BIBLE STUDIES

PARABLES—WHY?

1-WHY PARABLES?
2-SOME SHALL NOT UNDERSTAND
3-SOME SHALL UNDERSTAND

    AND THE DISCIPLES CAME, AND SAID UNTO HIM, WHY SPEAKEST THOU UNTO THEM IN PARABLES? 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 (they think they understand, but they do not); AND HEARING THEY HEAR NOT (they hear and think they perceive, but they do not), NEITHER DO THEY UNDERSTAND. FOR THIS PEOPLE’S HEART IS WAXED GROSS (or become calloused), AND THEIR EARS ARE DULL OF HEARING, AND THEIR EYES THEY HAVE CLOSED; LEST AT ANY TIME THEY SHOULD SEE WITH THEIR EYES, AND HEAR WITH THEIR EARS, AND SHOULD UNDERSTAND WITH THEIR HEART, AND SHOULD BE CONVERTED, AND I SHOULD HEAL THEM. BUT BLESSED ARE YOUR EYES, FOR THEY SEE: AND YOUR EARS, FOR THEY HEAR-Mt 13:10,11,13,15,16.
    So great is the blindness some people have toward the Gospel that the Scriptures tell us, BUT THOUGH HE HAD DONE SO MANY MIRACLES BEFORE THEM, YET THEY BELIEVED NOT ON HIM: THAT THE SAYING OF ESAIAS THE PROPHET MIGHT BE FULFILLED, WHICH HE SPAKE, LORD, WHO HATH BELIEVED OUR REPORT (or message)? AND TO WHOM HATH THE ARM OF THE LORD BEEN REVEALED? THEREFORE THEY COULD NOT BELIEVE, BECAUSE THAT ESAIAS SAID AGAIN, HE HATH BLINDED THEIR EYES, AND HARDENED THEIR HEART; THAT THEY SHOULD NOT SEE WITH THEIR EYES, NOR UNDERSTAND WITH THEIR HEART, AND BE CONVERTED, AND I SHOULD HEAL THEM-Jn 12:37-40.
    Therefore, Jesus spoke in parables, so that those whose hearts were right toward God would understand, and those whose hearts were not right toward God would not understand. As it is written, AND SOME BELIEVED THE THINGS WHICH WERE SPOKEN, AND SOME BELIEVED NOT-Acts 28:24. Of those that do not understand, once again, the Scriptures give us these words, HEARING YE SHALL HEAR, AND SHALL NOT UNDERSTAND; AND SEEING YE SHALL SEE, AND NOT PERCEIVE: FOR THE HEART OF THIS PEOPLE IS WAXED GROSS, AND THEIR EARS ARE DULL OF HEARING, AND THEIR EYES HAVE THEY CLOSED; LEST THEY SHOULD SEE WITH THEIR EYES, AND HEAR WITH THEIR EARS, AND UNDERSTAND WITH THEIR HEART, AND SHOULD BE CONVERTED, AND I SHOULD HEAL THEM-Acts 28:24,26,27.
    The Scriptures tell of Jesus speaking to the people, BUT WITHOUT A PARABLE SPAKE HE NOT UNTO THEM (He did not say anything to them without using a parable-NIV)-Mk 4:34. As it is written, WHICH WAS SPOKEN BY THE PROPHET, SAYING, I WILL OPEN MY MOUTH IN PARABLES; I WILL UTTER THINGS WHICH HAVE BEEN KEPT SECRET FROM THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD-Mt 13:35. THE LEGS OF THE LAME ARE NOT EQUAL: SO IS A PARABLE IN THE MOUTH OF FOOLS-Pv 26:7. AS A THORN GOETH UP INTO THE HAND OF A DRUNKARD, SO IS A PARABLE IN THE MOUTH OF FOOLS-Pv 26:9. God’s Word further confirms, AND NONE OF THE WICKED SHALL UNDERSTAND-Dan 12:10.

    How can we understand the parables? As it is written, HOW THEN WILL YE KNOW ALL PARABLES?-Mk 4:13. Unto some it is given to know and understand these parables. As it is written, THE HOLY GHOST SHALL TEACH YOU-Lk 12:12; THE COMFORTER...HE SHALL TEACH YOU ALL THINGS-Jn 14:26; BUT THE ANOINTING WHICH YE HAVE RECEIVED OF HIM ABIDETH IN YOU, AND YE NEED NOT THAT ANY MAN TEACH YOU: BUT AS THE SAME ANOINTING TEACHETH YOU OF ALL THINGS, AND IS TRUTH, AND IS NO LIE, AND EVEN AS IT HATH TAUGHT YOU, YE SHALL ABIDE IN HIM-1 Jn 2:27.
    It is written, UNITED IN LOVE, SO THAT THEY MAY HAVE THE FULL RICHES OF COMPLETE UNDERSTANDING-Col 2:2 NIV.

    The Bible gives another example of how people will not be able to understand the mysteries of the Scriptures, unless their heart is right toward God.

    THE LORD HAS BROUGHT OVER YOU A DEEP SLEEP: HE HAS SEALED YOUR EYES (THE PROPHETS); HE HAS COVERED YOUR HEADS (THE SEERS). FOR YOU THIS WHOLE VISION IS NOTHING BUT WORDS SEALED IN A SCROLL (or words of a book that is sealed). AND IF YOU GIVE THE SCROLL TO SOMEONE WHO CAN READ, AND SAY TO HIM, "READ THIS, PLEASE," HE WILL ANSWER, "I CAN'T; IT IS SEALED." OR IF YOU GIVE THE SCROLL TO SOMEONE WHO CANNOT READ, AND SAY, "READ THIS, PLEASE," HE WILL ANSWER, "I DON'T KNOW HOW TO READ." THE LORD SAYS: "THESE PEOPLE COME NEAR TO ME WITH THEIR MOUTH AND HONOR ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEARTS ARE FAR FROM ME. THEIR WORSHIP OF ME IS MADE UP ONLY OF RULES TAUGHT BY MEN-Isa 29:10-13 NIV.
    Because their heart is not right toward God, they cannot understand the true meaning of the Scriptures. They cannot truly understand that if they do not receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior and obey the Gospel, they will perish. They may think they understand the light, but the light that they see is really darkness. For it is written, BUT IF THINE EYE BE EVIL, THY WHOLE BODY SHALL BE FULL OF DARKNESS. IF THEREFORE THE LIGHT THAT IS IN THEE BE DARKNESS, HOW GREAT IS THAT DARKNESS!-Mt 6:23. For HE THAT HATETH HIS BROTHER IS IN DARKNESS, AND WALKETH IN DARKNESS, AND KNOWETH NOT WHITHER HE GOETH (he does not know where he is going-NIV), BECAUSE THAT DARKNESS HATH BLINDED HIS EYES-1 Jn 2:11. People’s ways are right in their own eyes. As it is written, EVERY WAY OF A MAN IS RIGHT IN HIS OWN EYES-Pv 21:2. Consider a person that is fully persuaded he understands God’s truth (the Light), but he really does not. If he is positive that he is following the Light (Jesus), but is really following the darkness (Satan), then HOW GREAT IS THAT DARKNESS! The darkness in him is very, very great. He is walking in darkness (he is following Satan) but is totally unaware of it. He does not understand or believe that he will perish, because the darkness (or Satan) has blinded his eyes (or his understanding).
    When they hear God’s Word (which is the Seed), the fowls come and devour the Word. The Word of God becomes trodden down. They hear but do not understand, as the wicked one takes away the Word that was sown in their heart-ref Mt 13:4,19; Lk 8:5. But they do not understand even this.
    As the Lord says, THESE PEOPLE COME NEAR TO ME WITH THEIR MOUTH AND HONOR ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEARTS ARE FAR FROM ME-Isa 29:13 NIV. How hard it is to reach the religious man that believes he is a good person and has done no wrong! How hard it is to reach the person that is positive he is saved, but is not.
    It is written, 1 Cor 2:14-BUT THE NATURAL MAN RECEIVETH NOT THE THINGS OF THE SPIRIT OF GOD: FOR THEY ARE FOOLISHNESS UNTO HIM: NEITHER CAN HE KNOW THEM (or he cannot understand them), BECAUSE THEY ARE SPIRITUALLY DISCERNED. This depicts one that is arrogant, drawing conclusions that are not based upon truth. "Spiritually discerned" conveys that the natural man is incompetent. He is not equipped to operate in the realm of faith, neither does he seem able to truthfully examine the facts. He cannot recognize or correctly understand the things of the Spirit of God.
    There will be disagreements on very difficult passages regarding Bible prophecy among God’s servants, but there is still love and a childlikeness in searching God’s Word.
    Among those in darkness, many are sure they are right, but their love for God’s servants is often not as it should be. They are usually not childlike when receiving correction. There is confusion in their understanding of prophecy, though they cannot recognize it.
    The words of Jesus give us further understanding. It is written, Mt 11:25,26-AT THAT TIME JESUS ANSWERED AND SAID, I THANK THEE, O FATHER, LORD OF HEAVEN AND EARTH, BECAUSE THOU HAST HID THESE THINGS FROM THE WISE AND PRUDENT (or learned), AND HAST REVEALED THEM UNTO BABES (or little children). EVEN SO (yes), FATHER: FOR SO IT SEEMED GOOD IN THY SIGHT (or this was your good pleasure-NIV). We see the words of Jesus as He says, I THANK THEE, O FATHER, LORD OF HEAVEN AND EARTH, THAT THOU HAST HID THESE THINGS FROM THE WISE AND PRUDENT (or learned), AND HAST REVEALED THEM UNTO BABES: EVEN SO, FATHER; FOR SO IT SEEMED GOOD IN THY SIGHT-Lk 10:21.
    Lk 18:16-BUT JESUS CALLED THEM UNTO HIM, AND SAID, SUFFER LITTLE CHILDREN TO COME UNTO ME, AND FORBID THEM NOT (or do not hinder them): FOR OF SUCH IS THE KINGDOM OF GOD (or the kingdom of God belongs to such as these-NIV). Those that are humble and childlike to God’s Word will hear, understand, and receive God’s Word. The kingdom of God is made up of such as these.
    Those that are the children of God will hear and understand God’s Word; however, those that do not hear, believe, and understand do so because they do not belong to God. As it is written, Jn 8:46,47-IF I SAY (or tell) THE TRUTH, WHY DO YE NOT BELIEVE ME? HE THAT IS OF GOD (or belongs to God) HEARETH GOD'S WORDS: YE THEREFORE HEAR THEM NOT, BECAUSE YE ARE NOT OF GOD (or you do not belong to God-NIV).
    Jn 18:37 NIV-FOR THIS I CAME INTO THE WORLD, TO TESTIFY TO THE TRUTH. EVERYONE ON THE SIDE OF TRUTH LISTENS TO ME." EVERY ONE THAT IS OF THE TRUTH HEARETH MY VOICE-KJV.

• To them, it is not given to know

• These are fools

• They are wicked

• They are wise (or prideful)

• They are prudent (or learned)

• They have an evil eye

• They hate their brother in Jesus

• Their ways are right in their own eyes

• They come to Jesus with their mouth

• They honor Jesus with their lips

• A stranger’s voice teaches them; though this can sound like the voice of God, it is the voice of deception
     

• They see but see not: they think what they see is correct, but it isn’t, neither do they understand this

• Their eyes have closed to the truth

• He blinded their eyes

• They see, but do not perceive
    

• They hear but hear not: they think they hear correctly yet are wrong and do not understand this

• Their ears are dull of hearing the voice of truth; instead, they hear another wrong voice (the voice of the devil) in their ears and in their mind but do not recognize or believe this

• They hear, but do not understand
    

• They shall not understand

• They do not understand

• They do not understand with their heart

• They should not understand with their heart

• They cannot read a parable with correct understanding

• They are as one that cannot read the Bible with correct understanding
     

• They are as a lame man whose legs are not equal

• They are as a drunkard when a thorn goes up into his hand

• To these a parable is as words that are sealed
    

• Their body is full of darkness

• They think light is in them, but it is really darkness

• The darkness is great

• They are in darkness

• They walk in darkness

• They do not know they are in darkness

• The darkness blinds or deceives them
     

• Their heart is waxed gross

• Their heart is calloused

• He hardened their heart

• Their heart is far from Jesus

• They are not converted

• They should not be converted
    

• They are not healed

• They should not be healed
     

• They saw the miracles but still believed not

• They could not believe

• Some believed not

• Esaias (Isaiah) said, Who hath believed our report?
    

• God hid these things from them

• To you, it is given to know

• God has revealed these things unto babes

• These have the love of God from which are the full riches of understanding

• They understand
    

• The Holy Ghost shall teach you

• The Comforter shall teach you

• The Anointing teaches you
    

• Blessed are your eyes

• Your eyes see correctly

• They see with their eyes
    

• Blessed are your ears

• Your ears hear correctly

• They hear with their ears
    

• They become converted

• They become healed

• They abide in Jesus

• They believe