Daily devotion – Parables?
Jesus used parables constantly in speaking to the multitudes.
Why?
Firstly, what is a parable?
John Macarthur says, “a parable is an ingeniously simple word picture illumination a profound spiritual lesson.”
James Montgomery Boice says, “parables are merely real-life stories from which one or possibly a few basic truths are drawn.”
Warren Wiersbe said, “a parable is a story that places one thing beside another for the purpose of teaching. It puts the known next to the unknown so that we may learn.”
When Jesus said, “The kingdom of heaven is like….He was using comparison or contrast to teach a spiritual lesson.”
There had been a moment in time, when definite and aggressive hostility fully unloaded on Jesus in a peculiar manner – it was this that brought a change to Jesus’ ministry in public.
In His hometown of Capernaum Jesus had been challenged by the religious leaders who had come down from Jerusalem, because He claimed to be able to forgive sins.
In the house of Levi, Jesus had been challenged again because He permitted His disciples to skip fasting and Jesus had eaten with sinners.
In the cornfields, Jesus had been criticised for allowing His disciples to rub the corn in their hands and then eat….this too was on the Sabbath.
Later that day in the synagogue, Jesus was attacked because He healed a man with a withered hand…
Jesus had cast out demons from a demon possessed man, and the religious leaders accused Jesus of doing this with the power of Beelzebub.
After all this mostly on one Sabbath day, Jesus spoke to the religious leaders of the danger of blasphemy against the Spirit of God….which will not be forgiven men – Matthew 12:31-37.
From that moment on, when Jesus spoke to the crowds, He spoke in parables!
Jesus did not teach in parables to confuse or condemn people, but the parables would capture the hearts of those whose hearts had been aroused, who hearts wanted to know God, who sought to bring salvation and forgiveness to their lives.
But to those who were not sincere seekers, like the hardhearted religious leaders, the parables would bring darkness to the unconcerned and unrepentant!
Matthew 13: 1 On the same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea. 2 And great multitudes were gathered together to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.
3 Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: