Introduction to Jesus’s Parables

Introduction

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Tonight I will be giving a shorter message, namely to give us time to help with the yard sale. Tonight we are beginning our look at the Parables of Jesus.

Message Thesis

The question I want to answer with my message is this: Why did Jesus teach in parables? The truth is that we are not only in wondering this, as His disciples also asked this question. That is why we have the answer! So join me as we look at Matthew 13 to find the answer to this question. I will not be doing a full breakdown of this whole passage, but I will be explaining some of it.

Passage Of Scripture

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 13

10 Then the disciples came up and asked him, “Why are you speaking to them in parables?”

11 He answered, “Because the secrets of the kingdom of heaven have been given for you to know, but it has not been given to them. 12 For whoever has, more will be given to him, and he will have more than enough; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. 13 That is why I speak to them in parables, because looking they do not see, and hearing they do not listen or understand. 14 Isaiah’s prophecy is fulfilled in them, which says:

You will listen and listen,

but never understand;

you will look and look,

but never perceive.

15 For this people’s heart has grown callous;

their ears are hard of hearing,

and they have shut their eyes;

otherwise they might see with their eyes,

and hear with their ears, and

understand with their hearts,

and turn back—

and I would heal them.,

16 “Blessed are your eyes because they do see, and your ears because they do hear. 17 For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see the things you see but didn’t see them, to hear the things you hear but didn’t hear them.

Pray

Context

At this point in Jesus’s ministry, He is teaching a lot. He would heal, forgive of sin, cast out demons, and teach and teach and teach. Jesus truly poured out to those around Him constantly. In this case, He just told a parable, a quite popular one too, and His disciples did not understand it. So, then went to Him and asked Him why He taught this way.

What is a parable?

Briefly, though, what is a parable? A parable is a fictitious story with a meaning behind it.

3 Principles to Consider First

Before we dive into this passage, it is important to note a couple things. The parables do not all have explanations in Scripture. This means it has been left to us to interpret them, and that has led many to misinterpret them and abuse the Scriptures for their preferences. So, I want to give you all three principles from David Platt before diving into them:

Listen from the Hearers Perspective, Not Yours

It is easy to hear a parable and immediately say, “What does this mean for me?” But Jesus directly said this parable to some people thousands of years ago in a different country and culture. So, if you want to understand what Jesus meant when He said this, you need to consider what it meant to those He was speaking to.

Look for the Main Point

Every parable has a main point, just like every sermon should! Find the main point.

Let the Truth Change Your Perception

Like I preached on recently: we do not decide truth, but rather we must deny our own opinions and change them to what the truth is. Let God’s Word shape you as you sit under it.

Now, why did Jesus teach in parables?

The Truth is Reserved

Verse 11

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 13

“Because the secrets of the kingdom of heaven have been given for you to know, but it has not been given to them.

This is somewhat startling. Jesus is saying that the truth of the Kingdom of Heaven, which He was preaching, was given to some, but it was not given to others. In this case, He is talking to His 12 disciples and about those who followed but never submitted to Jesus.

This point that the truth of the Gospel is reserved for some to know but not others is the answer to our question, as it is the main answer Jesus gives in this passage. But we need try to dig deeper into what this means, rather than just leave it there. What does this mean? We need to look at how Jesus expounds on this answer

Verse 12

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 13

12 For whoever has, more will be given to him, and he will have more than enough; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.

This verse might just make you more confused. What does this have to do with parables and knowing the truth?

Jesus is saying that those who have faith to trust Jesus when they do not understand His teaching will receive understanding, but those who lack faith will lose any understanding they have.

These followers who were just following Jesus for the show never had faith in Him as the Son of God. When the teachings were confusing, they walked away or demanded another miracle. It would not have been good for Jesus to teach in a way that just made crystal clear sense because they lacked faith in Him. He wanted those with truth faith in Him, who would be trusting and seek to understand the truth, He wanted them to know the truth.

Verses 13-15

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 13

13 That is why I speak to them in parables, because looking they do not see, and hearing they do not listen or understand. 14 Isaiah’s prophecy is fulfilled in them, which says:

You will listen and listen,

but never understand;

you will look and look,

but never perceive.

15 For this people’s heart has grown callous;

their ears are hard of hearing,

and they have shut their eyes;

otherwise they might see with their eyes,

and hear with their ears, and

understand with their hearts,

and turn back—

and I would heal them.

See how Jesus and the book of Isaiah describe these faithless people:

Looking they do not see

Hearing they do not understand

They will never perceive

Their hearts are callous

Their ears cannot hear

Their eyes are shut

Notice, we cannot just say that God in His sovereignty is rejecting these people—but they are rejecting Him simultaneously. They are shutting their eyes to the truth of what they see. They are closing their ears to what they hear. The truth is available to them, but they are rejecting it.

This is still true today. People who do not want to know who God is, really, will not know the truth. They are shutting their eyes and closing their ears. But if you want to know who God is and you want a relationship with Him, if you are willing to lose your life for the sake of knowing your Creator, then you will. The Lord is available.

Verses 16-17

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 13

16 “Blessed are your eyes because they do see, and your ears because they do hear. 17 For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see the things you see but didn’t see them, to hear the things you hear but didn’t hear them.

And if you hear the truth and have faith in Jesus: you are blessed. So many in the past every single day longed to know who the Messiah was. They longed for Jesus, but they couldn’t know Him like the disciples did. They longed to know Him like we do.

We are blessed to know our Lord in the way we do. So, have faith in Jesus. Open your eyes. Open your ears to His word. Accept Him as your Lord. Else you be rejected as you reject Him.