I’ve been thinking a lot about parables these days. Parables have mostly been neglected as a genre of literature through the centuries, even though Islam, Buddhism, Judaism, and Christianity have used parables to promote spiritual transformation in the hard of heart.
Parables function most effectively when they “shock” people into the realization that what they have previously thought and done is wrong and they need to change.
Parables are the teaching method of choice when preachers can’t speak directly without fear of severe consequences.
When asked why he spoke to the people in parables, Jesus quoted Isaiah: “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside, everything comes in parables; in order that ‘they may indeed look, but not perceive, and may indeed listen, but not understand; so that they may not turn again and be forgiven’” (Mark 4:11-12).
This becomes a hard teaching to swallow if interpreted that Jesus intended to confuse people on purpose so that they wouldn’t understand his message and be forgiven.
I think this is a lazy interpretation. Rather, we should understand this saying as Jesus’ declaration that he was imitating Isaiah’s preaching methodology.
By quoting from Isaiah’s call to ministry in Isaiah 6, Jesus declared that, like Isaiah, he couldn’t preach directly and openly without being censored by the corrupt religious establishment of his time.
Parables teach covertly. Those who are seeking righteousness will still find enlightenment in parables. But the corrupt of heart can only hear that message if shocked into repentance.
In Isaiah 32 the prophet longed for a time of righteousness when he wrote, “Then the eyes of those who have sight will not be closed, and ears of those who have hearing will listen. The minds of the rash will have good judgment, and tongues of stammerers will speak readily and distinctly. A fool will no longer be called noble, nor a villain said to be honorable.” (Isaiah 32:3-5)
Unfortunately Isaiah didn’t see that in his lifetime. In Isaiah’s time, there was almost a complete reversal in the understanding of righteousness and morality. Religious leaders tolerated idol worship. The nobles oppressed the poor. Merchants cheated people by using dishonest weights on their scales.
These corrupt and evil practices were taken for granted. Everyone was doing it, so it must be right. And, in a time when a prophet couldn’t openly say, “Cheating people is immoral,” without backlash, parables were the only form of preaching that preserved integrity while provoking deep thought that sometimes led to the conversion of a few.
In Isaiah 32 the prophet looked forward to the day when proper morality was restored in society and righteousness was once again valued, while injustice and immorality were condemned. Only then could a preacher directly teach righteousness and morality. Until then, parables would have to do.
Jesus faced similar circumstances in First Century Palestinian culture. Jesus modeled his teaching using Isaiah’s methodology. Using parables wasn’t a capitulation to the powers that be. Preaching in parables was the only effective teaching methodology for the hard of heart.
Let the one who has ears hear!
