I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings of old, which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us. (Psalm 78:2-3)
On the surface, a parable is a simple tale intended to explain spiritual concepts in human terms. However when it comes to the Kingdom of God, parables go beyond what we might consider to be basic facts. To those who are inclined to bend their ear and truly listen, they unlock hidden truths and principles that may have otherwise been too difficult to understand. Throughout His earthly ministry, Yeshua taught people in parables. In fact it is written that He did not speak to them unless it was in parables “that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: ‘I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world’” (Matthew 13:34-35).
Yeshua also made it clear that speaking in parables served a dual purpose. Not only did He convey ineffable truths in stories about seeds, wheat and fish but also concealed these valuable concepts within the story from those who would not appreciate them. When asked “Why do You speak to them in parables?” (Matthew 13:10), He answered, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given (Matthew 13:11). By “them” He meant those who “seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. … for the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed” (Matthew 13:13, 15). In short, He never cast His pearls before those who would simply trample them underfoot.
It is my view that the entirety of Scripture resembles a parable by virtue of the fact it is filled with stories of men, women and circumstances that have the potential to benefit us all — if we have ears to hear and eyes to see. It is written, “It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, but the glory of kings is to search out a matter” (Proverbs 25:2). Put simply, God hides things — truths and concepts — but not to keep them from us. To the contrary, He conceals them to provoke us to diligently look for them. It’s as if He hides these valuable truths in order to see who really desires to know them, and more importantly, to reveal who truly wants to know Him. Let us, therefore, be those of whom the prophet said, “Let us know, let us pursue the knowledge of the Lord” and turn to Him (Hosea 6:1, 3).
Blessings and Shalom,
Bill
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