It nearly slipped my mind once again to post something today, as I am deep in a homework assignment. I am pursuing my BA in Strategic Communications online and I am in the home stretch….2 1/2 semesters ’til GRADUATION! I decided as I wrote up my homework that I would share…. (just in case you’re wondering.. I attend a Christian College).
Those you have an ear, hear what the spirit of the Lord is speaking to His people!
Why Parables?
Jesus is often referred to as the Greatest Storyteller. I believe this is true not just because of who He is, since based on that alone He is THE ULTIMATE STORYTELLER however, simply because Jesus was able to captivate us when telling any story. The stories He shared were about Him, his relationship to the World and His People. He used the vernacular of the day, as well as common everyday situations that makes storytelling easy. You want the listener to be able to relate to what you are telling them by including familiar ideas and/or surroundings. The interesting part about how Jesus told His stories is that he wrapped them up in parables and by doing so, He was able to reveal Truth to some and hide Truth from others. An often question is – Why?
Based on God’s Word, it is obvious that Jesus wants everyone to be able to receive those Truths, hence the reason why He came to earth (John 3:16 KJV) but there is also a prerequisite to understanding those truths – BELIEF (John 3:18). When asked by His disciples, “Why do you speak in to them in parables?” Jesus explains, “It is given to you – the disciples – those who believe to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but to them – those who don’t believe it was not given” (Matthew 13:10-11, emphasis mine). He goes on to explain the reason why they could see but not see and hear but not hear in verse 15, “For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.” Jesus explains that it’s not really parable that withholds the understanding but the condition of the person’s heart.
Paul expounds on this very same thing when he writes in I Corinthians verse 14, which states that it is the natural or carnal man or nonspiritual man who can’t receive the Spiritual things of God, because they make no sense to him and are useless.
I guess that sums up the answer to Why Parables!
I thank God for hearing ears and seeing eyes!
Until Next Time….VMarie aka Thr33
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