Why Speak In Parables?

19. November 2008 by Bernice Davis.

Good Morning: 

We are in the 13^th chapter of Matthew  (Yeah!!!!!) 

Our text for today is: 

Matthew 13: 1 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. 2 Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. 3 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop–a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. 9 He who has ears, let him hear.” 10 The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?” 11 He replied, “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 he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 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 people’s 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.’ 16 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. 17 For I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.  

Today, we study a very popular parable in the life of the church.  Also, in today’s lesson, we learn why Jesus spoke in parables. 

The text teaches that Jesus speaks in parables so that the people who are not supposed to receive the knowledge of the kingdom will not be able to understand less they believe the gospel and be converted. 

This statement along with others has raised a lot of controversy in church history.  Most of the controversy stems over the Armenian and Calvinist view points.   Calvinists believe that there are an elect people that God has chosen from the foundation of the world and those are the ones that will be saved.  Armenians believe that because God knew which decision each person would make then God labeled the elect according to what He foresaw each person would do.   For Calvinist, the decision is entirely up to God and for Armenians the decision is up to the individual.   

It is an ongoing debate and the church is divided over it.  Personally, I believe that the scriptures are clear as to which position we should embrace, however I will not engage in that debate at this time. 

It is interesting as to why Jesus spoke in parables.  Most people don’t really know, they think it was simply a story telling device of the day and Jesus was embracing it.   Jesus was clear as to what his mission was and was strategic in accomplishing it.   

Read over the parable today and tomorrow, we look at what Jesus says the interpretation is.      

Stay encouraged!!!! 

All is well, everything is safe, and everything is as it should be.

Don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily.

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