Matthew 13:10-14

¹⁰ Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you teach them using stories?”

¹¹ And he answered them, “You have been permitted to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them permission has not been given.

¹² Because to the one who has, more will be given, and he will be rich, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.

¹³ This is why I teach them using stories, because although they see they do not see, and although they hear they do not hear, nor do they understand.

¹⁴ Yes, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled that says: “‘ You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never comprehend.

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the punch line

The Greek word I translate as story — parabolé — comes from the preposition para (alongside) and the word ballo (to place). It indicates a story or statement placed alongside a teaching to illustrate it. Jesus used many figures of speech for that purpose, from simple metaphors to more complicated ones, like the parable of the sower. The parables Jesus used illustrated what he was teaching his disciples, so they made more clear what the disciples were beginning to understand. But these same parables – apart from the teachings themselves – were just interesting stories. For those who lacked commitment to Christ’s commands, the parables were like the details of a joke without the punch line.

The punch line in this case was the gospel of the kingdom – the reality that Jesus is king of a coming kingdom from the sky. The disciples had committed themselves to following this king. To them the parables illustrated the commands that their king taught. They got it. To the uncommitted, the parables were stories for them the muse over in the spare moments of their self-centered existence. Without the missing piece to the puzzle, the stories were apt to confuse rather than enlighten.

LORD, we choose to know the mysteries of living according to the commands of your coming kingdom. Help us to see how as we ponder the parables you gave your disciples. May we never divorce you words from your objective behind them. Enlighten us.