The Purpose of Parables

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Introduction

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The Parable of the Sower

13 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, saying: “A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. 5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, 6 but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8 Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 He who has ears, let him hear.”

The Purpose of the 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. 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.

As we start into chapter 13 I want to take some time to introduce a pivotal change that takes place in Jesus’ ministry. The change is significant, and it has to do with Jesus’ method of communication to those who follow him. In other words, Jesus is going to employ a different way of teaching, he’s going to speak to the people in parables.

Speaking in parables only

In fact, from this point on, we’re told that Jesus will say nothing to the crowds without a parable. In Matthew chapter 13, verse 34, we read,

34 All these things Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed, he said nothing to them without a parable.

And in Mark’s Gospel, chapter 4, verses 33-34, we read,
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33 With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it. 34 He did not speak to them without a parable, but privately to his own disciples he explained everything.

Sermon contrasted with parable

Sermon contrasted with parable

This is a huge change in how Jesus will teach the crowds concerning the kingdom of heaven. And up to this point Jesus’ teachings have largely been propositional. Or to say it another way, Jesus’ teachings have been straightforward assertions and arguments, much like a sermon, which is intended to explain and apply a certain point or truth. And that explanation is then intended to be used to encourage, admonish, and rebuke its hearers. It’s a straightforward presentation of information used communicate a point.
This is why Jesus’ teaching back in Matthew chapters 5-7 is known as Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. The way Jesus taught back in chapters 5-7 is very different than what we’ll see in chapters 13 and beyond. In fact, there’s arguably only two recorded parables from Jesus up to this point, and we’re already almost two years into his three years of ministry. Which means Jesus will spend the remainder of his earthly ministry (over a year) speaking almost exclusively to the people in parables.

Why use parables?

Now, some of the most burning questions at this point are, why would Jesus begin speaking exclusively in parables to the crowds? What’s his reasoning for doing this? And what prompted him to do this?
And it’s with those questions that I want to spend a majority of our time together answering. My desire, in essence, is to get into the mind of Jesus. And the wonderful thing is, is that we can do this successfully simply because of what Jesus himself said, and because of what his Apostles record for us. Therefore, those who have ears to hear let him hear.

Emulating the use of parable

Now, there are many who argue that Jesus used parables in order to make hard truths easier to understand and to comprehend. In fact, many have argued that Jesus’ use of parables is an example that we should emulate, or an example that we should follow. That rather than using straightforward, propositional preaching that we should use primarily parables and stories like Jesus did.
There are essentially two reasons Jesus will use parables when speaking to the people. The first reason is simple
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While on one hand, it’s certainly a noble effort for any teacher to do whatever possible to make their material understandable, the argument that Jesus wants us to emulate his use of parable to teach is overlooking one very important point. That important point is found here in verses 10-16, let’s read it again together,

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.

​

Parables are a judgement

The use of parable can illustrate and clarify the truth that Jesus intends to communicate, but only to those who have ears to hear, therefore Jesus’ use of parables is also intended to have the opposite affect on those who do not have ears to hear (Parables, MacArthur, p. xix). In essence, Jesus’ use of parables is a judgement against those who have no intention of hearing, those who have closed their eyes. In fact, given the emphasis Jesus puts here on judgement I would venture to say it’s the primary reason Jesus begins teaching to the crowds in parables.
Now, you’ll recall, over the last few months, we’ve spent significant time in chapters 11 and 12 witnessing the indifference of the crowds toward Jesus, and the outright hostility of the scribes and Pharisees toward Jesus. Well, it’s with that backstory that Jesus makes the decision going forward to speak exclusively in parables, it’s because of what we witnessed in chapters 11 and 12 that Jesus turns to speaking to them in parables only. The parables are meant to hide, using symbolism, what Jesus is teaching, to those who do not believe him.
The parables are meant hide meaning with their symbolism to those who
It was Pharisee’s blasphemy against the Holy Spirit that made it clear that they had no interest in whether or not Jesus’ messianic credentials were legitimate, for them Jesus was simply a threat to their religious power. The Apostle John, in his Gospel, records for us in chapter 11, verse 47,

the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council and said, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. 48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”

47 So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council and said, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. 48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”

Parables an act of mercy

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Therefore, first and foremost, Jesus speaks in parables as a divine judgement upon those who have closed their eyes and stopped up their ears. However, while this is an act of judgement against the unbelief in Israel, it is also a merciful act on Jesus’ part.
In chapter 11, starting in verse 20, we read that Jesus "began to denounce the cities where most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent,” therefore making it “more tolerable on the day of judgement for the land of Sodom than for [them].” What Jesus was saying is that the people of Galilee who rejected him would incur greater judgement than those of even Sodom and Gomorrah. Why? Because those in Galilee had seen a greater light than those in Sodom, those in Galilee had seen the Messiah in the flesh, accompanied by his mighty works, yet many of them still refused to repent. Therefore, Jesus said, it would be more bearable for those in Sodom than for them.
How much more wicked would it be for us to reject Christ in light of seeing him face to face, in light of witnessing his many miracles, than it would be if we had not seen these things? Therefore, in once sense, it is a merciful thing for Jesus to have shield the minds of those who willingly opposed him from a greater light, a greater understanding. Further illumination would only serve to heap upon them greater condemnation.

Parables can illustrate and clarify

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Now, as I mentioned earlier, Jesus’ use of parables can also illustrate and clarify the truth that Jesus intends to communicate, but only to those who have ears to hear, only to those who have a childlike faith, who have a willingness to listen.
One of the things that I enjoy watching is a good formal debate where two differing arguments are made and contrasted in front of an audience, where each side has an opportunity to make their strongest arguments and cross-examine one another with a series of questions. This processes goes on and on, back and forth, until each side gives their final rebuttal and closing remarks.
And what I’ve noticed about many of these debates, is that often neither party is genuinely interested, or willing, to be convinced by the other party. The event often becomes more of a competition of wits and charisma rather than an effort to discern truth. Often times one party will make a significantly better argument than the other on a particular point, and yet the other party only increases their opposition (they dig their heels in further), they have no intention of yielding or learning from the other side.

Willingness to hear is key

This is similar to the attitude of the scribe and Pharisees. They would rather malign Jesus and blaspheme the Holy Spirit than submit to him. They would rather murder him then have to follow him. However, it’s exactly the opposite for those who are willing to listen to Jesus. If what he says is true, and if he really is who he claims to be then there’s only one option, to follow him, even if that means leaving everything behind to do so - whether father or mother, a career, or anything else. It may mean persecution and suffering even, but if Jesus has the words of eternal life where else could we go?
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Look again with me there at verse 16,

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.

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There’s an incredible blessing associated with the hearing and obeying of Jesus’ words. And a willingness to listen and obey is the key to understanding his parables. The primary stumbling block that will keep you from understanding Jesus’ parables is simply indifference, or an unwillingness to understand. Anytime the disciples don’t understand one of Jesus’ parables they’ll ask him and he’ll gladly explain its meaning to them, because they want to know, they’re eager to understand.

Blessed are your eyes

In fact, Jesus tells them that there were those in the OT that longed to see and understand what he is teaching and revealing through his parables, and they did not see it, not because they were not willing, but because these things had not yet been revealed. The OT Jews could not see how salvation would be brought to the Gentiles, they couldn’t see how the accomplishing of their salvation would play out, but the disciples of Jesus can know, because Jesus is revealing it to them. Jesus is revealing to them the mystery of the Gospel.
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And it isn’t that Jesus’ parables are some kind of secret knowledge that only a select few can understand or know, this isn’t some form of gnosticism, rather it’s just that we are immensely privileged to witness the mystery of God’s kingdom and of our salvation unfold before our eyes.
Therefore my desire is that we would come to these parables together with a heart open and eager to see, open and eager to understand. That we would come before God’s word with a desire to understand it and obey it, to learn from it, to submit to it.

Prayer

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