Christ and Parables
In Matthew 13:10, 11, 12, we read: “And the disciples came, and said unto him, why speakest thou unto them in parables? He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but unto them it is not given. Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.”
Hidden to the Unbelievers
Many of the listeners to Christ were there just for curiosity or seeking for some way to condemn His message. So, the truth was hidden from them. To them, it was a mystery. The truth was not mystery in the sense that it cannot be understood or that it is deliberately withheld from some and bestowed upon others.
But the gospel was hidden because it was not received by some. Paul wrote, “but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness” (1 Corinthians 1:23). This is so because sinners are not affected by God’s Spirit. “But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14).
The reason the worldly cannot understand Christ’s parables is simply because these truths “are spiritually discerned,” and the worldly lack the discernment, or insight, necessary to grasp the meaning. For spiritual perception comes only by the operation of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 16:17). Those that are not interested in spiritual matters are “always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth” (2 Timothy 3:7).
Made known to the Believers
Unlike unbelievers are the sincere and humble people who understand the meaning of the parables because they open their hearts to the Holy Spirit who guides them to all the truth. Jesus promised His disciples, “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come” (John 16:13). And the Holy Spirit will shed more light concerning the future to God’s people that live at the end of times (Revelation 2:7, 11).
In His service,
BibleAsk Team
