During those years, He spoke plainly and directly. So, why did Jesus start teaching in parables? Did the Son of God suddenly realize that His preaching style was not as effective as it could be? Did He suddenly decide that He had to tell stories to keep His audience engaged? Of course not.

We don’t have to guess why He began speaking in parables because Jesus revealed the reason to His disciples, who have in turn revealed it to us through the scriptures.

His disciples came and asked Him, “Why do you use parables when you talk to the people?” He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others are not. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them. That is why I use these parables, for they look, but they don’t really see. They hear, but they don’t really listen or understand."
Matthew 13:13 (NLT)

From this point on in Jesus` ministry, He taught only in parables but He revealed the spiritual meaning to His disciples when they were alone with Him. (Mark 4:33-34)

You see, Jesus was no longer willing to share spiritual truth with the unbelieving and unrepentant masses who were only gathering around Him in order to be healed or to have a demon cast out. This is the type of person that Jesus referred to when He said “Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine” (Matthew 7:6).

Jesus purposely hid the spiritual meaning of the parables from unbelievers as a judgment against them.

And He said to them, “To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables, so that
‘Seeing they may see and not perceive,
And hearing they may hear and not understand;
Lest they should turn,
And their sins be forgiven them.’”
Mark 4:11-12

What is it that those who were judged lacked? What is it that they were without? They were lacking faith and belief in the gospel that Jesus had been preaching for two years.

Let me see if I can put a silver lining on this message before I close. I’ve always loved parables because they make it easier for me to remember the spiritual truths that Jesus taught. Perhaps it’s because I’m a visual learner and reading the parables help to paint a visual picture in my mind that helps me remember. The Bible makes it easy to understand them because right after Jesus tells His earthly story, the Bible then gives us the heavenly meaning.

I’ve already written about a few of my favorite parables and God willing, I’ll write about many more of them before the Lord takes me home.

God bless and I hope to see you in heaven,
Daniel

References
Video: The purpose of Parables by John MacArthur (YouTube)