The Day of Parables

Posted 10/17/13 by Donald Barnhouse

Image previewThe Day of Parables

“Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing, see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand" (Matthew 13:11-13).

"He spoke many things unto them in parables. . .".   This was the first time He had ever spoken in parables.  We may learn many great lessons from the parables themselves, but there are two great lessons to be found in the fact that He used this method.    The reason that the Lord Jesus did speak in parables was in order to preserve His truth from those darkened minds, since they would not have believed though one rose from the dead.  He would keep his pearls in the shell of parable so that they would not be trampled under foot.  At the same time, there were simple folk among the multitude which gathered around Him, and these were capable of receiving the Word as He gave it forth.  The Holy Spirit would be able to take the truth to their hearts and bring light out of darkness.

Christ said that these parables were given so that His own might have at their disposal the understanding of "the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven."  What does this mean?  There are many people who read the Bible superficially.  Some of the finest distinctions of Scripture truth are lost upon them.  They have not studied to show themselves approved unto God, workmen that need not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15).  To them there is evidently no reason for studying the Bible closely to see if there is any real difference between the Kingdom of Heaven and the Kingdom of God, or if there is any difference between the Kingdom of Heaven and what Christ calls here, "the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven."

Dr. Barnhouse reminds us that hearing and studying is useless unless the hearer is regenerated and redeemed by the work of grace.  The Church must always clearly present the truth of the Word and let the Spirit sovereignty apply it.  Unless a person is regenerated all truth will appear to them as nothing more than religious allegories and parables.

Further Reading: Matthew 13