| A Parable's Purpose |
Created Date: 16-Jun-2023 |
| was for Mercy and Teaching |
Last updated: 17-Jun-2023 |
| A A A help |
Sections
| 1 | Parable Meanings are Hidden for Mercy | 2 | Mankind and the True Christian's Belief |
| 3 | Hearing Do Not Understand and Seeing Not Perceiving | 4 | Pearls to Swine |
The Parables' primary purpose, at the time of them being spoken by Jesus Christ, was to hide God's truth from those who were listening that would not accept and believe in Jesus Christ unto Salvation. The secondary purpose was for those who would accept Jesus Christ, as their Savior, to understand the Parable's meaning, and applying the Parable to the entirety of the scriptures, which is why Jesus Christ would explain the Parables to the Disciples which is recorded in the Gospels.
Many Biblical Scholars state that Jesus Christ spoke in Parables after a specific point in His ministry so that the Pharisees, and others, could not understand the full impact of the truth so that they would be less accountable, as act of mercy, in:
As recorded in the Gospels, the Disciples had to ask Jesus Christ for the interpretation and meaning of the Parables on several occasions or Jesus would explain it privately after speaking publicly.
| Matthew 13:10-11 | 10 Then the disciples came and said to him, Why do you speak to them in parables? 11 And he answered them, To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. |
| Luke 8:9-10 | 9 And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant, 10 he said, To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand. |
| Mark 4:34 | and He did not speak to them without a parable; but He was explaining everything privately to His own disciples. |
It should be noted that when Jesus Christ would explain Parables to the Disciples, that Judas Iscariot was one of the Disciples. Judas Iscariot was hearing the full ramifications of the truth that made Judas' future betrayal more significant and with future punitive consequences.
Jesus Christ absolutely knew of the future betrayal of Judas Iscariot, and this is an additional warning for some people:
As an example in the Book of Revelation, the letter to the Church of Thyatira contained a message against the evil prophetess Jezebel who had entered the Church of Thyatira.
| Matthew 7:15 | Beware of the false prophets, [teachers] who come to you dressed as sheep [appearing gentle and innocent], but inwardly are ravenous wolves. |
There are wonderful and illuminating teachings by Pastors, Evangelists and Christians that can often use modern-day stories, that help us to relate to the meanings of scriptural passages. This is different from many of the Parables, as the Parables in the scriptures often required Jesus Christ's explanation.
When the explanation is given, the Parable is absolutely perfect in the illustration's purpose which requires the Holy Spirit in our lives to understand. This is explained to us in 1 Corinthians 1:18 which gives us that point of the "word of the cross" is foolishness to those who are not Believers in Jesus Christ, but to us who are Believers, then it is the power of God in our lives to understand all scripture with power in our lives.
| 1 Corinthians 1:18 | For the word of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us who are saved it is the power of God. |
The scriptures have many double prophecies and occurrence along with reinforcing all scriptures that are in both the Old and New Testaments. The purpose of Parables, was Jesus Christ giving mercy at the time spoken, for those without Salvation. Jesus Christ explaining the Parables confirms the mercy. Grace and Mercy have always been part of how God deals with those who trust and believe in Him.
As further collaboration, the scriptural passage from Luke 8:9-10 contains a quote from Isaiah 6:8-10. God is absolutely showing mercy and God is also giving everyone a chance to understand.
| Luke 8:9-10 | 9 And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant, 10 he said, To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand. |
| Isaiah 6:8-10 | 8 And I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then I said, Here am I; send me. 9 And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. 10 Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and turn again, and be healed. |
For most likely many of us, there have been experiences when we are discussing our Christian lives with someone we know is not a Believer in Jesus Christ where the result has not initially lead to the person to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior. It is our role in life to always be an example of what a Christian should exemplify, and this is the Third Commandment's purpose as we are Ambassador's of God.
There are also other times that we may have heard Jesus Christ being ridiculed or people doing ungodly things that we know are wrong. Our inclination is to defend Jesus Christ and stop evil which is righteously correct but requires guidance of the Holy Spirit. When we speak and act, using our emotions that are not being guided by the Holy Spirit, then God is not honored and the goal of honoring God's name may not be achieved.
In Matthew 7:6, there is relevant scripture which is parallel in purpose of a Parable's meaning being hidden for those who will not accept Jesus Christ as their Savior in the entirety of their lives. Besides increased accountability for people without Salvation, the treasures of wisdom of God's Word is not to be carelessly given to those who would not regard the scriptures with love and appreciation.
Matthew 7:6 is in a passage of scripture dealing with judging others, which is the admonition given for us to not put ourselves in a place of negatively and critically judging others where we are using God's Word to condemn. The recipients of our judgment will know they are being judged where the result may to ridicule God's Word along with worse possibilities of consequences to ourselves.
| Matthew 7:6 | Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces. |
When this passage of scripture passage was spoken, pearls were regarded by Jewish people as not Kosher and had no value. The significance for the Believer is understanding of Pearls are created by accretion in a shelled mollusk's biology to handle an irritation such as sand, where the accretion becomes a beautiful pearl. Everyone of us all are sinful and through God's love through Jesus Christ, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we will become a beautiful jewel in God's eyes.
What to read next?
What is Salvation? Is it is possible to lose Salvation? We have eternal life. Evolution is not real. When a Christian suffers is there benefits from it. Rewards in heaven. Do we Tithe? What does the 3rd Commandment tell us? What is Grace and Mercy? Is there a place of unending punishment and exile form God?