Why Jesus Spoke in Parables

[HKHaugan]

‘The silence was deafening (perhaps depicting a moment of embarrassment.)’ ‘I could see the wheels turning (you observe someone thinking.)’ ‘It was like there was no one home (someone looks at you with a blank stare.)’ ‘He’s not playing with a full deck’ and ‘His elevator doesn’t go to the top floor (describing someone who may be a little off.)’ Every day we use language that paints an invisible picture---”he's cool, she's hot, they gave lukewarm support, they're fishing for a compliment, he's riding the same old horse, he's got his head in the sand, you can put that in the bank, I'd give my right arm.” All these are expressions that convey what you believe is going on in the unseen. They give meaning to what you perceive. Belief shapes perception. What you believe is the basis, the means, and the foundation upon which you interpret your experience.

All of our relational experience is guesswork. We have physical bodies but 100% of how they operate depends on the invisible process of motivation within. We operate on the basis of what we believe we've seen. Perception, processing it and deciding how to react are all invisible abilities we have to live the invisible life we have been given. The invisible ability to believe is what forms the basis of how we invisibly organize our reactions. The bottom line question will always be for every single human being, who do we trust (an invisible ability) in this basic environment in which we live? Who do we trust to shape us as we express the unseen in the seen? Who do we trust to recover and express ourselves, our unseen being?

This is precisely why Jesus spoke in parables.

He was getting to the invisible heart, mind and spirit in each of us. Because that's where we think, feel and decide to act. He was speaking to our inner being, where we live and make decisions and find the motivation to act, our inner being that runs us. He was teaching us the practicality of starting with spiritual understanding, the real 'common sense.' Parables redeem the inner being.

Spiritual understanding in Jesus is not guesswork. It's the real thing. When He was speaking in parables the reaction He got was not only that He was speaking to the minds coming to hear Him but hearts were being touched as well. When Jesus told the parable of the wise and foolish builders, the wise building on rock, the foolish building on sand, “...the crowds were amazed at His teaching, because He taught as one who had authority...(Mt.7:29).” Amazement because of authority, an invisible response and a spiritual conclusion.

In essence Jesus was not only rescuing us as persons, He was also rescuing our way to think and speak, our language, the way we communicate, the way we attempt to communicate the invisible part of us.

Jesus spoke the inner language that we all yearn to speak because he had perfect perception of the circumstances, the places and the people He was among. Thus when He spoke, He spoke the real language of 'the mind' called truth. He spoke a language that touched the heart, a heart language. He spoke words that moved the spirit in each of us, a spirit language. As a whole the language Jesus spoke was a perfect compliment to the mind, heart and spirit in each of us. He was a perfect living breathing balance of mind, heart and spirit. His parables exhibited that balance and those who really want to be honest and open, as were those who saw and heard Him, can feel His reality. Why? Because we are parables looking for the best and most positive way to express what is inside and to feel akin to others who feel alike. He enables us to do the same. When we trust Him He restores our parable nature.

In fact the whole life of Jesus on this earth was a Parable, the invisible God in the visible living Word (Jn.1:1). He was the exact image of God (Heb.1:3). He expressed the invisible will of His Father, the invisible love in His heart and the invisible Holy Spirit expressing that truth. He was the Parable who came to restore that reality in each of us. As images of God each of us is a parable ready to become like Jesus who expressed invisible truth, lived the invisible way of faith in every next moment and expressed the invisible Holy Spirit life of truth, grace and love.

Jesus’ parables are keys that open the door of spirituality. Here are seven descriptive keys to start opening the doors to the courts in His temple.

First, parables are mind keys. They use something visible to make sense out of something invisible. Jesus gave us the Scripture. Through it Jesus restored our spiritual seeing and hearing. Anyone can draw physical parallels to describe a concept or an emotion but Jesus’ parables convey the insights and nature of God’s mind and heart. He gives us a new way to think. He enables us to think spiritually before we think as the world thinks. Parables jump-start the mind with spiritual reality. They are lamps to light our path in the unseen. They give us discernment in the midst of the world’s dark deceit. Studying parables gets us into the practice of discerning what is taking place in the invisible dimension that surrounds us.

Second, parables are heart keys. They open the heart to what God wants us to sense as reality as opposed to what the world calls reality. Our hearts are where we sense the difference between good and evil. The heart is the seat and source of motivation especially in our relationships.

Third, parables are spirit keys. They set our minds to be motivated to think and act in spiritual categories. They help us to make judgments, establish a way of ordering our experience and then decide on a course of action. When we begin to see everything in a spiritual context that is when we are on the road to real maturity. Parables enable us to practice becoming spiritually mature.

Fourth, parables are creative keys. They afford us a new way to think about life and be creative in how we communicate. The more we get into parables the more able we are to describe what we are like inside, how we feel, what we believe and our sharing becomes more meaningful to others. This is where we learn to sin, write, speak and form new ways to express the reality of God in Jesus.

Fifth, the parables are character keys. They are elementary in rearranging the way we begin to set the course of our lives, plan our future and experience eternity in the present. What parades as important in the world is exposed as temporary. Our values are changed from satisfying the moment to trusting in the qualities of God to build character for the long haul.

Sixth, parables are personal keys. As unique individuals we are challenged by His parables to allow His Holy Spirit to change us from being the world's victim to being a confident image of God lighting up in a world immersed in fear and pride.

Seventh, parables are life keys. Life is life in the Spirit of God, eternal life. It is approaching every next moment in faith and love. It is not living for self but for God and others. That's how eternal life is experienced.

These are just seven indicators as to the nature of Jesus’ mission and they are part of the way we are justified by grace through faith. The image that you are can probably add more but these are just a start. He has redeemed out parable ability, praise Him, thank Him and use it.

Then Jesus said, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear." When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables. 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 so that, 'they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven (Mark 4:9-12 NIV)!'"