Matthew 13:10-13 English Standard Version
The Purpose of the Parables
10 Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” 11 And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.
I left off yesterday asking what you heard when I mentioned pearls. The parable of the pearl is but one of many parables in Matthew 13. Some of my readers would have made the connection to that parable. Some might not, and that is an opportunity to learn.
Reading all of the parables we will discover that only the parable of the sower was explained in Matthew 13. It would seem that by adding an explanation of that parable it elevates that parable to a level of importance above the rest of them.
The parable of the sower is about spreading the seed of the gospel everywhere. No care was taken to ensure that the precious seed only fell on good soil. If we choose to only spread the gospel to people who we deem worthy, then we have judged others.
Judging Others
“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?”
Parables are just one way to discover the mysteries of the bible but do not by themselves instruct us in what to do with that knowledge. It would be unhealthy for a teacher to only share the parables. This life in Christ is much more than just sharing stories.
Many stories in the bible speak to the character of mankind, mistakes and consequences. By themselves they will not tell us how to act out this life in Christ. We need all the Word of God to understand all that we need to be considering that God is molding us.