Why did Jesus speak to people in parables?
I have heard it taught that he did this to create memorable stories that contained lessons or to help illustrate a point better. That makes sense to me, it sounds logical.
However when the disciples asked Jesus why, his answer was very different.
Reading Matthew 13 today.
"The disciples came to him and asked, "Why do you speak to the people in parables?"
He replied, "Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. This is why I speak to them in parables:
"Though seeing, they do not see;
though hearing, they do not hear or understand." Matthew 13:10-13 (NIV)
The truth of God is made clear to anyone who seeks his face. However, to those who do not, it is hidden in plain sight.
Jesus continued to say,
"But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it." Matthew 13:16-17 (NIV)
When we pick up a Bible, read it and understand, or when we attend a service on Sunday and comprehend the teaching; do we understand how blessed we are? We are understanding something that is hidden to the wisest people in the world. That is why the world will never get us, without this revelation it foolishness to them.
"but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. " 1 Cor 1:23-24(NIV)
To understand more of the secrets of the Kingdom of God, we must seek them. That takes effort on our part, perhaps turning off the TV and picking up our Bibles instead, oe shutting off our phones and computers and spending some time in prayer.
Some will be content with understanding enough for salvation. But to grow, to live a victorious life we need more, much more.
And it is there, waiting to be reveled to those who will seek it.
"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened." Matthew 7:7-8 (NIV)
Ask, seek, knock, these are all actions on our part.
I had an old teacher who used to tell us, "Chase after God".
He has so much more to reveal to us, but if we do no respond to his call we will not enjoy those treasures.
