The Purpose of Parables

A parable is a simple story, drawn from everyday experience, to communicate a spiritual truth. Jesus used parables to illustrate the Truth about the Kingdom of Heaven.

The purpose of the parables of Jesus is both to reveal and to conceal the truth of the Kingdom of Heaven. To the disciples truth is revealed, but to the underserving and unbelieving Jews like the Scribes, Pharisees and Sudducees, truth is concealed.

The purpose of Jesus' Parables fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah concerning the people of Judah:

God said to Isaiah, "Go, and tell this people: keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive. Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and return and be healed" (Isaiah 6:9, 10, NKJV).

Jesus explained to his disciples why He spoke to them in parables:

"Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will will be taken away from him. Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear" (Matt. 13:11 - 13, 16, NKJV, emphasis added).

Take note of the following:

1. The phrase "to them it has been given" refers to the undeserving and unbelieving Jews.

2. To these people whatever light given to them in the beginning, because they failed to learn the truth, whatever light they had would be taken away from them.

3. On the other hand, those who are teachable (the disciples) after light has been given to them, more light will be given to them.

4. Jesus used the understanding of His parables to separate His disciples from the undeserving Jews - those who "do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand".

5. His disciples recieved more and more light. Jesus said, "Blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear"!

Therefore, according to Jesus, only His disciples are given understanding of the Parables.

Christians, Disciples and the Parables

I believe Jesus is speaking the same thing to Christians. Genuine Christians are true disciples of Jesus Christ, and therefore they are expected to understand the Parables.

Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:31, 32).

Christians who abide in the Word of God are genuine disciples and they shall understand the parables because parables speak of the truth of God's Word. If they fail to understand some of the parables they need to abide in His Word in a greater degree.

It is interesting to note that Jesus' disciples failed to understand even the simplest of all the parables:

Jesus said to His disciples, "Do you not understand this parable? how then will you understand of all the parables" (Mark 4:13, emphasis added).

In the context "this parable" means the Parable of the Sower (Mark 4:4 - 9). Jesus put forth this parable to the multitude and the 12 disciples. Jesus then explained this parable to His disciples (Matt. 13:18 - 23) when they were alone with Him (Mark 4:10).

Matthew also recorded that Jesus also explained the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares to them. Other than these two parables it is not known what other parables the disciples asked for explanation.

Two Examples of the Parables of Jesus

It is beyond the scope of this message tointerpret all the Parables of Jesus. here are two Parables which could be confusing to many Christians and Bible teachers.

1. The Parable of the Lost Son (Luke 15:11 - 32)

Some Bible teachers call this parable as "the Parable of two sons" or "the Parable of the prodigal son" or the Parable of the loving father". The correct interpretation of this parable will enable us to answer these questions - Were both sons lost? Or, only one of the sons was lost? If so, which of the sons was lost?

This parable is related to a parable mentioned earlier - The Parable of the Lost Sheep (Luke 15:4 - 7).

The younger of the two sons took his share of possessions and "journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living". But after he had spent all, he came to his senses. Then he repented of his sins and returned to his father. He was a type of lost sheep and then later was found. The father was a type of Christ. This prodigal son was received back by his father. He was a type of text collector or a prostitute who repented of his sins.

One the other hand, the older son did not waste his father's possessions, but he was self-righteous. He remained living with his father, but was a stranger to his father's heart. He was a type of scribe or Pharisee who needed no repentance in his own eyes.

Hear what Jesus said, "I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance"

Therefore, there was more joy in heaven when the repentant younger son was received back by the loving father!

Therefore, the lost son was the elder son and not the younger!

The lesson learned is , a self-righteous person who needs no repentance is lost!

2. The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard (Matthew 20:1 - 16)

Jesus Himself said this is a parable to illustrate the truth about the Kingdom of Heaven (Verse 1). The story given by Jesus is in "spiritual terms" to describe the salvation process by which a lost person enters the Kingdom of Heaven (or God) and the gifts he receives to fulfill his calling by God.

Seen in this light a Christian is someone who is called by God to be a worker in His Vineyard.

Please take note of the following:

1. Our salvation is a calling (1 Cor. 1:24 -31). According to Paul it is God "who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, ..." (2 Tim. 1:9, emphasis added).

Salvation and calling cannot be separated. If we are saved, we are also called. Furthermore, we are called and saved by grance "before time began". Our calling is holy.

The best example to illustrate this truth is the salvation and calling of the apostle Paul.

2. In the Parable, the Landowner is a type of Jesus Christ. The laborers speak of unsaved souls. The hiring of the laborers speaks of their calling to salvation. The denarius speeks of the gift of God.

3. The denarius mentioned in this Parable is not a reward for the work done. It is neither a wage nor salary. It is given by "grace" of the landowner who gives according to his will whether the laborer's work is one hour or one day!

4. This Parable shows that our calling (salvation) and gifts are entirely dependent on the grace and sovereign will of God.

Someone might say that our salvation also depends on our freewill. The truth is we cannot excercise our freewill unless God calls us first. Similarly, the landowner calls the laborers to work in his vineyard; but they are given a choice to work in his vineyard or reject the calling.

5. Jesus said, "So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen".

This means - It does not matter we are saved early or later. The important thing is our attitude toward God and toward our calling. With the wrong attitude we might be saved (called) but it does not necessarily mean that we are fit to be worker in His Vinyard!

The laborers with the wrong attitude are obviously the first batch of laborers!