THE GOSPEL: Jesus Teaches in Parables! Why?

And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them [the multitude, mixed with believers, non-believers, His family, Pharisees, scribes, etc.] in parables?” He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. (Matthew 13:10-12)

Jesus had been teaching very clearly and accurately about who He is, The Son of God; about why God sent Him, to save mankind from their sins, and restore our relationship with God: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16); and the miracles He performed were even more confirmation of the scriptures, which prophecied about Him: "You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me." (John 5:39) 

Parables are simple stories illustrating a moral or religious lesson.  So why does Jesus start teaching in parables? Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says:

‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand,

And seeing you will see and not perceive;

For the hearts of this people have grown dull.

Their ears are hard of hearing,

And their eyes they have closed,

Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears,

Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn,

So that I should heal them.’ [Isaiah 6:9-10]

(Matthew 13:10-15; Mark 4:10-12; Luke 8:9-10)

An old Biblical Scholar, Alfred Edersheim, explains this change in Jesus teaching style best: "The parables themselves present clear stories from everyday events that many in the crowd would recognize. Jesus did not code His teaching to prevent some people from understanding, since all equally would understand the imagery. All those gathered there certainly comprehended the aspects of the stories related to their everyday lives. Instead, His teaching divided the listeners into two groups based on their own responses. His miracles had attracted many, and others had perhaps been astonished by His earlier teaching. But the parables themselves, ... revealed the true nature of their responses and their real decisions. Those committed to the Kingdom of God would seek and find further understanding. But those uncommitted—perhaps listening only because of the initial excitement—would reject the teaching as unintelligible." (read Why Did Jesus Teach in Parables?; THE GOSPEL: Once Freed, Don't Go Back)

Jesus stated earlier, For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. This is yet another warning by Jesus to the believers to not be like the Pharisees, Sadducees, scribes and people who believed that because they are children of Isreal, they are guaranteed a place in heaven.  The Apostle Paul explains this very clearly: My heart is filled with bitter sorrow and unending grief for my people, my Jewish brothers and sisters. I would be willing to be forever cursed—cut off from Christ!—if that would save them. They are the people of Israel, chosen to be God’s adopted children. God revealed his glory to them. He made covenants with them and gave them his law. He gave them the privilege of worshiping him and receiving his wonderful promises. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are their ancestors, and Christ himself was an Israelite as far as his human nature is concerned. And he is Lord God, the one who rules over everything and is worthy of eternal praise! Amen. ...not all who are born into the nation of Israel are truly members of God’s people!  Being descendants of Abraham doesn’t make them truly Abraham’s children.(Romans 9:2-7 NLT) What shall we say then? That Gentiles [non-Jews}, who did not pursue righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness of faith; but Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness. Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone. As it is written:

“Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense, [Isaiah 8:14]
And whoever believes on Him [the stumbling stone and rock]
will not be put to shame.[Isaiah 28:16]” (Romans 9:30-33)

Jesus concludes by saying, "But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it." (Matthew 13:16-17)  We will study in a future lesson, where Jesus is speaking with the Jews: Then the Jews said to Him, “Now we know that You have a demon! Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and You say, ‘If anyone keeps My word he shall never taste death.’ Are You greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? And the prophets are dead. Who do You make Yourself out to be?” (John 8: 52-53) Jesus responds by saying, "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.” (John 8:56) Yet again, Christ Jesus is the fulfillment of all the promises God made to the children of Isreal throughout the scriptures, but most of them refused to "see" it!  Let's not be like them, for ...how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him,... (Hebrews 2:3) Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles [non-Jews] in the flesh— that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. (Ephesians 2:11-13)