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Mustard Seed November/December 2006
Why Did Christ Speak In Parables?
Why Did Christ Speak In Parables?
Mustard Seed - November/December 2006
If you would ask the average churchgoer, why Christ spoke in parables you would probably hear, “why, to make the meaning more clear!” But is that the correct answer? Let’s look at the answer that Christ himself gave.
The disciples came to Jesus asking the very same question once, “why speakest thou unto them in parables?” (Mt. 13:10) “ 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….therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand (verses11, 13). From the word of Christ himself He did not want the multitude to understand.
He continued quoting from Isaiah, “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 (V-14).
Minds Must Be Opened
God is not opening the eyes of all to His truth. And unless God open’s someone’s mind, that person is totally blinded to spiritual things. Paul explained to the Corinthians that the Natural human being understands things on a physical point of view, But the true knowledge, true understanding and true logic of Almighty God can be grasped only by a mind that is expanded to understand spiritual things through God’s spirit. “ But the natural man receiveth not the things of the spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (I Cor.2:14).
Unless God selects an individual to be called at this time, unless God expands his mind to discern real spiritual truth, he remains blinded. Paul went on to explain in Romans 11:25-26, “for I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery... that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in. and so all Israel shall be saved…..”
God plans to eventually give all an opportunity to know His truth, but most, even in Paul’s day, were blinded to the truth! The same Christ who spoke in parables inspired Paul to write to the Thessalonians, “ and for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie” (II Thes.2:11)
Most Not Interest
Some are simply not interested in obeying God. They are caught up in physical things and cares of this world’s system that have become their god. and do not want to know the truth.! But God plans ultimately to give everyone an opportunity to know His truth. In II Pet. 3:9 we read “The Lord is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” Paul wrote to Timothy that God “…will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (I Tim.2:4).
God wants everyone to have an opportunity for salvation—but at the time that is right for each individual. Christ spoke in parables because it was not yet the time for people of His day to come to a convicting knowledge of the truth.
Christ’s Ministry
Thousands were taught. multitudes followed Him, captivated by His preaching and enthralled by His miracles. A few chosen disciples were thoroughly instructed, but none was converted until after Christ ascended unto heaven—until the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was made available to those whom God had called.
On that day and afterwards, thousands were converted—including many who had heard and wondered at Christ’s parables, but the vast majority—even of those alive during Christ’s ministry, death and resurrection—lived and died never having had their eyes opened to the real meaning of Christ’s message.
And the vast majority down through the centuries have never heard of the truth of God, who created them. But when God’s plan for mankind is all finished, every human being who has ever lived will have had an opportunity—one opportunity—to learn of the right way of life.
Paul wrote, “so then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy” (Rom. 9:16).
Christ said, “no man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him…”(John 6:44).
God wasn’t drawing everyone in Jesus’ day, and He is not opening the mind of everyone living in our day! The Bible makes very plain the fact that the vast majority of all mankind will receive its opportunity—its first and only opportunity for salvation—in the future.
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