The Purpose of Parables

Matthew 10:13-17

 

And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?”

He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. 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, which says:

‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand,
And seeing you will see and not perceive;
For the hearts of this people have grown dull.
Their ears are hard of hearing,
And their eyes they have closed,
Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears,
Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn,
So that I should heal them.’

But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; for assuredly, I say to you that 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.

 

Jesus spoke in parables because those who didn’t know Him could not understand the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven.  Jesus told the disciples they were blessed to understand what those who had human knowledge could not see, hear, or understand. Those who didn’t know Him had spiritual eyes that were closed and spiritual ears that were hard of hearing. If they would see with their spiritual eyes and hear with their spiritual ears, they would understand with their hearts so He could heal them.

 

Jesus is speaking to us. If we know Him, we can understand the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven hidden from the world (1 Corinthians 2:3-8, Ephesians 1:8-9, Ephesians 3:3-5). But it is impossible to rationalize what the Holy Spirit reveals to us with our human understanding. It is foolishness to the natural mind. We can only understand the truth of God’s Word with the spiritual mind that is ours in Christ (1 Corinthians 2:14-16).

 

What we believe in our hearts is who we are (Proverbs 23:7). If we believe anything that comes against the spiritual truth that the Holy Spirit reveals in God’s Word, then what we believe is a lie on which we have based our lives. 

 

Is the Holy Spirit showing you something you have not thought about? Does it challenge what you believe?  Will you pray about what is challenging you and test it in context and with other Scripture? If what you believe is a lie, you don’t want it to define your life. If what you believe is God’s truth, then it will strengthen your faith. You want the spiritual understanding of God’s truth to be the basis of your life. But you can’t judge God’s truth with your natural mind. You can only understand God’s truth spiritually in your heart (Romans 10:10).

 

It is only when we allow the Holy Spirit to reveal God’s truth to us that we can judge if what we believe is based on a lie or on His truth. If we believe in God’s truth, it will reinforce and strengthen us. The truth of His Word will be seen in our lives. If what we believe is not based on His truth, the lies of the enemy will control us. 

 

When God’s truth uproots a lie we believe, we need to realize that any change doesn’t happen quickly. It is a process to renew our minds with God's truth until what we believe in our hearts conforms us to His image (Ephesians 4:23, Romans 12:2).

 

God’s truth is the final authority in our lives. But it makes no difference if we don’t spiritually understand it. His truth only becomes our truth when we choose to believe it by faith—when we take possession of it and nourish it in our hearts.

 

No matter how much head knowledge you have, it is not the spiritual truth of God’s Word that takes root in your heart. Never be hard of hearing or not open to seeing. Never have a dull heart.

 

“For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance.” The Holy Spirit has an abundance of spiritual understanding for you to receive in your heart. 

 

Your identity in Christ is not hidden from you. It is hidden from the world for you (1 Corinthians 2:3-8). But you must ask and seek to find. Ask to spiritually receive God’s truth in your heart. Seek in the Word who you are in Christ. Hearing, you will hear. Seeing you will perceive. And He will one day heal what you have doubted in your heart. 

 

© 2023 Lynn Lacher

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