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Why did Jesus Christ use parables?

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Why did Jesus Christ use parables?

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The disciples asked that question directly of Jesus (Matthew 13:10). He answered that God gave the disciples spiritual understanding and that no one is able to comprehend the truth without this gift. "Therefore I speak to them in parables," He said, adding, "because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand" (verse 13).

That is, the parables did not make the meaning any clearer for people without this gift of spiritual insight. But the parables did not obscure their comprehension. Rather, God did not give them the ability to know the truth at that time. Because Christ chose easily recognizable illustrations and objects from everyday living for His parables, they actually helped to illustrate the truth to those God called to conversion.

For more insight, please read our booklet Jesus Christ: The Real Story.

Parables How can you explain Bible scriptures that are difficult to understand? Doctrinal Beliefs

Comments

  • rwp_47
    rwp_47
    In addition to the rwp_47 Sept 6 post there's additional implications to why Jesus used parables. In that first explanation it was stated that ... "Hebrews 2 explains that it was thru suffering that the Word accomplished the necessary growth and prevailed to become worthy to restore God's Kingdom to the earth. But how could the Messiah suffer if only perfectly good people inhabited the earth or if bad people [and bad angles] were aware of what his suffering would accomplish? He couldn't. So misinformed, bad people were required in order for the Messiah to become the perfect captain." So one might ask ... OK, but now that Jesus has suffered and accomplished the task ... then why are ignorant, bad people still around? Because such is no longer needed. One might think that ... but he'd be wrong. You see, Jesus isn't the only one who must learn obedience by the things which one suffers. Christ ... and all that is Christ must learn the same thing. Jesus is Christ personified - just as Nebuchadnezzar was Babylon personified in Daniel 2:37. But the word Christ, like the word God can be a plural noun. And so "Christ" from that perspective is more that a single individual. This is made understandable and plain by scriptures such as 1 Cor.12:12 and Gal.3:16,29. Jesus is Christ personified (but all saints constitute the Christ of 1 Cor.12:12). The saints are the firstfruits (but Jesus is the firstfruits personified). Jesus is the Church personified and he is the head of it (but the saints in total constitute the Church). Actually, the church, the firstfruits, and Christ are one and the same thing when viewed from the plural noun perspective.. So if you are a saint - then you are Christ due to the fact that you (and all like you) form Christ's literal body (and as a side note - this isn't accomplished by marriage - because obviously there has been no marriage - but the Church forms his body at this very moment). And so, all saints must learn obedience by suffering. Hence the continuing need for ignorant, bad people.
  • rwp_47
    rwp_47
    Why Jesus used parables is a question that is but a piece of a much larger issue. It leads back to the question - Why did there have to be a suffering Messiah - and what is everything all about? The answers to these questions are all counterintuitive. Long before there was a universe or angels God created a master plan to improve himself and to create a ruling family of children who would be God beings like himself. In accordance with the plan, originally the earth was inhabited by angels (ultimately to show why God being children were required as part of the plan) and was ruled by the Kingdom of God (KOG) and the government was administered by angels. The angels rebelled and from that time the Kingdom of God was no longer administered on earth ... but is instead ruled by satan. How could this be part of such a plan? Because the primary purpose for all things is understood by this single scripture - "... all things were created by him, and for him" (Col.1:16). The primary purpose of everything is for God to better himself. Along this track Rev. 5:1-7 and Heb. 2:10 provide helpful information that explains why there had to be a suffering Messiah. Revelation 5 reveals that the restoration of the KOG wasn't possible unless the Word became more that he previously was. Hebrews 2 explains that it was thru suffering that the Word accomplished the necessary growth and prevailed to become worthy to restore God's Kingdom to the earth. But how could the Messiah suffer if only perfectly good people inhabited the earth or if bad people were aware of what his suffering would accomplish? He couldn't. So misinformed, bad people were required in order for the Messiah to become the perfect captain. That's why 1 Cor. 2:7,8 states: "But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, ... : Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory." So the restoration of the KOG and the creation of God's children required that humanity be kept ignorant as to God's purpose. So why did Jesus teach the public in parables? (Matthew 13:10,11). He basically said the world isn't allowed to understand. So he used parables like a code. So he would tell the public the truth ... but not so they would understand ... so God's purposes could remain a mystery and God's original plan could be accomplished.

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