Why Did Jesus Teach in Parables?
Have you ever read a section of scripture that you read before and yet this time, you understood something differently from the passage? Every time I read scripture, I discover that God opens my eyes just a bit more. The longer I study, and the more I honestly seek to understand, the greater the revelation that I receive from the Word. That is not an accident, nor is it a coincidence. God designed His word to function as an ever-increasing revelation of who He is. In our reading today, the disciples ask Jesus why he always teaches in parables. His response may seem a bit cryptic on the surface but makes a great deal of sense once we examine it.
“And 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. For to him who has will more be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away.’” (Verses 11-12) There is not one truth for the spiritually mature and one for the lost, neither was Jesus saying he didn’t want the listeners to understand those truths. Instead, what Jesus is explaining is the condition of men’s hearts and the way we understand what we are being shown.
My children receive their education at home. My oldest son has graduated, but he also was homeschooled. Each day, there are multiple ages of children learning their lessons. Because we have such a wide range in the ages of our children, this means that after I finish teaching chemistry to my two high schoolers, my preschooler practices her ABC’s and counting. Because we all do school in the same room, everyone ‘hears’ the others’ lessons. That does not mean that my toddler is ready to solve algebraic equations or fully understand the significance of trade routes on the spread of Christianity during the Middle Ages. There are somethings she picks up, though. Because of this, she is advanced in her communication skills and her math abilities but not anywhere near the point of her brothers and sisters. If I were to sit her down and expect her to explain quadratic equations or diagram the structure of a sentence, she would look at me like I has crazy. If I repeatedly did this, she would become frustrated with the process and shut down completely. This is human nature. We understand progressively. Our lessons build upon each other. First, we learn our letters. Then we learn the sound those letters make until we can finally put those letters and sounds together to make words.
David Guzik said, “The same sun that softens the wax hardens the clay; and so the very same gospel message that humbles the honest heart and leads to repentance may also harden the heart of the dishonest listener and confirm that one in their path of disobedience.” By speaking in parables, Jesus placed the responsibility of understanding in our laps. We can either leave the lesson as a cute story, or we can dig into it and find the gems of knowledge that transform our hearts. “The parables of Jesus were not illustrations making difficult things clear to all. They presented God’s message so the spiritually sensitive could understand, but the hardened would merely hear a story without heaping up additional condemnation for rejecting God’s Word.” (David Guzik) God’s mercy extends to the way we learn and accept what we hear. He doesn’t want us to be condemned for what we do not yet understand, nor does He want us to be overwhelmed by what we do not yet know. And so, we learn the truth of spiritual matters the same way we learn advanced geometry by first learning to identify the difference between a triangle and a square.
We all walk through this life at a difference pace. God knows we don’t all learn at the same speed. He shows us mercy by allowing us to progress at difference paces. Therefore, let us be patient with one another and with ourselves. Let us never tire of looking and learning. Let us ask God to help us understand because we have the promise that “For to him who has will more be given.” (verse 12) Our understanding will continue to grow as we continue to see and not simply look.
(Written by Keegan Harkins.)
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