The Reason for Parables...

Why did Jesus speak in parables? If you read through the 4 Gospels you discover Jesus started to speak in parables when He began to face opposition by His own people. Why cast your pearls before swine? He explains the “why” here in this passage. It’s the reason why people either understand God or fail to understand Him. Parables reveal truth to those who are sincerely interested and irritate those who are hostile to God by remaining confusing. Willful blindness, i.e. no desire to pursue God, leads to judicial blindness. Without the love of truth, there is no light of the truth. It’s like exercise and muscle function, “use it or lose it”. When our hearts aren’t real with God, when we are not actively pursuing Him, He removes all reminders of Himself from us. Think about it: if a serial killer is asked about his conscience, do you think he will answer, “I know God says not to murder, but I can’t help myself”. Of course not. Why? Because God and “doing the right thing” aren’t in his mind. God removed the truth and allowed his heart to harden. On the other hand, if someone is whole-heartedly pursuing God, and asks God for Him to help or reveal Himself to them, don’t you think God will answer their request? Certainly. The principle here is God grants us what our hearts really desire. If it’s Him, He gives more of Himself to us. If it’s anything but God, He gives you more of that while removing His presence from that person. Another example of this principle is when Jesus went back to His hometown, He performed very few miracles. Why? Because of the people’s unbelief. People need to grasp this concept and stop blaming God for giving them what they want. It’s not His fault people get into predicaments. There’s no one to blame but themselves. And the reason why He does it this way is to save the rebellious ones from further punishment due to their willful defiance. If they understand and continue to rebel, they will have a harsher punishment come judgement day. Even in people’s rebellion, God’s Grace is still being shown. Just one more facet of God’s character that goes unfounded.

10 His disciples came and asked Him, “Why do You use parables when You talk to the people?”11 He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others are not. 12 To those who listen to My teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them.13 That is why I use these parables, For they look, but they don’t really see.They hear, but they don’t really listen or understand. 14 This fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah that says, ‘When you hear what I say,you will not understand.When you see what I do,you will not comprehend.15 For the hearts of these people are hardened,and their ears cannot hear,and they have closed their eyes–so their eyes cannot see,and their ears cannot hear,and their hearts cannot understand,and they cannot turn to Me and let Me heal them.’ 16 “But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear.17 I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, but they didn’t see it. And they longed to hear what you hear, but they didn’t hear it. Matthew 13:10-17