Why Did Jesus Speak In Parables?

[Sola_Fide]

Matthew 13:10-17 NIV

The disciples came to him and asked, "Why do you speak to the people in parables?"

Have you ever wondered why Jesus spoke in parables? This is why:

He replied, "Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them.

Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.

This is why I speak to them in parables:
"Though seeing, they do not see;
though hearing, they do not hear or understand.

In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:
"'You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. For this people's heart has become calloused;
they hardly hear with their ears,
and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them.'

But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. For 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.

Jesus spoke in parables so that the meaning would NOT be clear. He says the knowledge of the secrets of God has been given to the disciples and NOT to the others. It has "been given to you and NOT to them". This was to fulfill the prophecy in Isaiah which said that people will keep on seeing yet never truly see, and keep on hearing but never truly hear.

Why do some people not believe?

John 10:24-30 NASB

The Jews then gathered around Him, and were saying to Him, "How long will You keep us in suspense? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly."

Jesus answered them, "I told you, and you do not believe; the works that I do in My Father's name, these testify of Me. But you do not believe because you are not of My sheep. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.

My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. I and the Father are one."

The reason people don't believe is that they are not of His sheep. His sheep hear His voice, and the Shepherd lays down His life only for His sheep. The ones who hear are the ones who have "been given to the Son" by the Father.

John 12:37-40 NIV

Even after Jesus had performed so many signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him.

This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet:
"Lord, who has believed our message
and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?"

For this reason they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says elsewhere: "He has blinded their eyes
and hardened their hearts,
so they can neither see with their eyes,
nor understand with their hearts,
nor turn—and I would heal them."

God purposes that some people do not believe. It is so sure that some people will not believe that it is a fulfillment of prophecy. God opens the eyes of His elect only, and purposely hides Himself from those whom He has not predestined to save. Jesus PRAISES the Father for actively hiding the knowledge of Himself from some people:

Matthew 11:25-27 NASB

At that time Jesus said, "I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight.

All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.

No one knows the Father except the Son and anyone the Son wishes to reveal to Him.

 

[Johnny Appleseed]

I find it more interesting that the only time he ever wrote anything was in the sand.

 

[James Madison]

Is it possible that parts of the Old Testament are parables as well?

 

[heavenlyboy34]

God purposes that some people do not believe. It is so sure that some people will not believe that it is a fulfillment of prophecy. God opens the eyes of His elect only, and purposely hides Himself from those whom He has not predestined to save.

So ministry has no purpose? And spreading the Good News is always casting pearls to swine?

 

[Johnny Appleseed]

I'm so glad I am one of the chosen ones!

 

[Sola_Fide]

So ministry has no purpose? And spreading the Good News is always casting pearls to swine?

Oh no. The purpose of the ministry is that the sheep will hear His voice and respond to the call. This is the parable of the sower of the seed:

Matthew 13:18-23 NIV

"Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy.

But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown."

We know when we preach the Word, it is like throwing seed down on ground. Some seed falls in the dirt and is nourished, and some seed falls on the rocky ground, and is unfruitful.

And remember, we can plant and water, but it is the Spirit which gives life and causes one to grow:

1 Corinthians 3:6 NIV

I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.

Isaiah 61:11 NIV

For as the soil makes the sprout come up
and a garden causes seeds to grow,
so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness
and praise spring up before all nations.

Salvation is totally of the Lord.

 

[Sola_Fide]

When Jesus said He was the Bread of Life that comes down from heaven, the Jews grumbled amongst themselves. Then Jesus told them the reason they could not accept this message (because no one comes to Jesus who the Father hasn't drawn to Him):

John 6:41-44, 60-66 NIV

At this the Jews there began to grumble about him because he said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven." They said, "Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, 'I came down from heaven'?"

"Stop grumbling among yourselves," Jesus answered. "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day.

Then his disciples grumbled amongst themselves because of Jesus preaching election:

On hearing it, many of his disciples said, "This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?"

Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, "Does this offend you? Then what if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life.

"Yet there are some of you who do not believe." For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. He went on to say, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them."

From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.

Even many of Jesus's own disciples turned back and no longer followed Him because He said "no man comes to Me unless the Father enables them". Jesus taught the doctrines of grace (or what some people today call Calvinism). It's just what Jesus taught. And there are many today that, like the disciples who turned away, cannot take the idea that the Spirit alone gives life.

 

[UK4Paul]

Hi AquaBuddha

God purposes that some people do not believe. It is so sure that some people will not believe that it is a fulfillment of prophecy. God opens the eyes of His elect only, and purposely hides Himself from those whom He has not predestined to save. Jesus PRAISES the Father for actively hiding the knowledge of Himself from some people:

Yes, this was God's plan with fleshly Israel. God blinded them, so they would reject Him. But magnificently, His plan also includes their reconciliation to Him again!

"Now if their trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean!" (Romans 11:12)

"For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead?" (11:15)

"As regards the gospel, they are enemies of God for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. For just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy. For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all." (11:28-32)

 

[cartemj06]

Pre-destination? Really... ugh facepalm!

 

[Yieu]

So what you are saying is that there is not an ounce of mercy in the Lord...

You are saying that, whether you realize it or not.

 

[Sola_Fide]

So what you are saying is that there is not an ounce of mercy in the Lord...

You are saying that, whether you realize it or not.

God is not a slave to our will. He is absolutely free to choose to show mercy to anyone He desires:

Romans 9:18 NLT

So you see, God chooses to show mercy to some, and he chooses to harden the hearts of others so they refuse to listen.

 

[Yieu]

God is not a slave to our will. He is absolutely free to choose to show mercy to anyone He desires:

I never claimed that he had to bend to our will. I was only stating that your vision of God is one with zero mercy.

If all candidates for salvation were pre-selected, then mercy is not involved at any stage of the process.

If everyone else's entire purpose in life is merely to be created to go straight to hell...

See where I'm going with this?

 

[UK4Paul]

Aqua... are you securely one of the "elect"... or could you be "cut off"? (Romans 11:22)

 

[Sola_Fide]

I never claimed that he had to bend to our will. I was only stating that your vision of God is one with zero mercy.

If all candidates for salvation were pre-selected, then mercy is not involved at any stage of the process.

No one deserves mercy. In fact, we de-deserve it. We deserve punishment. That He chooses to show mercy to any is the amazing thing about grace.

All those who have ears to hear know the true condition of their heart. When God opens up your eyes, He shows you a glimpse of the depth of your sin and the holiness of who He really is. The reason most people don't think they deserve punishment for their sins is because the Spirit has never convicted them. But what a blessing that conviction is.

 

[Yieu]

No one deserves mercy. In fact, we de-deserve it. We deserve punishment. That He chooses to show mercy to any is the amazing thing about grace.

I agree with that.

The difference here is that I don't think that limiting the people eligible for salvation to a pre-selected few has anything to do with mercy.

A merciful God would want everyone to be saved. And would be kind and strong enough to let us not be if we do not desire it.

 

[Sola_Fide]

Aqua... are you securely one of the "elect"... or could you be "cut off"? (Romans 11:22)

I must make my calling and election sure:

2 Peter 1:10 NLT

So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, and you will never fall away.

If I fall away, it was because I was not chosen.

 

[Sola_Fide]

I agree with that.

The difference here is that I don't think that limiting the people eligible for salvation to a pre-selected few has anything to do with mercy.

A merciful God would want everyone to be saved. And would be kind and strong enough to let us not be if we do not desire it.

But God does not order Himself around what you think is just or merciful. He does whatever He pleases in the heavens and the earth. We are not in a position to answer back to Him. Everything He does is just simply because He does it.

Romans 9:18-21 NLT

So you see, God chooses to show mercy to some, and he chooses to harden the hearts of others so they refuse to listen.

Well then, you might say, “Why does God blame people for not responding? Haven’t they simply done what he makes them do?”

No, don’t say that. Who are you, a mere human being, to argue with God? Should the thing that was created say to the one who created it, “Why have you made me like this?”

When a potter makes jars out of clay, doesn’t he have a right to use the same lump of clay to make one jar for decoration and another to throw garbage into?

The Potter has absolute freedom, the pots do not.

 

[Yieu]

But God does not order Himself around what you think is just or merciful. He does whatever He pleases in the heavens and the earth. We are not in a position to answer back to Him. Everything He does is just simply because He does it.

I am not making the claims that you are strawmanning onto me.

God is the ultimate sovereign, and I do not question that.

I am only pointing out that your view of God is one that is utterly devoid of mercy.

That is all.

 

[otherone]

If I fall away, it was because I was not chosen.

+rep
I really have to hand it to AB. His doctrine actually makes the most sense (at least to me) of any Christian apology I've read here. If one actually believes that God has been, is, and will be, all at the same time, that God created, yet is outside of time, then you can see that, to God, salvation has, is, and will happen simultaneously for eternity. Hence, there is no predestination, or even foreknowledge, only His Divine Knowledge. Am I close?

 

[Sola_Fide]

Hi AquaBuddha



Yes, this was God's plan with fleshly Israel. God blinded them, so they would reject Him. But magnificently, His plan also includes their reconciliation to Him again!

"Now if their trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean!" (Romans 11:12)

"For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead?" (11:15)

"As regards the gospel, they are enemies of God for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. For just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy. For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all." (11:28-32)

Paul is speaking about the elect Jews in these passages, not national Israel. The Bible does not teach dispensationalism and it does not teach salvation by any other way than grace through faith. Abraham was justified before God by faith...so are the elect Jews...so are the elect Gentiles.

From Romans 9-11, Paul is explaining why and how the Jews could reject so great a salvation in Jesus Christ. How does Romans 9 start out?

Romans 9:6, 18-21 NLT

Well then, has God failed to fulfill his promise to Israel? No, for not all who are born into the nation of Israel are truly members of God’s people!

This sets the tenor of chapter 9, because Paul is going to explain that God IS fulfilling His promise to Israel, but it is not those who are of national Israel who are God's chosen people, it is the children of Abraham, the ones who have faith in Christ.

Romans 9:7-8 NLT

Being descendants of Abraham doesn’t make them truly Abraham’s children. For the Scriptures say, “Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted,” though Abraham had other children, too. This means that Abraham’s physical descendants are not necessarily children of God. Only the children of the promise are considered to be Abraham’s children.

So then Paul shows us that God's purposes in election were being fulfilled when He chose one of Abraham's sons and not the other one:

Romans 9:9-16 NLT

For God had promised, “I will return about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”

This son was our ancestor Isaac. When he married Rebekah, she gave birth to twins. But before they were born, before they had done anything good or bad, she received a message from God. (This message shows that God chooses people according to his own purposes; he calls people, but not according to their good or bad works.)

She was told, “Your older son will serve your younger son.” In the words of the Scriptures, “I loved Jacob, but I rejected Esau.”

Are we saying, then, that God was unfair? Of course not! For God said to Moses,
“I will show mercy to anyone I choose,
and I will show compassion to anyone I choose.”

So it is God who decides to show mercy. We can neither choose it nor work for it.

God chose Jacob, but He didn't choose Esau...before they were born and had not done anything good or bad, in order that HIS purpose in election would stand.

It's no doubt that as we get in to chapter 10 and 11, we can see that Paul is saying that "all Israel will be saved", but He is talking about all of the elect Jews and the elect Gentiles. THAT is what Israel is. There are not two people of God, there is only one.