Psalm 78:2-4 says, “I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old, things that we have heard and known, that our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might,
and the wonders that he has done.”
Why convey God’s word in parables? Because it is easier to convey things in terms of what people can associate their own knowledge and experience with, than it is to convey things in an abstract fashion. The Bible tells us that when people do not understand what you are saying, then what you say sounds to them like the beating of a snare drum which makes a lot of empty noise.
If I say to someone who does not have a lot of knowledge that it takes care and nurturing to achieve everlasting goals, can that person relate to that? Learning is achieved by making associations with what the person knows.
So, if the person I am talking to is a farmer who grows crops and I tell him this parable from Matthew 13:3-8: “A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty,” the farmer would more likely understand that what you are saying.
And as Jesus said to his disciples in Luke 8:15, “The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away. And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.”
We know the path to God. As implied in Jeremiah 1:5, we are all potential prophets conveying the Word of God as the heavens declare His glory. As such, we shouldn’t hold back what we know about God and the Blessings and Graces He may confer upon those who love Him, since He wishes that everyone be saved. As it says in Isaiah 55:10-11, “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.”
and the wonders that he has done.”
Why convey God’s word in parables? Because it is easier to convey things in terms of what people can associate their own knowledge and experience with, than it is to convey things in an abstract fashion. The Bible tells us that when people do not understand what you are saying, then what you say sounds to them like the beating of a snare drum which makes a lot of empty noise.
If I say to someone who does not have a lot of knowledge that it takes care and nurturing to achieve everlasting goals, can that person relate to that? Learning is achieved by making associations with what the person knows.
So, if the person I am talking to is a farmer who grows crops and I tell him this parable from Matthew 13:3-8: “A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty,” the farmer would more likely understand that what you are saying.
And as Jesus said to his disciples in Luke 8:15, “The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away. And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.”
We know the path to God. As implied in Jeremiah 1:5, we are all potential prophets conveying the Word of God as the heavens declare His glory. As such, we shouldn’t hold back what we know about God and the Blessings and Graces He may confer upon those who love Him, since He wishes that everyone be saved. As it says in Isaiah 55:10-11, “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.”