Why did Jesus use parables so often?

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Contarini said:
Indeed. Which I think explains Jesus’ language about blinding and hardening.

If you want to turn the Gospel into a puzzle and feel as if you are God’s special friends for figuring out the puzzle, then you can do that.

Scripture is a divine fire–enough fire to damn yourself with, if you so choose.

That’s why Christians have always said that although scholarship is great, humility and charity are better hermeneutical keys in every way that really matters.

Edwin
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“Go from the presence of a foolish man, when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge.” (Proverbs 14:7)
 
cguerber said:
It’s interesting to read peoples ‘idea’ of why Jesus spoke in parables. But why not turn to the Bible where Jesus was asked that same question?

Matthew 13:10-15 (NIV)

10 The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?”

11 He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. 12 Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables:

“Though seeing, they do not see;
though hearing, they do not hear or understand.

14 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:

“‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.

15
For this people’s heart has become calloused;
they hardly hear with their ears,
and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them.’

Mark 4:9-11 (NIV)

9 Then Jesus said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”

10 When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables. 11 He told them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables

Luke 8:10 (NIV)

10 He said, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that,

“‘though seeing, they may not see;
though hearing, they may not understand.’
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The answer to your question is why must we turn to the bible when we know the answer without copying and pasting scripture.

Would those words of Scripture be very clear to a child who asked about them? We simply simplified why Jesus spoke in parables to make them clearer to the poster.

The parables were spoken by Jesus to the apostles in the early Church and the Church wrote the parables into bible form 300+ years later as these parables were remembered by many, and now the Church shows us this in the Catechism so we can teach our children in simpler terms so they can understand why Jesus spoke in parables. That’s the avenue I was coming from though thank you for submitting the scriptures.
 
dmwessel said:
The Bible is not stories but as you say “My (as in God’s own) words” - if it was just a matter of stories then scripture could be paraphrased but as it is, translators work hard to ensure it is translated word-for-word, otherwise the otherworldly attributes are lost:

“For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” (Matt. 5:18, see also Luke 16:17)
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The Poster asked about parables that’s what I was referring to in talking about Jesus stories.

The definition of parable: a simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson, as told by Jesus in the Gospels.
 
Karen107 said:
The Poster asked about parables that’s what I was referring to in talking about Jesus stories.

The definition of parable: a simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson, as told by Jesus in the Gospels.
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Weren’t there also parables of sorts told by some of the Old Testament prophets?🤷
 
LegoGE1947 said:
Weren’t there also parables of sorts told by some of the Old Testament prophets?🤷
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Yes there were, that’s probably where Jesus got the idea…He was also a prophet, well more than a prophet, He is God who studied and knows the OT very well…😉 I mean think about that ??
 
dmwessel said:
The Bible is not stories but as you say “My (as in God’s own) words” - if it was just a matter of stories then scripture could be paraphrased but as it is, translators work hard to ensure it is translated word-for-word, otherwise the otherworldly attributes are lost:

“For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” (Matt. 5:18, see also Luke 16:17)
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Also not intending to be nit picky here but I wasn’t quoting those scriptures I was quoting this one.

Matthew 24:35. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
 
Karen107 said:
The Poster asked about parables that’s what I was referring to in talking about Jesus stories.

The definition of parable: a simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson, as told by Jesus in the Gospels.
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Oh, sorry…I was thinking of the Biblical definition.
 
Karen107 said:
Also not intending to be nit picky here but I wasn’t quoting those scriptures I was quoting this one.

Matthew 24:35. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
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Is there a difference?
 
LegoGE1947 said:
All I know is I wish I’d never heard of the Prosperity Gospel as taught on so much Protestant radio or TV programs and so many “churches” It certainly messed up my thinking, as if my mind wasn’t already mixed up.😊
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Yes, I can certainly understand that; the problems of life tend to throw a wrench into the prosperity gospel teaching - don’t they? 😉
 
ItalianLay said:
How many answers!
I guess, in addition, that when a parable is dark, difficult to understand, Jesus wants to talk to who really wants to understand. So the comprehension comes only after reflection, meditation, and questions, discussion, and finally human relations within the Church.
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Amen to that - and what if it’s more than that too - that God actually hid the real meanings so that only those that really wanted to know would take the time to truly seek the answer.

“So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” (Psalms 90:12, Prov. 2:2, Prov. 7:4)
 
YosefYosep said:
I have been stumped on this question for awhile. I do not understand why Jesus uses parables to explain certain truths instead of simply and straightforwardly explaining them. It seems as if these parables conjure up confusion among the people. Why did he only explain these parables exclusively to his disciples? Was every single person in “the crowds” not worthy in some way to receive his messages?
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Why use parables so often?

–
Because do not want those people understand.

I read,

**Isaiah 6

8Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I; send me!’ 9And he said, ‘Go and say to this people:
“Keep listening, but do not comprehend;
keep looking, but do not understand.”
10 Make the mind of this people dull,
and stop their ears,
and shut their eyes,
so that they may not look with their eyes,
and listen with their ears,
and comprehend with their minds,
and turn and be healed.’

Matthew 13
10 Then the disciples came and asked him, ‘Why do you speak to them in parables?’ 11He answered, ‘To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.12For to those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. 13The reason I speak to them in parables is that “seeing they do not perceive, and hearing they do not listen, nor do they understand.” 14With them indeed is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah that says:
“You will indeed listen, but never understand,
and you will indeed look, but never perceive.
15 For this people’s heart has grown dull,
and their ears are hard of hearing,
and they have shut their eyes;
so that they might not look with their eyes,
and listen with their ears,
and understand with their heart and turn—
and I would heal them.”
16But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear.17Truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.

Mark 4
10 When he was alone, those who were around him along with the twelve asked him about the parables. 11And he said to them, ‘To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside, everything comes in parables; 12in order that
“they may indeed look, but not perceive,
and may indeed listen, but not understand;
so that they may not turn again and be forgiven.” ’**
 
Humans beings learn best when they get knowledge through their own effort.
 
kkollwitz said:
Humans beings learn best when they get knowledge through their own effort

I catechize 6th graders straight from the Bible: createspace.com/3835986

.
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As long as they are catechized to the bible properly, otherwise they are like all the other Christian beliefs who use the bible for their teachings without the magisterium of the church and as a result have many different interpretations and beliefs because of that.
 
kkollwitz said:
Humans beings learn best when they get knowledge through their own effort.
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Karen107 said:
As long as they are catechized to the bible properly, otherwise they are like all the other Christian beliefs who use the bible for their teachings without the magisterium of the church and as a result have many different interpretations and beliefs because of that.
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True.:angel1:

----I know that you should not take Bible verses out of context.
 
–I remember that once my mother say that some people always see the half cup they have not see the empty part, so they happy, and some people just see the empty part of cup but not see the half cup they have so they feel sad; but I answered her --Oh Momma they might not even have that half cup.

Luke 18:
23Let anyone with ears to hear listen!’ 24And he said to them, ‘Pay attention to what you hear; the measure you give will be the measure you get, and still more will be given you. 25For to those who have, more will be given; and from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away.’

Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, just as it is well with your soul.-----3 John:2-
 
It’s like talking philosophy to an unbeliever instead of bible-thumping. You’re going to be more effective talking philosophy to them. One thing I like as a convert is the catholic church uses philosophy in their theology training, whereas protestant pastors in my former churches were generally not taught philosophy. Even Paul used philosophy with the Greeks on the alter to an unknown deity. So, Christ - knowing we weren’t ready for “the scriptures say so!” he used philosophy (more or less) to share his points.
 
philv said:
It’s like talking philosophy to an unbeliever instead of bible-thumping. You’re going to be more effective talking philosophy to them. One thing I like as a convert is the catholic church uses philosophy in their theology training, whereas protestant pastors in my former churches were generally not taught philosophy. Even Paul used philosophy with the Greeks on the alter to an unknown deity. So, Christ - knowing we weren’t ready for “the scriptures say so!” he used philosophy (more or less) to share his points.
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I’m not sure about your last point when you state that Christ - knowing we weren’t ready for “the scriptures say so!” is accurate. Christ used scriptures a lot to make his points. The words ‘it is written’ or ‘is it written’ or ‘is it not written’, which refer to scripture, appear in 68 versus in the NT. Jesus used them in 22 versus.

Blessings,
CG
 
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