All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them:
Jesus spoke all these things to the gathered multitude in parables, and without a parable He did not speak to them. He clothed His lessons with living reality by taking familiar figures, comparisons and illustrations from nature, ordinary life and everyday events, often things before the hearers at the very time, to represent spiritual truths and the realities of God's kingdom. On the same principle as veiling His divinity in humanity, He veiled spiritual truth in human form, illustrating the unknown by the known and leading from the natural world to the spiritual to unfold the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven kept secret from the foundation of the world. This fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet, that He would open His mouth in parables and utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world. He taught in plain, simple and touching language rather than lofty eloquence, so that even the weakest minds, the old and young, ignorant and learned, and especially the common people, could comprehend and hear gladly, while His parables held attention, stirred inquiry, impressed truth on the heart, and at the same time veiled pointed rebuke so as to give no personal offense or ground for condemnation.
Manner of Parable Teaching
All these things He spoke to the gathered multitude in parables, and without a parable He did not speak to them. This was His method of instruction for the multitude, teaching them only in parables.
He did this in many places, by the seaside, in the synagogues, in the fields, and upon the mountain, clothing His lessons of instruction with living reality. Wherever the people gathered, His discourses were thus made more impressive.
He selected familiar figures and objects, figures, comparisons, symbols, and illustrations from nature and ordinary life, from familiar everyday events and occurrences and actual events, to represent spiritual and heavenly truths, the unfamiliar heavenly by the familiar earthly, and the realities of God's kingdom. He drew His illustrations and parables from nature and from the life-experience of His hearers, associating natural things with the spiritual truths of the written word. Often they were things seen and happening before the hearers at the very time He spoke.
He did not use lofty eloquence and high-sounding words, though He could have commanded lofty eloquence just as readily as plain speech. He preferred plain, simple, touching language and simple illustrations that people could readily understand, with beautiful and attractive simplicity and no high-sounding words. His teaching was weighty and dignified, yet clear and plain, conveying the treasures of truth in the most attractive way. He spoke slowly and impressively, with emphasis upon words needing special attention, in compassionate love and tenderness to cheer and comfort and instruct.
In this beautiful and attractive simplicity He taught truths of deep meaning and eternal importance, unfolding them through earthly experiences and occurrences with which His hearers were familiar. His parables were clear, plain, and simple, and conveyed truth to their hearers. Even the weakest minds and slow hearers could comprehend His meaning and understand. The old and young, ignorant and learned, especially the common people and ordinary hearers, could catch the full meaning, comprehend His words, and hear Him gladly.
Reasons for Parable Teaching
On the same principle by which divinity was veiled in humanity, spiritual truth was veiled in human form, with the unknown illustrated by the known and the unfamiliar things of heaven made plain by familiar things of earth. He associated natural things and the life-experience of His hearers with the spiritual truths of the written word, leading minds from the natural world to the spiritual and thereby linking humanity with God and earth with heaven. By parables He unfolded the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven and the glories of the kingdom of God, revealing things kept secret from the foundation of the world and awakening understanding.
This fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet, that He would open His mouth in parables and utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world. Parables held attention, stirred inquiry, and attracted the mind to hang with intense interest upon His words, making His teaching memorable and compelling, impressing truth upon the heart, so that whenever the eyes afterward rested on those objects the lesson would be repeated. Parables also veiled truth and allowed Him to give pointed rebuke to sin and to His accusers without causing personal offense and without giving them grounds to condemn Him.
Parables were the only way He could reach the people, to open their blinded eyes to see the uselessness of the many traditional ceremonies that made up their religion. When He taught, angels in the form of men mingled with His hearers, making suggestions and criticizing, misapplying, and misinterpreting His words, and evil angels in the form of men now do the same work with those who know the truth by misinterpreting and misconstruing the statements of God's messengers.
Studying and Sharing Parables
The parables are educating in character and are to be studied until their meaning is known, as the leaven hidden in meal makes known the all-pervading, powerful, silent and hidden working of divine truth upon individuals and upon communities. His instruction given in this form reached the disciples as well, and they afterward explained His words to the people and corrected misunderstandings by showing what the Scriptures said and what He had taught. His teaching in parables is an example to be studied and brought into ministry, a model for presenting truth clearly, plainly, and simply.
The chapter in which this manner of teaching is recorded is to be read as for life, with self-examination and heed. No one is to be allowed to blind the reader by human sophistries or by mocking burlesque of sacred things. In it He contemplates the future destiny of those for whom He gave His life.
It teaches that those who are saved must form characters without fault in the sight of a pure and holy God, and that God has given every man his work. Christ will cooperate with every one who will cooperate with Him by wearing His yoke rather than a yoke of human manufacture, and by learning His meekness and lowliness. Angels love such ones and minister to them in every phase of life, and He will teach His followers daily the meaning of the divine beatitudes. This prepares for the great day of judgment, when every man will be judged according to deeds done in this life and must stand before His judgment seat acquitted, without spot or stain of character.
Jesus spoke all these things to the gathered multitude in parables, and without a parable He did not speak to them. He clothed His lessons with living reality by taking familiar figures, comparisons and illustrations from nature, ordinary life and everyday events, often things before the hearers at the very time, to represent spiritual truths and the realities of God's kingdom. On the same principle as veiling His divinity in humanity, He veiled spiritual truth in human form, illustrating the unknown by the known and leading from the natural world to the spiritual to unfold the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven kept secret from the foundation of the world. This fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet, that He would open His mouth in parables and utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world. He taught in plain, simple and touching language rather than lofty eloquence, so that even the weakest minds, the old and young, ignorant and learned, and especially the common people, could comprehend and hear gladly, while His parables held attention, stirred inquiry, impressed truth on the heart, and at the same time veiled pointed rebuke so as to give no personal offense or ground for condemnation.
Manner of Parable Teaching
All these things He spoke to the gathered multitude in parables, and without a parable He did not speak to them. This was His method of instruction for the multitude, teaching them only in parables.
He did this in many places, by the seaside, in the synagogues, in the fields, and upon the mountain, clothing His lessons of instruction with living reality. Wherever the people gathered, His discourses were thus made more impressive.
He selected familiar figures and objects, figures, comparisons, symbols, and illustrations from nature and ordinary life, from familiar everyday events and occurrences and actual events, to represent spiritual and heavenly truths, the unfamiliar heavenly by the familiar earthly, and the realities of God's kingdom. He drew His illustrations and parables from nature and from the life-experience of His hearers, associating natural things with the spiritual truths of the written word. Often they were things seen and happening before the hearers at the very time He spoke.
He did not use lofty eloquence and high-sounding words, though He could have commanded lofty eloquence just as readily as plain speech. He preferred plain, simple, touching language and simple illustrations that people could readily understand, with beautiful and attractive simplicity and no high-sounding words. His teaching was weighty and dignified, yet clear and plain, conveying the treasures of truth in the most attractive way. He spoke slowly and impressively, with emphasis upon words needing special attention, in compassionate love and tenderness to cheer and comfort and instruct.
In this beautiful and attractive simplicity He taught truths of deep meaning and eternal importance, unfolding them through earthly experiences and occurrences with which His hearers were familiar. His parables were clear, plain, and simple, and conveyed truth to their hearers. Even the weakest minds and slow hearers could comprehend His meaning and understand. The old and young, ignorant and learned, especially the common people and ordinary hearers, could catch the full meaning, comprehend His words, and hear Him gladly.
Reasons for Parable Teaching
On the same principle by which divinity was veiled in humanity, spiritual truth was veiled in human form, with the unknown illustrated by the known and the unfamiliar things of heaven made plain by familiar things of earth. He associated natural things and the life-experience of His hearers with the spiritual truths of the written word, leading minds from the natural world to the spiritual and thereby linking humanity with God and earth with heaven. By parables He unfolded the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven and the glories of the kingdom of God, revealing things kept secret from the foundation of the world and awakening understanding.
This fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet, that He would open His mouth in parables and utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world. Parables held attention, stirred inquiry, and attracted the mind to hang with intense interest upon His words, making His teaching memorable and compelling, impressing truth upon the heart, so that whenever the eyes afterward rested on those objects the lesson would be repeated. Parables also veiled truth and allowed Him to give pointed rebuke to sin and to His accusers without causing personal offense and without giving them grounds to condemn Him.
Parables were the only way He could reach the people, to open their blinded eyes to see the uselessness of the many traditional ceremonies that made up their religion. When He taught, angels in the form of men mingled with His hearers, making suggestions and criticizing, misapplying, and misinterpreting His words, and evil angels in the form of men now do the same work with those who know the truth by misinterpreting and misconstruing the statements of God's messengers.
Studying and Sharing Parables
The parables are educating in character and are to be studied until their meaning is known, as the leaven hidden in meal makes known the all-pervading, powerful, silent and hidden working of divine truth upon individuals and upon communities. His instruction given in this form reached the disciples as well, and they afterward explained His words to the people and corrected misunderstandings by showing what the Scriptures said and what He had taught. His teaching in parables is an example to be studied and brought into ministry, a model for presenting truth clearly, plainly, and simply.
The chapter in which this manner of teaching is recorded is to be read as for life, with self-examination and heed. No one is to be allowed to blind the reader by human sophistries or by mocking burlesque of sacred things. In it He contemplates the future destiny of those for whom He gave His life.
It teaches that those who are saved must form characters without fault in the sight of a pure and holy God, and that God has given every man his work. Christ will cooperate with every one who will cooperate with Him by wearing His yoke rather than a yoke of human manufacture, and by learning His meekness and lowliness. Angels love such ones and minister to them in every phase of life, and He will teach His followers daily the meaning of the divine beatitudes. This prepares for the great day of judgment, when every man will be judged according to deeds done in this life and must stand before His judgment seat acquitted, without spot or stain of character.