Sunday Bible Story:
Why Jesus Spoke in Parables
Luke 15:3 And he spoke this parable unto them saying:
If you have ever wondered why Jesus spoke to the people in
parables, and did not just come out clearly and articulate his
precise thoughts and words, the only answer to that is this:
He spoke in parables to the people because some of them were
not permitted to receive the message.
And if you look closely at your own experience, this is what you
find: when you read the Bible, if you understand it, it is because
you believe it and want to understand it. If you do not believe it,
it is because you do not want to believe it.
I am not saying that any man or woman on earth ever understands
everything in the Bible. That would be preposterous. God wrote
it. Hello, we are human.
What I am saying is that for most of the simple truths revealed to
man, our understanding of it is because we believe.
The only real basis for the speaking in parables is revealed in
Matthew chaper 13, beginning at verse 10:
and his disciples came and said unto him, why do you speak unto
them in parables? He answered and said unto them, Because, it
is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven,
but unto them, it is not given. For whomsoever has, to him shall
be given, and he shall have more abundance; but whosoever has
not -- from him shall be taken away even that which he has.
So what Jesus is saying here is that if you believe the truth, if you
receive the light you have been given, you will receive more. But,
if you do not believe the truth, if you do not receive the light, then
the little bit you do have -- that little bit will be taken from you.
He goes on to say, therefore I speak unto them in parables: because
they seeing, see not; and hearing, they hear not, neither do they
understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah who
said: By hearing you shall hear and not understand, and seeing
you shall see and shall not perceive; for this people's heart has
grown fat, 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.
But, blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they
hear. For truly I say unto you, that many prophets and righteous
men have desired to see those things which you see, and have not
seen them; and to hear those things which you hear, and have not
heard them.
So, in the final analysis, the question is not: do I understand the
Bible; the real question is: do I want to understand and believe?
Not having a heart desire to understand the truth of a parable, or
the truth of the Bible is simply an indication that it has not been
given to you to know the parable, or the truth.
If that is the case, your only intelligent next step is to seek God,
and ask him to reveal the truth to you. It is his truth, after all.
If you truly want to understand the truth of God, you have to
believe first. Man cannot understand and then believe. Belief
comes first, then understanding.
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