20160312 Saturday, March 12 2016
Matthew 13: The Meaning Of Parables

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

"All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake He not unto them: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world ... Who hath ears to hear, let him hear"

The English-language word "parabolic" means, as the word implies, shaped like a parabola - which may be scientifically defined as "a plane curve formed by the intersection of a right circular cone and a plane parallel to an element of the curve." That definition is somewhat confusing to most of us, but an example of a parabola is not - a reflector telescope, such as the one shown in the photograph, uses a parabolic mirror to gather a relatively large amount of image light, and then, by means of its slightly curved shape, reflects it all to a fine point of focus.

The Biblical word "parable" originated from the very same Greek word as that used for a parabolic mirror. The only difference is that a telescope mirror focuses gathered light, while a parable focuses gathered words (although both give "light" to the "eyes"). Similarities do however remain: both look up to heaven, both focus what they gather to make a "point," and both make use of that "heavenly" light to see and understand God's Creation.

The Messiah often taught by means of parables. He also frequently used parables for prophecies of a yet-future time. That method produced another similarity, and yet another difference, between parabolic telescopes and parabolic prophecies - both are about seeing through the distances of time, but a telescope looks back in time (the images of stars and galaxies seen tonight are actually how those heavenly objects appeared tens, thousands, or millions of years ago when the light left its source to travel through space at the speed of light), while parabolic prophecies look forward in time.

The Messiah often used parables in His teachings - sometimes to illuminate His lesson for those whose time of understanding had come, but sometimes, such as "the parable of the sower" below, to hide what He was teaching from those whose time of calling had not yet come. Without the coming of the Holy Spirit, for each person in their due time, the Word of God cannot be correctly understood.

For those whose time had not yet come, "Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand." It wasn't a matter of teaching so that they wouldn't understand, but rather teaching because they couldn't yet understand.

"13:1 The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side. 13:2 And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore. 13:3 And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying,

Behold, a sower went forth to sow; 13:4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: 13:5 Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: 13:6 And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. 13:7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: 13:8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold. 13:9 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

13:10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?

13:11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. 13:12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. 13:13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

13:14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: 13:15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

13:16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. 13:17 For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

13:18 Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower. 13:19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. 13:20 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; 13:21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. 13:22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. 13:23 But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty." (Matthew 13:1-23 KJV)

The "parable of the weeds" portrayed how Satan's influence has corrupted humanity and how the LORD has reserved the future day of Judgment for those who refuse to repent - after their time of calling has been provided to them.

"13:24 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: 13:25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. 13:26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.

13:27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?

13:28 He said unto them, An enemy hath done this.

The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?

13:29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. 13:30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn." (Matthew 13:24-30 KJV)

As plainly stated, "All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world."

"13:31 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: 13:32 Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.

13:33 Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.

13:34 All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them: 13:35 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying,

I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world." (Matthew 13:31-35 KJV)

Notice carefully "Who hath ears to hear, let him hear" - the parables were a revelation (a revealing) for those whose time of calling had come (then, and ever since) and a cover for those whose time of calling had not yet come (then, and ever since). Revealing Truth to those who cannot yet understand it does no good.

"13:36 Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field.

13:37 He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; 13:38 The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; 13:39 The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.

13:40 As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. 13:41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; 13:42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 13:43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear." (Matthew 13:36-43 KJV)

When the time of calling has come, the understanding is like the discovery of a great treasure.

"13:44 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.

13:45 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: 13:46 Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it." (Matthew 13:44-46 KJV)

So too the "parable of the net" - the "point" of all of the parables was the same.

"13:47 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: 13:48 Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. 13:49 So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, 13:50 And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

13:51 Jesus saith unto them, Have ye understood all these things?

They say unto him, Yea, Lord.

13:52 Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old." (Matthew 13:47-52 KJV)

The Messiah's famous "A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house" was a response of those whose time of calling had not yet come. For them, "He did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief."

"13:53 And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed thence. 13:54 And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works? 13:55 Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? 13:56 And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things? 13:57 And they were offended in him.

But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.

13:58 And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief." (Matthew 13:53-53 KJV)

Fact Finder: What is the "point" of living a true Christian life?
See The Messiah's Lessons For Living As A True Christian and The Salt Of The Earth and Light Of The World Prophecy