It has been said that parables are earthly stories with heavenly meaning. Jesus used parables in preaching, because it has the ability to show divine truth to earthly minds.
Jesus never completely preached in parables right from the Beginning of his ministry, it was at a certain point in his ministry that he decided to fully use parables as a mode of teaching, because the characters are easily remembered and the characters are bold. Parables where a common way of teaching in Judaism.
Teaching with parables, does not signify that you'll be able to understand what ever Jesus is teaching, unless he goes on to explan, the true meaning of his parables.
At a certain point in Jesus ministry, before he would explain the meaning of the parable he preached with that day, he took the deciples away from the crowd and explain to them the meaning of the parable, and the deciples asked him "Lord why do you preach in parables?", Jesus gave them this answer...
Matthew 13: 10-17
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, aeven 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, cnor do they understand. 14 Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says:
“You will indeed hear but never understand,
and you will indeed see but never perceive.”
15 For this people’s heart has grown dull,
and with their ears ethey can barely hear,
and ftheir eyes they have closed,
lest they should see with their eyes
and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’
16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. 17 For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.
Jesus explained the importance if him preaching with parables to the people, to thr deciples... The deciples will be fully able to understand these teachings, but it will be difficult for the people to understand, because, the good Lord has given the deciples the ability and grace to understand these teachings as the disciples of christ.
Jesus was not trying to say it is IMPOSSIBLE for the people to understand the teachings, but just that, their hearts, eye and ears has not been approved by heaven to understand the teaching at that very point in time.
Jesus tries to tell us that for the people to able to be able to understand his teachings, they have to reconcile with heaven, cause their heart, eyes and ears have grown dull to accept his teaching.
And why it is possible for us to remember most of Jesus teachings today is because he used parables, most likely, like stories, it might seem very simple to the ears, but unless your heart is opened by heaven, you will find it difficult understanding Jesus divine teaching.
One of my favorite teaching from Jesus parables would happen to be the prodigal son.
Jesus vividly explain this teaching, and by the grace of God and heaven, we are able to understand the meaning, through the explanation from Jesus. The story of the prodigal son explains how God is to us, or how the kingdom of heaven accept us back after running away from him. Most times we are so blinded by the earthly things, by the wordily materialism, that we forget the real picture of what Christ want from us in the world, in other for us to make heaven.
The story of the prodigal son, explains that, as Long as we are ready to come back to Christ and the church, every single sin which has been committed, while away from God, will be forgiven and surely the person would be welcome to God's kingdom.
God is ever ready to forgive our transgressions, as long as we show true sign of change and be willing from the bottom of our heart to accept Christ, then he or she is born brand new in Christ and your sins will be remembered or held against you no more.
The parable of thr prodigal son also inform us on how not to be blinded by thr things we think we have, and that without Christ or whatever is not from Christ, will one day be gone and then we will havr no other person to run to, except Jesus himself. And Jesus been the ever loving anf tender hearted father he is to all humanitg even in our doom, is always ready to accept us back with utmost happiness, as long as we promise never to go back to that same thing that took is away from him.
He is ready to give us back, everything we think we had or have accomolished away from him, but this time, under his divine approval.
What ever you do on earth without the approval of Christ is never any good and will draw you away from God, and anything that draws you away from God is not of God and can never be good for you. Jesus is the giver of all things, if Jesus does not give you what you asked for, know that its either...
It's not good for you to have that request granted.
It's not yet time for you to have it.
Having that request granted might make you lose the chance of making heaven and in most times, because of the love of Christ, he says No.
Giving you your request, might be harmful to someome close to you, so thereby, Jesus not saying yes to your particular prayer, might be saving someome or people. For instance...
You want to make a particular trip, which you have been anticipating for a long time, probably the enemies have planted the need for you to go for that trip in your heart and your ask God to provide financial assistance for the trip to be possible, but the good Lord knows that the enemies want you to die on accident during the said trip by having an accident, The accident will not only hurt you, but also the life of people in the same transportation means is at stake for what they know nothing about.
The bible has explained how God works in mysterious ways and even when we dont understand his doings, we should always trust that he's doing it for our own good and purpose.
Just like the disciples, we pray that the good Lord give us the grace, and may heaven grant us the ability to understand the teaching of Christ, were ever it is meant for us to understand at any particular time.
Finally my brothers ans sisters, before you study the word of the Lord, make sure you invite the holy spirit as your guidance, so you'll be able to fully understand what ever message you're trying to get from the good book.
Thank you for reading and God bless you.
