The Purpose of the Parables
Matthew: The King and His Kingdom • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 35:31
0 ratings
· 12 viewsJesus’ parables conceal and reveal truth: concealment from hardened clay, revelation to the softened wax.
Files
Notes
Transcript
Call to Worship
Call to Worship
Adoration
Adoration
Confession
Confession
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving
Message
Message
10 Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?”
11 And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.
12 For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.
13 This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.
14 Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: “ ‘ “You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.”
15 For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’
16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear.
17 For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.
People will often say things like…
“Jesus’ parables put the cookies on the bottom shelf”
“Jesus told stories so everyone could understand them”
“Jesus used the best teaching methods available to Him!”
It’s sad that these types of phrases have become common place for preachers.
Mainly because they misunderstand Jesus’ preaching style.
His preaching style was not trying to make it easier for everyone.
Jesus had previously clarified His true family.
50 For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”
With his family waiting outside the house to scold him for saying what they perceived to be ridiculous claims.
Matthew 13 begins the third great discourse in Matthew’s gospel.
1 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea.
2 And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach.
3 And he told them many things in parables,
10 Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?”
11 And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.
12 For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.
13 This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.
Parables are well known, but misunderstood.
When Jesus’ ministry started using parables we must recognize a shift occured.
He had already acknowledged earlier that hostility would grow toward Him and His disciples.
Hostility has grown and now the parables really begin to ramp up.
“The same sun that melts wax hardens clay” —C. H. Spurgeon
Jesus’ parables conceal and reveal truth: concealment from hardened clay, revelation to the softened wax.
Jesus’ parables conceal and reveal truth: concealment from hardened clay, revelation to the softened wax.
What is a parable?
The word “parable” (Gk: παραβολαῖς) which comes from two words for “alongside” (Gk: παρα) and “to throw” (Gk: βολή).
Some have called them…
“an earthly story with a heavenly meaning” —Author Unknown, but colloquially well-known.
Memes are pictures that represent something beyond themselves.
Now if you didn’t understand the characters, or the context, it would not be funny.
A meme is weird pictures and phrases without any meaning if the context is not understood.
In Matthew 13:3-10, Jesus opens His teaching with a parable of seeds and soils.
He’s clearly unfolding in a new way the kingdom of God, so the disciples want to understand this shift.
Previously Jesus focused on signs and wonders in the spreading of the gospel to the “lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matthew 10:6).
Jesus will now display the kingdom of God through parables.
11 And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.
The parables conceal the truth from the hardened clay.
The parables conceal the truth from the hardened clay.
Those who are far from God will have the kingdom of God concealed from them.
Not everyone who hears the words of Jesus are His followers.
There are those who have the secrets of the kingdom concealed from them.
11 And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.
Truth concealed because of God’s Sovereign judgment.
Truth concealed because of God’s Sovereign judgment.
Notice the division we see in the text between “you” (the disciples) and “them” (those outside).
To the in crowd, Jesus is revealing through the parables something that was once hidden but is being made known.
The “secrets of the kingdom” was the once hidden but now being revealed reality of the inbreaking kingdom of God.
In the Old Testament, the anticipation for the kingdom of God was something people thought would come in a blaze of glory.
“[The] mystery of the Kingdom is the coming of the Kingdom into history in advance of its apocalyptic manifestation…
The new truth, now given to men by revelation in the person and mission of Jesus, is that the Kingdom which is to come finally in apocalyptic power, as foreseen by Daniel, has in fact entered into the world in advance in a hidden form to work secretly within and among men”” —George Ladd
This reality applies to you especially if you’re one who has grown up with the teachings of Jesus.
You hear these words of Jesus and they seem to drone on and on.
But you’re not moved by them.
What is His teaching doing to you?
Does it move your affection for Christ?
Does it cause you to press into Him more?
12 For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.
Those who have NOT been shown the secrets of the kingdom will not be able to grasp anything.
Think of the Jewish leaders: they saw Jesus’ miracles, the heard His teaching, and they conclude that He’s Satan’s vessel.
13 This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.
Truth concealed because of a failure to perceive (eyes).
Truth concealed because of a failure to perceive (eyes).
The purpose of parables is not primarily about effectivity, it’s judgment.
The parables represent a way of preaching and teaching that both illuminates and veils.
It illuminates to those who have ears to hear, but it veils to those who are hardened to the truth.
“So what you’re saying is that God withholds the truth from those who want it?”
no one seeks for God.
That question sets up an unrealistic scenario.
There’s nobody on their own who seeks God on His terms
They may want to see for curiosity sake.
They may want to see so they can tell others that they looked.
They may even want to see thinking they’ll get some other thing out of it.
If you’re an unbeliever here, I wonder what you think of this teaching of Jesus?
Better yet, how do you perceive Jesus at all?
Is He a good teacher?
Is He a nice guy?
Is He sometimes confusing?
14 Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: “ ‘ “You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.”
15 For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’
Truth concealed because of a failure to receive (ears).
Truth concealed because of a failure to receive (ears).
In Isaiah 6, God revealed Himself to Isaiah in this heavenly courtroom scene.
After the vision, God asks among the heavenly courtroom…
8 And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.”
Isaiah raised his hand and volunteered to be sent to Israel as a prophet.
God had already promised them that they were a people under His judgment.
9 And he said, “Go, and say to this people: “ ‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’
Lit: “Hearing you will hear and never understand, and seeing you will see and never perceive” (Hb: Isaiah 6:9).
The hardened heart of the Jews under the Old Covenant produced closed ears, which hardened their eyes toward the coming of Christ.
Those who have become like the idols they serve: blind, deaf, and heartless.
Isaiah 6 reveals that Yahweh’s punishment of judgment on Israel will not be completed in a short time but will last under the cities lie waste without inhabitant (Isaiah 6:11).
The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Volume 8: Matthew, Mark, Luke 1) On Understanding Parables (13:10–17)
The Messiah who comes to reveal the Father (
The Christian can be assured that the Word of Truth always accomplishes God’s purposes for it.
Even though the parables and the teachings of Jesus conceals truth from those who are hardened to the gospel, we know that God’s purposes come to pass perfectly.
21 Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?
We have no right to judge or question the decrees of God.
Nor should we spend our time doing so.
But as we speak the truth, those who we once thought were hardened to the gospel, reveal softened hearts broken over their sin.
The Christian cannot loose in their evangelistic efforts.
As people hear the teaching of the Word of God they are either hardened further or softened by the Spirit.
This matters for sharing the Word of God with our children.
Never loose hope when your child seems hardened to the truth of Scripture.
14 Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: “ ‘ “You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.”
15 For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’
Truth concealed because of hardness of heart.
Truth concealed because of hardness of heart.
Man’s heart apart from God is blind to beauty and unfeeling like fat.
Their hearts and consciences are seared by the sin that they love and cherish.
There’s a lie that people can believe that sounds like, “If I’m a nice enough person, then people will become a Christian!”
Jesus was perfect.
And even His life did not persuade His hearers.
So if you think…“My life will be good enough to tell others about the gospel!”
They watched Him live and were as blind as moles to Him.
Even when He spoke they were often as deaf men.
A person on their own without the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit within them, does not have a chance.
It’s only after the quickening of the Spirit of God through the visible Christ, heard by the Spirit of grace, brought near the Son of God given for sinners.
But when the beauty of the gospel begins to affect a heart, their eyes see the uniqueness of a transformed life, they hear a message of grace and life in Christ Jesus, and thus their lives are transformed.
“So what you’re saying is that Jesus is preaching the parables in order to trip people up!”
Not a chance.
The parables don’t trip people up.
They reveal what’s within them already.
The parables expose the hardness of a person’s heart, not create it.
The parables reveal the truth to the softened wax
The parables reveal the truth to the softened wax
Jesus’ disciples (those chosen of God) will have the secrets of the kingdom revealed to them.
Truth revealed only by God’s Sovereign election.
Truth revealed only by God’s Sovereign election.
By election we mean God’s choosing.
God’s selecting His people according to His purposes.
11 And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.
Jesus’ disciples stand in a remarkably different place in reference to Jesus than the crowds do.
They’re close in proximity to Jesus, but far from Him.
The disciples have a spiritual nearness to Jesus that is distinct for them.
The crowds on the other hand may hear his teaching, but they’re often disinterested.
Whereas the disciples hear His teaching and press in for more.
The secrets of the kingdom of God are the things that were once concealed, but now becoming revealed in the dawning of the kingdom of God.
They were once hidden, but now they’re being fully made known in the coming of Christ.
This is how people are changed to this day.
They see transformed lives of Jesus’ followers.
They hear the message of the saving gospel, that those who are dead in their sins can be forgiven.
And thus a person’s heart is transformed.
They’re moved from hearts that are blind and unfeeling to hearts that are sensitive to the things of God.
Truth revealed in abundance to Jesus’ disciples.
Truth revealed in abundance to Jesus’ disciples.
12 For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.
To those whom God’s grace has smiled upon, receive an overwhelming flood of abundance.
Truth revealed to soft hearts with open ears and perceptive eyes.
Truth revealed to soft hearts with open ears and perceptive eyes.
16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear.
The same word that Jesus uses in the Sermon on the Mount, “blessed” or “happy” are your eyes.
Their eyes are happy because they see their redemption face to face.
Jesus is not merely a good teacher.
Jesus is the Lord Himself come near.
17 For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.
Many prophets longed to see the dawning of the Messiah.
And these unlikely men get to see Him.
It makes you wonder, “How do I know which group I’m in?”
It’s not that complicated: those who draw near to Jesus for further clarity are the soft-hearted ones.
10 And when he was alone, those around him with the twelve asked him about the parables.
It’s not that the disciples themselves were immediately zapped with secret knowledge.
They confusion drew them closer to their Lord for further clarity.
It drew them near to Him in repentance.
It drew them near to Him for clarity.
