Purpose Of Parables

Why does Jesus speak in parables? A simplistic way of to view this is to say that Jesus used parables as analogies or illustrations. Jesus lived among a story-telling people. Therefore, Jesus used parables to relate to His listeners, so they can understand what He is trying to say. Parables are useful tools to make Jesus’ message clearer. Is this view entirely accurate?

The question here is, are parables meant to reveal or to conceal? There are 2 schools of thought.

Matthew 13:10-15 presents the 1st school of thought, which states that parables are meant to conceal. Jesus disciples asked Him, “Why do you speak in parables?” Jesus answered, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given… Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled…”

Why then does Jesus intend to conceal the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven? There are 2 reasons.

1) To fulfill prophecy. Jesus spoke in parables so that “it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: 'I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world.' " (Matthew 13:35)

2) To demonstrate God’s sovereignty as the revealer of truth. For there is no one who can “know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.” (Matthew 11:27) Calvinism will support this view of God’s total sovereignty in determining who will know God.

The 2nd school of thought states that parables are meant not only to conceal, but to reveal as well. Parables are used to test the attitude of Jesus’ listeners. Whether or not the message of the parables is revealed or concealed depends on the attitude of His listeners.

It is best to illustrate this point of view with an analogy. Jesus parables are like wrapped gifts. The gift wrapper will either serve to distract, or captivate. The gift wrapper conceals the content of the gift. The shape of the gift can be seen, but its content still remains unknown until the gift is opened. The revelation or the concealment of the parables depends on which kind of listener you are. There are 2 kinds of listeners:

1) The meaning of parables is concealed to the proud, e.g. the religious leaders. They can see the shape of the gift. They can sense that they will not like what they will find beyond the gift wrapper. Therefore, their pride hinders them from unwrapping the gift to see the truth that speaks out against them. They dulled their hearts, stopped their ears and closed their eyes because they do not want to discover the uncomfortable truth.

2) The meaning of parables is revealed to the humble. They can see the shape of the gift. And they are willing to find out the content of the gift to learn from it, even if it speaks out against them. Their humility in unwrapping the gifts enables them to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven. When discovered, the valuable lessons of the parables will change their lives.

Arminianism will support the 2nd view, because the 2nd school of thought shows the role of man in finding God.

Which school of thought do you subscribe to?

If you understand Jesus parables, I will rejoice with you. We should be thankful because the Lord has made known His mysteries to us, when “many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.” (Matthew 13:17) It is not as thought we earned the understanding of God’s secrets on our own accord. God has graciously chosen to reveal it to us.