A parable is a simple or short story that was used in the Bible to teach or illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson. Jesus used parables a number of times in his teachings. The Parable of the Good Samaritan, the Rich Man and Lazarus, and the Parable of the Sower are among many memorable stories from Jesus that are recorded in the Gospels. The Bible says Jesus did not say anything to the people without using a parable, but afterward he would privately explain everything to his disciples. (Mark 4:34)
Why Did Jesus Use Parables?
In a lengthy dialogue that Jesus had with his disciples, they asked Jesus, “Why do you use parables when you talk to the people?” He answered them, “You have been allowed to understand the secrets to the kingdom of heaven, but others have not. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them. That is why I use these parables, For they look, but they don’t really see. They hear, but they don’t really listen or understand.” (Mathew 13:10-13)
Jesus continued by saying, “This fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah that says, “When you hear what I say, you will not understand. When you see what I do, you will not comprehend. For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them. “But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear.”(Mathew 14:16)
Some Don’t Want The Truth
To sum it all up and put it in a nutshell, some people don’t want to know the truth. This is why Jesus used parables. The same parable that reveals a divine truth to those who are really listening, it will not be understood by people who have hardened their hearts. May God bless us with eyes to see and ears to hear!
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