The Purpose for the Parables
Matthew 13:10-17
Michael had an unusual habit of carrying around a small, potted plant wherever he went. One day, while sitting in the park, a stranger who also visited that park often couldn't help but ask, "Why do you always carry that plant with you?" Michael smiled, "This plant represents my commitment to life and growth. In the hustle of daily life, it's easy to forget about nurturing our personal health and surroundings. By caring for this plant, I remind myself to take time for personal growth and to appreciate the small wonders of nature. It's also a conversation starter that has helped me meet people like you."
Mrs. Alvarez was a science teacher who wore a different, brightly colored lab coat each day of the week. As her students were setting up for an experiment, one asked her, "Why do you change your lab coat every day?" Mrs. Alvarez said, "By changing my lab coat, I remind both myself and my students that science isn't just about white coats and sterile environments. It’s about curiosity and exploration, so each color represents a different branch of science - blue for physics, green for biology, red for chemistry, and so on. It's a fun way to celebrate the diversity of science and to inspire you to think in creative and exploratory ways. Plus, it makes coming to class a little more exciting!"
When we see that someone influential has a certain deliberate tendency or habit that is unusual and unique, we may wonder if it is a deliberate choice on their part and whether that choice is motivated by a special and important purpose. Habits like this are different, for instance, than nervous habits, such as coughing, tapping our feet, clearing our through, saying “um,” “like,” “you know,” and so on. They are deliberate habits with a purpose.
Jesus has a deliberate habit with a purpose. At one point, his closest disciples asked him about this habit – the habit of telling parables. So, they asked him why he did this and he gave them an answer, an answer which is somewhat surprising. So, today, we are going to take a close look at his answer to this question to discover why he taught with parables. And we are going to do this because we are going to focus the next few months as a church on the parables that he taught, which we call the “kingdom parables,” featured primarily in Matthew and Luke 13. So, let’s dive in to discover what are parables and why did Jesus use them!
Parables tell a story.
It seems that more than a third of Christ’s teaching recording in the Gospels was given as parables. Since parables were a prominent part of Christ’s teaching, we should know what a parable is so we can read, study, and interpret them correctly.
In early centuries, it was popular for prominent Bible teachers to interpret Christ’s parables as though they were deep and mystical allegories. So, they associated each character and object in each parable with people and ideas outside of the parable. For instance, a teacher named Origen claimed that in the parable of the Good Samaritan, the Samaritan represented Christ, the injured traveler represented Adam, the hotel the traveler rested in represented the church, and the injuries the traveler suffered represented Adam’s sin.
This kind of interpretation and Bible study misunderstands the nature and purpose of parables, leading to all sorts of random, strange, and speculative ideas and teaching.
A better approach is to first see whether Christ provides any interpretive keys, as he does in the parable that surrounds Matt 13:10-17. In vv. 1-9, he tells a parable about a farmer who planted seed on four kinds of soil. Then in vv. 18-23, he explains what the seed and four types of soil represent and what was the intended point of this parable.
When the Bible itself explains the parable, then we know the intended point of the parable. But when the Bible only gives the parable without an answer key or explanation afterwards, we need to read the parable attentively and prayerfully, seeking to understand the point that the parable is intended to make.
So, what is a parable? A parable is a short story (sometimes very short) that functions as a simile or metaphor also functions – showing what something else outside the story is like. A simile does this by using the word like, and a metaphor does this by using the word is, as these two examples show us:
A parable, then, would say “My house is like this – there was a zookeeper and some wild animals at the zoo …” and then tell a brief story.
Now, the way a parable works, this parable would not not intend for us to figure out which animal at the zoo represents which family member! Instead, it would intend for us to understand that my house can be chaotic and noisy sometimes, or some such point.
Also, it is important to know that parables are on one hand “true to life,” but on the other hand not something that actually happened in life. In other words, a parable does not tell a fanciful, make-believe story, like a fairy tale or superhero adventure. It tells a story using every day, ordinary characters, objects, and situations, things which could and do actually happen, but does not refer to any particular, actual event which happened at any specific time or for any particular person.
So, we can summarize by saying that a parable is a short, pretend, but realistic story that teaches an important point about something that is similar but outside the story.
Why did Jesus use parables in his teaching ministry? That’s exactly what his twelve disciples asked him when he told the parable about the farmer, seed, and four types of ground (Matt 13:10). They said, “Why do you speak to them in parables?”
Christ’s parables explain truth about the kingdom of God.
Parables normally make a single, specific point, teaching one, important lesson about whatever the teacher or storyteller is trying to explain. In my previous illustration, the parable about my house being like a zookeeper and his animals would have a single, specific point to make about domestic, family life and is a story I might tell in a teaching series about parenting, for instance.
When Jesus used parables, he used them to explain specific things about the kingdom of God. So, on one hand, all of Christ’s parables are alike because they all teach something about the kingdom of God. On the other hand, all of Christ’s parables are unique because they each teach something different and special about the kingdom of God. Even when one parable seems similar to another, you will notice slightly different emphases and nuances and angles from one to the next.
Now, what is the kingdom of God? (Matthew calls this the kingdom of heaven, but the other gospel writers call it the kingdom of God, though both titles describe the same thing.)
So, what is the kingdom of God? In the New Testament, the “kingdom of God” refers to the rule and reign of God over his people. When Jesus spoke about it, he explained it as both a present reality and a future reality. The present reality consisted of people who willingly submitted to him by faith as their internal, spiritual Savior and King. The future reality, then, consisted of a future time when the entire world will submit to him as their external, physical King and Ruler.
The difficulty of living in God’s kingdom now is that we do so as a kingdom within a kingdom. Those who are in God’s kingdom are spread throughout the world, surrounded by the corrupt, sinful kingdoms of this world. We participate in this “invisible” kingdom from a minority position in the world at large and experience marginalization, misunderstanding, persecution, and suffering as a result.
Some who follow Christ or are considering doing so view participation in God’s kingdom as somewhat disappointing. They desire and hope for a more tangible, powerful kingdom, one that dominates and overthrows the ungodly governments and systems of this world. This is, in fact, what even Christ’s closest followers hoped for and believed that God had promised them he would do.
Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.” (Lk 17:20-21)
Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:8)
Paul dwelt two whole years in his own rented house, and received all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him. (Acts 28:30-31)
Christ taught a series of parables (many of them concentrated in Matt and Luke 13) which described key features and realities about the nature and operation of his kingdom today – in this period of time before the eventual, future, and everlasting establishment of his actual, physical, and universal kingdom as we understand kingdoms in the normal sense.
So, if you are a genuine believer and follower of Christ – one of his disciples – then these parables explain important things about the kingdom of God today, of which you are a part. What you see and experience right now as members of God’s kingdom is not everything that this kingdom will still become in the future and eternity, but it is still a very real kingdom even though it is invisible. And knowing that you are a part of this kingdom of God now should affect the way that you approach life, make decisions, set priorities, and behave towards other people. So, are you ready to learn some important things about being a member of God’s invisible kingdom today?
Christ’s parables both reveal and conceal their message.
So, why speak with parables? That’s what Christ’s disciples wanted to know.
To be sure, parables are interesting. It’s far more interesting and enjoyable to listen to someone tell a story than it is to listen to someone just explain information and make statements.
Parables are also memorable. It’s easier to remember a parable than a long lecture or speech because a parable is both interesting and short. These are certainly benefits to teaching with parables.
But neither of these benefits are the main reason why Jesus spoke with parables. He spoke with parables for another two-part purpose, and we know this is why he taught with parables, because he said so. Let’s hear how he explained his reason for speaking with parables.
He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. (Matt 13:11)
Here, Christ begins his answer for why he teaches with parables by using the “for,” which is a word that begins the explanation of a reason or purpose, and he explains it as though his reason has something to do with something God does or intended to do.
Christ’s purpose, here, is different from how we view effective teaching today. Today, we promote and value making information clear and easy-to-understand for everybody. For this reason, we work very hard to produce impressive graphics and visuals, choose vocabulary, and develop a speaking style which is easy for everyone to understand and most likely to get as many people as possible to respond favorably. TED Talks, for instance, aim to do this, to make important concepts and ideas easy and compelling for as many people as possible.
But this was not Christ’s purpose in teaching. It was not his goal to speak so clearly, simply, and persuasively that everyone who heard him could understand. Instead, he spoke in such a way that some people would understand and others would not understand. In other words, he was trying to explain truth about God’s kingdom to only certain people in the crowd, while filtering out other people in the crowd at the same time.
Do you remember when your parents would “spell out” words to each other so that you didn’t know what they were saying? They did this because the older people in the room needed to know certain things which they needed to keep hidden from the younger people in the room. This is essentially what Christ was doing when he taught with parables.
As Jesus explained, God had personally “given” or “granted” to only some people to know and understand the mysteries of the kingdom of God. This means that he had not given or granted to other people to understand these things. He explains this selective purpose even further.
For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. (Matt 13:12)
The idea is that people who already genuinely cared and were seeking to understand this truth would be given the opportunity to seek and understand even more. But people who had not cared and who had resisted previous, related truth would not be given the opportunity to learn more. Jesus explained this teaching strategy earlier this way:
Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces. (Matt 7:6)
People who participate in marketing and sales understand this approach to some degree. To gain customers and get sales, they give their front-end sales pitch to as many people as possible, but they reserve the best and most crucial information only for those people who respond with serious interest to their initial presentation.
Teachers and educators do the same thing. They don’t teach algebra to students who already refuse to do their homework for fractions and decimals. And they don’t assign reading assignments from long books to students who refuse to learn basic vocabulary and sentence structure.
So it is and even more so with the truth of the kingdom of God. As an aside, this is one reason, for instance, for the importance of baptism by immersion by people who claim to believe on Christ alone by faith alone for salvation.
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. (Matt 28:18-20)
If you notice, Christ positions “teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded” not before but after people have first understood the gospel well enough to have believed and been baptized. This sequence is importance because why should any believer or church invest significant energy and time into people who have only offered lip service but have not yet even taken the first step of obedience Christ commanded? For this reason, large churches are often filled with people who want to be taught and treated like serious followers of Christ and members of God’s kingdom, but they have yet to do the first thing that the king commands.
But the way that Christ taught with parables was designed to filter out and weed out people over time who were not genuine believers and followers of him.
Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. (Matt 13:13)
His point here is that if people who saw him and heard him couldn’t accept him as God, Savior, and King based upon what they had already seen and heard, what was the use of explaining to them anything more? They had already proven to be unserious about the faith they claimed to have in him. To emphasize the validity and legitimacy of this selective, filtering teaching method, Christ quoted the prophet Isaiah (Isa 6:9-10):
And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: ‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, and seeing you will see and not perceive; For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.’
This prophecy is so important that all four Gospel writers mention it as a crucial feature of Christ’s teaching ministry (Mk 4:12; Lk 8:10; Jn 12:40). In addition, Paul also emphasized this perspective as an important feature of his teaching approach, too (Acts 28:26, 27; Rom 11:8; 2 Cor 3:14, 15).
So, it is good for us to realize that for pastors and other who teach God’s Word to others (which should be every believer and member of any church!), it is not our job to explain biblical truth so clearly that everyone and their neighbor can understand in the clearest of terms and most complete way. But instead, it is our responsibility to explain the gospel as clearly as possible, then lead people to declare their faith through baptism. Once this has happened, we must teach everything else that Christ has taught us about being members of his kingdom. And we should do so in such a way that genuine believers hear and understand while at the same time antagonistic and superficial people do not understand.
So, then, Christ used parables first to reveal truth to people who were genuine believers and followers. Then, second, he used parables to conceal truth from people who were not genuine believers and followers. So, with parables, Jesus accomplished two opposite, contrasting purposes – to reveal important truth about his kingdom to some people and to conceal that same truth about his kingdom to other people.
How should we respond to this teaching and teaching methodology of Christ, by Paul, and given to the church as well? There are, it seems, two important possible responses.
Genuine believers will pay attention and understand.
As we study God’s Word, listen to preaching and teaching as a church, and so on, we should be able to evaluate ourselves – to observe ourselves – and ask whether we are interested and understanding what Christ said about the kingdom of God. This is especially true as we listen to what he taught through the kingdom parables.
If you are not interested in these parables, if you are confused by these parables, and if these parables do not seriously challenge and change your values, priorities, choices, and lifestyle as a follower of Christ, then you should evaluate whether you are a genuine believer and follower of Christ at all.
Many people liked Jesus and followed Jesus in the crowds of his earthly ministry, but a large majority of those people were not genuine, serious believers or followers. As such, God did not give them any further ability to understand what Christ said to them.
You see, to hear and understand God’s Word requires not only the ability to read and understand the words and language of the Bible as you might with any other literature, but it also requires spiritual help from the supernatural involvement of the Holy Spirit of God himself.
The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. For “who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ. (1 Cor 2:14-16)
A genuine follower of Christ will understand and rightly respond to the teaching of Scripture, while a non-genuine follower of Christ will not understand and will not obey the teaching of Christ from Scripture. They may be present, be listening on a superficial, academic, intellectual, or entertainment level, but they are not truly listening with a heart of faith and mind that understand. We know this because they do not respond in any meaningful, obedient way over time.
as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious. (1 Pet 2:2-3)
If you are not understanding, changing, and being transformed by your growing, increasing understanding of Christ’s teaching (i.e., through the kingdom parables, for instance), then either you need to take such learning and response more seriously to demonstrate your genuine faith or you need to examine whether you are truly “in the faith” in the first place.
Blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it. (Matt 13:16-17)
If you are genuinely grasping, growing, and responding to the teaching of God’s Word, then you are a very blessed person!
Antagonistic and superficial people will not understand.
As Christ explains so clearly, within the crowds of people who listen to Christian radio stations, follow Christian YouTube channels, and fill the seats and pews of Sunday worship services, not all – perhaps not most – are genuine believers and followers.
Among those who have not obeyed Christ’s most basic, first command of baptism, there are certainly many who fall into this category. They pretend to others or even persuade themselves into thinking that they are genuine believers and followers of Christ because they are in the crowd and hearing what God’s Word says. But we know they are not because they do not understand what Christ says, which we know because they do not do what Christ teaches.
This predicament is not the fault of the teacher – for not even Christ persuaded the masses to believe on him and to submit to him as King. Though it is entirely necessary for pastors, Bible teachers, and one-on-one mentors to be clear, knowledgeable, and engaging when we teach and explain God’s Word, it is not our responsibility to be so clear and engaging that everyone will understand and respond. Why? Because many people are so sinful and resolute in their unbelief that more information and explanation will not help them.
In fact, more information and explanation will only make things worse. It will make things worse for the pastor or teacher when the person responds more negatively than before, and it will also make things worse for the resistant person who will be held accountable for what they were able to understand but did not believer.
But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more. (Lk 12:48)
In conclusion, the parables of Jesus serve as a window that works differently on each side of the pane.
From the outside of the window to God’s kingdom, the windowpane seems smudged, opaque, and unclear, making it difficult to see what’s inside. In this way, the parables make truth about God’s kingdom harder to understand to those who are not serious about knowing and following Christ.
From the inside of the window to God’s kingdom, the windowpane seems crystal clear, making it even more easy to see and understand what it means to be a part of God’s kingdom. In this way, those who are serious about knowing and following Christ will gain greater understanding and ability to shape their thoughts, feelings, values, choices, and plans in a way that shows they are living for Christ as their King.
As we embark on this journey through the kingdom parables to being the New Year together in 2025, let us examine our own hearts, seeking not just to hear but to truly understand and live out the teachings of Christ. Let this be a time of spiritual growth, where we recognize our place in God's kingdom, understanding that to whom much is given, much is expected.
May we, who are genuine followers, find our faith deepened, our lives transformed, and our understanding of God's mysterious and magnificent kingdom expanded through these parables that Jesus told. For these parables are not just fictional tales, they are invitations to a deeper relationship with our King, challenging us to live in a way that reflects the reality of His reign both now and in the age to come.
Discussion Questions
Michael had an unusual habit of carrying around a small, potted plant wherever he went. One day, while sitting in the park, a stranger who also visited that park often couldn't help but ask, "Why do you always carry that plant with you?" Michael smiled, "This plant represents my commitment to life and growth. In the hustle of daily life, it's easy to forget about nurturing our personal health and surroundings. By caring for this plant, I remind myself to take time for personal growth and to appreciate the small wonders of nature. It's also a conversation starter that has helped me meet people like you."
Mrs. Alvarez was a science teacher who wore a different, brightly colored lab coat each day of the week. As her students were setting up for an experiment, one asked her, "Why do you change your lab coat every day?" Mrs. Alvarez said, "By changing my lab coat, I remind both myself and my students that science isn't just about white coats and sterile environments. It’s about curiosity and exploration, so each color represents a different branch of science - blue for physics, green for biology, red for chemistry, and so on. It's a fun way to celebrate the diversity of science and to inspire you to think in creative and exploratory ways. Plus, it makes coming to class a little more exciting!"
When we see that someone influential has a certain deliberate tendency or habit that is unusual and unique, we may wonder if it is a deliberate choice on their part and whether that choice is motivated by a special and important purpose. Habits like this are different, for instance, than nervous habits, such as coughing, tapping our feet, clearing our through, saying “um,” “like,” “you know,” and so on. They are deliberate habits with a purpose.
Jesus has a deliberate habit with a purpose. At one point, his closest disciples asked him about this habit – the habit of telling parables. So, they asked him why he did this and he gave them an answer, an answer which is somewhat surprising. So, today, we are going to take a close look at his answer to this question to discover why he taught with parables. And we are going to do this because we are going to focus the next few months as a church on the parables that he taught, which we call the “kingdom parables,” featured primarily in Matthew and Luke 13. So, let’s dive in to discover what are parables and why did Jesus use them!
Parables tell a story.
It seems that more than a third of Christ’s teaching recording in the Gospels was given as parables. Since parables were a prominent part of Christ’s teaching, we should know what a parable is so we can read, study, and interpret them correctly.
In early centuries, it was popular for prominent Bible teachers to interpret Christ’s parables as though they were deep and mystical allegories. So, they associated each character and object in each parable with people and ideas outside of the parable. For instance, a teacher named Origen claimed that in the parable of the Good Samaritan, the Samaritan represented Christ, the injured traveler represented Adam, the hotel the traveler rested in represented the church, and the injuries the traveler suffered represented Adam’s sin.
This kind of interpretation and Bible study misunderstands the nature and purpose of parables, leading to all sorts of random, strange, and speculative ideas and teaching.
A better approach is to first see whether Christ provides any interpretive keys, as he does in the parable that surrounds Matt 13:10-17. In vv. 1-9, he tells a parable about a farmer who planted seed on four kinds of soil. Then in vv. 18-23, he explains what the seed and four types of soil represent and what was the intended point of this parable.
When the Bible itself explains the parable, then we know the intended point of the parable. But when the Bible only gives the parable without an answer key or explanation afterwards, we need to read the parable attentively and prayerfully, seeking to understand the point that the parable is intended to make.
So, what is a parable? A parable is a short story (sometimes very short) that functions as a simile or metaphor also functions – showing what something else outside the story is like. A simile does this by using the word like, and a metaphor does this by using the word is, as these two examples show us:
- Simile: My house is like a zoo.
- Metaphor: My house is a zoo.
A parable, then, would say “My house is like this – there was a zookeeper and some wild animals at the zoo …” and then tell a brief story.
Now, the way a parable works, this parable would not not intend for us to figure out which animal at the zoo represents which family member! Instead, it would intend for us to understand that my house can be chaotic and noisy sometimes, or some such point.
Also, it is important to know that parables are on one hand “true to life,” but on the other hand not something that actually happened in life. In other words, a parable does not tell a fanciful, make-believe story, like a fairy tale or superhero adventure. It tells a story using every day, ordinary characters, objects, and situations, things which could and do actually happen, but does not refer to any particular, actual event which happened at any specific time or for any particular person.
So, we can summarize by saying that a parable is a short, pretend, but realistic story that teaches an important point about something that is similar but outside the story.
Why did Jesus use parables in his teaching ministry? That’s exactly what his twelve disciples asked him when he told the parable about the farmer, seed, and four types of ground (Matt 13:10). They said, “Why do you speak to them in parables?”
Christ’s parables explain truth about the kingdom of God.
Parables normally make a single, specific point, teaching one, important lesson about whatever the teacher or storyteller is trying to explain. In my previous illustration, the parable about my house being like a zookeeper and his animals would have a single, specific point to make about domestic, family life and is a story I might tell in a teaching series about parenting, for instance.
When Jesus used parables, he used them to explain specific things about the kingdom of God. So, on one hand, all of Christ’s parables are alike because they all teach something about the kingdom of God. On the other hand, all of Christ’s parables are unique because they each teach something different and special about the kingdom of God. Even when one parable seems similar to another, you will notice slightly different emphases and nuances and angles from one to the next.
Now, what is the kingdom of God? (Matthew calls this the kingdom of heaven, but the other gospel writers call it the kingdom of God, though both titles describe the same thing.)
So, what is the kingdom of God? In the New Testament, the “kingdom of God” refers to the rule and reign of God over his people. When Jesus spoke about it, he explained it as both a present reality and a future reality. The present reality consisted of people who willingly submitted to him by faith as their internal, spiritual Savior and King. The future reality, then, consisted of a future time when the entire world will submit to him as their external, physical King and Ruler.
The difficulty of living in God’s kingdom now is that we do so as a kingdom within a kingdom. Those who are in God’s kingdom are spread throughout the world, surrounded by the corrupt, sinful kingdoms of this world. We participate in this “invisible” kingdom from a minority position in the world at large and experience marginalization, misunderstanding, persecution, and suffering as a result.
Some who follow Christ or are considering doing so view participation in God’s kingdom as somewhat disappointing. They desire and hope for a more tangible, powerful kingdom, one that dominates and overthrows the ungodly governments and systems of this world. This is, in fact, what even Christ’s closest followers hoped for and believed that God had promised them he would do.
Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.” (Lk 17:20-21)
Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:8)
Paul dwelt two whole years in his own rented house, and received all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him. (Acts 28:30-31)
Christ taught a series of parables (many of them concentrated in Matt and Luke 13) which described key features and realities about the nature and operation of his kingdom today – in this period of time before the eventual, future, and everlasting establishment of his actual, physical, and universal kingdom as we understand kingdoms in the normal sense.
So, if you are a genuine believer and follower of Christ – one of his disciples – then these parables explain important things about the kingdom of God today, of which you are a part. What you see and experience right now as members of God’s kingdom is not everything that this kingdom will still become in the future and eternity, but it is still a very real kingdom even though it is invisible. And knowing that you are a part of this kingdom of God now should affect the way that you approach life, make decisions, set priorities, and behave towards other people. So, are you ready to learn some important things about being a member of God’s invisible kingdom today?
Christ’s parables both reveal and conceal their message.
So, why speak with parables? That’s what Christ’s disciples wanted to know.
To be sure, parables are interesting. It’s far more interesting and enjoyable to listen to someone tell a story than it is to listen to someone just explain information and make statements.
Parables are also memorable. It’s easier to remember a parable than a long lecture or speech because a parable is both interesting and short. These are certainly benefits to teaching with parables.
But neither of these benefits are the main reason why Jesus spoke with parables. He spoke with parables for another two-part purpose, and we know this is why he taught with parables, because he said so. Let’s hear how he explained his reason for speaking with parables.
He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. (Matt 13:11)
Here, Christ begins his answer for why he teaches with parables by using the “for,” which is a word that begins the explanation of a reason or purpose, and he explains it as though his reason has something to do with something God does or intended to do.
Christ’s purpose, here, is different from how we view effective teaching today. Today, we promote and value making information clear and easy-to-understand for everybody. For this reason, we work very hard to produce impressive graphics and visuals, choose vocabulary, and develop a speaking style which is easy for everyone to understand and most likely to get as many people as possible to respond favorably. TED Talks, for instance, aim to do this, to make important concepts and ideas easy and compelling for as many people as possible.
But this was not Christ’s purpose in teaching. It was not his goal to speak so clearly, simply, and persuasively that everyone who heard him could understand. Instead, he spoke in such a way that some people would understand and others would not understand. In other words, he was trying to explain truth about God’s kingdom to only certain people in the crowd, while filtering out other people in the crowd at the same time.
Do you remember when your parents would “spell out” words to each other so that you didn’t know what they were saying? They did this because the older people in the room needed to know certain things which they needed to keep hidden from the younger people in the room. This is essentially what Christ was doing when he taught with parables.
As Jesus explained, God had personally “given” or “granted” to only some people to know and understand the mysteries of the kingdom of God. This means that he had not given or granted to other people to understand these things. He explains this selective purpose even further.
For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. (Matt 13:12)
The idea is that people who already genuinely cared and were seeking to understand this truth would be given the opportunity to seek and understand even more. But people who had not cared and who had resisted previous, related truth would not be given the opportunity to learn more. Jesus explained this teaching strategy earlier this way:
Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces. (Matt 7:6)
People who participate in marketing and sales understand this approach to some degree. To gain customers and get sales, they give their front-end sales pitch to as many people as possible, but they reserve the best and most crucial information only for those people who respond with serious interest to their initial presentation.
Teachers and educators do the same thing. They don’t teach algebra to students who already refuse to do their homework for fractions and decimals. And they don’t assign reading assignments from long books to students who refuse to learn basic vocabulary and sentence structure.
So it is and even more so with the truth of the kingdom of God. As an aside, this is one reason, for instance, for the importance of baptism by immersion by people who claim to believe on Christ alone by faith alone for salvation.
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. (Matt 28:18-20)
If you notice, Christ positions “teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded” not before but after people have first understood the gospel well enough to have believed and been baptized. This sequence is importance because why should any believer or church invest significant energy and time into people who have only offered lip service but have not yet even taken the first step of obedience Christ commanded? For this reason, large churches are often filled with people who want to be taught and treated like serious followers of Christ and members of God’s kingdom, but they have yet to do the first thing that the king commands.
But the way that Christ taught with parables was designed to filter out and weed out people over time who were not genuine believers and followers of him.
Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. (Matt 13:13)
His point here is that if people who saw him and heard him couldn’t accept him as God, Savior, and King based upon what they had already seen and heard, what was the use of explaining to them anything more? They had already proven to be unserious about the faith they claimed to have in him. To emphasize the validity and legitimacy of this selective, filtering teaching method, Christ quoted the prophet Isaiah (Isa 6:9-10):
And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: ‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, and seeing you will see and not perceive; For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.’
This prophecy is so important that all four Gospel writers mention it as a crucial feature of Christ’s teaching ministry (Mk 4:12; Lk 8:10; Jn 12:40). In addition, Paul also emphasized this perspective as an important feature of his teaching approach, too (Acts 28:26, 27; Rom 11:8; 2 Cor 3:14, 15).
So, it is good for us to realize that for pastors and other who teach God’s Word to others (which should be every believer and member of any church!), it is not our job to explain biblical truth so clearly that everyone and their neighbor can understand in the clearest of terms and most complete way. But instead, it is our responsibility to explain the gospel as clearly as possible, then lead people to declare their faith through baptism. Once this has happened, we must teach everything else that Christ has taught us about being members of his kingdom. And we should do so in such a way that genuine believers hear and understand while at the same time antagonistic and superficial people do not understand.
So, then, Christ used parables first to reveal truth to people who were genuine believers and followers. Then, second, he used parables to conceal truth from people who were not genuine believers and followers. So, with parables, Jesus accomplished two opposite, contrasting purposes – to reveal important truth about his kingdom to some people and to conceal that same truth about his kingdom to other people.
How should we respond to this teaching and teaching methodology of Christ, by Paul, and given to the church as well? There are, it seems, two important possible responses.
Genuine believers will pay attention and understand.
As we study God’s Word, listen to preaching and teaching as a church, and so on, we should be able to evaluate ourselves – to observe ourselves – and ask whether we are interested and understanding what Christ said about the kingdom of God. This is especially true as we listen to what he taught through the kingdom parables.
If you are not interested in these parables, if you are confused by these parables, and if these parables do not seriously challenge and change your values, priorities, choices, and lifestyle as a follower of Christ, then you should evaluate whether you are a genuine believer and follower of Christ at all.
Many people liked Jesus and followed Jesus in the crowds of his earthly ministry, but a large majority of those people were not genuine, serious believers or followers. As such, God did not give them any further ability to understand what Christ said to them.
You see, to hear and understand God’s Word requires not only the ability to read and understand the words and language of the Bible as you might with any other literature, but it also requires spiritual help from the supernatural involvement of the Holy Spirit of God himself.
The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. For “who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ. (1 Cor 2:14-16)
A genuine follower of Christ will understand and rightly respond to the teaching of Scripture, while a non-genuine follower of Christ will not understand and will not obey the teaching of Christ from Scripture. They may be present, be listening on a superficial, academic, intellectual, or entertainment level, but they are not truly listening with a heart of faith and mind that understand. We know this because they do not respond in any meaningful, obedient way over time.
as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious. (1 Pet 2:2-3)
If you are not understanding, changing, and being transformed by your growing, increasing understanding of Christ’s teaching (i.e., through the kingdom parables, for instance), then either you need to take such learning and response more seriously to demonstrate your genuine faith or you need to examine whether you are truly “in the faith” in the first place.
Blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it. (Matt 13:16-17)
If you are genuinely grasping, growing, and responding to the teaching of God’s Word, then you are a very blessed person!
Antagonistic and superficial people will not understand.
As Christ explains so clearly, within the crowds of people who listen to Christian radio stations, follow Christian YouTube channels, and fill the seats and pews of Sunday worship services, not all – perhaps not most – are genuine believers and followers.
Among those who have not obeyed Christ’s most basic, first command of baptism, there are certainly many who fall into this category. They pretend to others or even persuade themselves into thinking that they are genuine believers and followers of Christ because they are in the crowd and hearing what God’s Word says. But we know they are not because they do not understand what Christ says, which we know because they do not do what Christ teaches.
This predicament is not the fault of the teacher – for not even Christ persuaded the masses to believe on him and to submit to him as King. Though it is entirely necessary for pastors, Bible teachers, and one-on-one mentors to be clear, knowledgeable, and engaging when we teach and explain God’s Word, it is not our responsibility to be so clear and engaging that everyone will understand and respond. Why? Because many people are so sinful and resolute in their unbelief that more information and explanation will not help them.
In fact, more information and explanation will only make things worse. It will make things worse for the pastor or teacher when the person responds more negatively than before, and it will also make things worse for the resistant person who will be held accountable for what they were able to understand but did not believer.
But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more. (Lk 12:48)
In conclusion, the parables of Jesus serve as a window that works differently on each side of the pane.
From the outside of the window to God’s kingdom, the windowpane seems smudged, opaque, and unclear, making it difficult to see what’s inside. In this way, the parables make truth about God’s kingdom harder to understand to those who are not serious about knowing and following Christ.
From the inside of the window to God’s kingdom, the windowpane seems crystal clear, making it even more easy to see and understand what it means to be a part of God’s kingdom. In this way, those who are serious about knowing and following Christ will gain greater understanding and ability to shape their thoughts, feelings, values, choices, and plans in a way that shows they are living for Christ as their King.
As we embark on this journey through the kingdom parables to being the New Year together in 2025, let us examine our own hearts, seeking not just to hear but to truly understand and live out the teachings of Christ. Let this be a time of spiritual growth, where we recognize our place in God's kingdom, understanding that to whom much is given, much is expected.
May we, who are genuine followers, find our faith deepened, our lives transformed, and our understanding of God's mysterious and magnificent kingdom expanded through these parables that Jesus told. For these parables are not just fictional tales, they are invitations to a deeper relationship with our King, challenging us to live in a way that reflects the reality of His reign both now and in the age to come.
Discussion Questions
- Can you remember any stories told to you by someone that were especially impactful? What are some benefits to using parables to help us understand truth?
- What makes interpreting the parables different from interpreting other parts of Scripture?
- What risks do we take if we are not careful about how we interpret distinct kinds of Scripture?
- Why did Jesus used parables in teaching?
- What is the kingdom of God?
- What does a person’s response to the parables and other more complex forms of Scripture say about our relationship to God and His kingdom?
Posted in Sermon Manuscript
Posted in Parables, Kingdom of God, Matthew, Bible Study, Hermeneutics, Bible Interpretation, New Testament, Isaiah
Posted in Parables, Kingdom of God, Matthew, Bible Study, Hermeneutics, Bible Interpretation, New Testament, Isaiah
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