The Purpose of the Parables
Matthew 13:10-17, 34, 35
10 Then the disciples came and asked him, ‘Why do you speak to them in parables?’ 11 He answered, ‘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 those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. 13 The reason I speak to them in parables is that “seeing they do not perceive, and hearing they do not listen, nor do they understand.” 14 With them indeed is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah that says:
“You will indeed listen, but never understand,
and you will indeed look, but never perceive.
15 For this people’s heart has grown dull, and their ears are hard of hearing,
and they have shut their eyes;
so that they might not look with their eyes, and listen 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 Truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it….
34 Jesus told the crowds all these things in parables; without a parable he told them nothing. 35 This was to fulfil what had been spoken through the prophet:[e]
‘I will open my mouth to speak in parables;
I will proclaim what has been hidden from the foundation of the world.’
This is one of the most difficult passages in the gospels, because it seems that Jesus is saying he speaks in parables so that the crowds will not understand what he is saying. There is not space here to explore in depth what is going on in this passage.
One of the truths about a parable is that it gets behind our defenses. When Jesus says things clearly, challenging people to have faith, issuing invitations to people to give up everything and follow him, those conversations don’t go well. But a story seems innocent, even innocuous, but over time a story burrows into our heads and hearts and begins to change us. So, I am not sure that Jesus is saying there is no hope for the crowds. Rather, I would suggest that Jesus is saying he is going to be more subtle in how he shares the good news with the crowds.
Part of why I am suggesting this understanding is that these words from Jesus about why he spoke in parables, come immediately after the story of the sower who puts the good, valuable seed everywhere, including in areas where it has almost no chance of it growing. Jesus is continuing to share the good news, but by using parables he is being more winsome, more subtle, less in-your-face. And in that way is seeking to win hearers.
We are invited to keep sharing the good news of Jesus, but to be winsome, subtle, smart in how we do that. Recognizing that we do not tell the story the same way in each of the contexts of our lives.
PRAYER:
O Lord, send us the Holy Spirit that we may be wise in our telling of the good news of Jesus. Make us winsome so that your good news might be heard. In Jesus’ name. Amen.