Lk. 8:10: In light of this verse, why did Jesus speak in parables?

Question

If possible use scripture to back up your answer

Answer 1

I Corinthians 1:18 says it better:
For the message of the cross is FOOLISHNESS to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
Jesus spoke in parables and still had to interpret most of them. Parables were meant to help bring a heavenly meaning to earthly stories, not to water down or patronize.

Answer 2

To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables.
.. The disciples, wanted the things of God, so they were able to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of God, which can only be known by revelation.

The Lord actually spoke to them those who did not know him in parables, so that they would escape the greater condemnation that comes from clearly understanding and refusing to believe.

The natural tendency is for the hearers of a parable to critique the the teller..but Jesus.. critiqued His audience..as to HOW they heard what he was saying. I.E. the parable of the sower.

Answer 3

There are as in the Choirs of angels, an order that God made, and one of them is the understanding and contemplation of the Word. Who, here on Earth makes God truly their primary object of affection? This is what this ultimately means. Also, those that sometimes are reluctant adherents to God's Love are also filled with an understanding beyond the ken of "normal" humans. That is to say, it helps to have a heart that understands, but it also helps to have a mind that understands.

Those that understand implications are the fore-runners or the bush-beaters. They forge the paths that most others follow. This is the commitment of the religious and holy ones amoung us. We do not know who they are, for they are silent or departed. We live in a very loud world where much of God's message is drowned out.

hear then, if you have ears.

Answer 4

Jesus was directly quoting Isaiah 6:9-10 :

Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.
'For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed'.

In a parallel passage in Matthew, in response to the question 'why do you speak in parables?' he explained himself thus:

To you it has been given to know the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but to them it has not been given. For to him who has, more will be given; but to him who has not, even what he has will be taken away. This why I speak to them in parables (Matt. 13:10-13).

The secrets of the Kingdom would not be perceived - ie. truly understood and benefitted from - by 'him who has not' and, even if the word did come to him, it would be 'taken away' (cf. Matt. 13:19). What did these hearers not have? Why, they did not have an honest and good heart with which to hold the word fast (Luke 8:15). In a word - sincerity.

Jesus was wanting to teach 'the secrets of the kingdom of God'. These were God's secrets, and, as such, God would not allow all manner of folk to benefit from them, as the Word says :

Pr 1:6 To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.

The Lord was desirous that these dark sayings of his should be fully understood only by those who were truly commited to him - ie. his disciples - so he took pains afterwards to explain to them more fully the meanings of what he had been teaching. Others didn't get the benefit of that, but then, others were not as close to Jesus. It was these disciples (and even so, one of them was a devil) with whom he took the greatest pains. It was very important that they should understand, for they were the nucleus of what he would bring to birth on the earth - his Church. Not too far in the future, these same disciples would be apostles, and teaching the new-born believers in Solomon's Porch all that Jesus had first taught them.

St. Paul also notes that God's Word is misunderstood by those whose hearts are not open to him, many of whom are the wise of this world, who cling to man's ways. They cannot understand and receive his secrets, either, for they also have closed their hearts to him :

1Co 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Lastly, Jesus spoke in parables as a fulfillment of scripture, which pointed to one coming who would teach in this way:

Ps 78:2 I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old.

Answer 5

Read [8:4-18]this describes a class of christians who hear the word and follow .The religious leaders did'nt understand the illistrations but the people of good faithful hearts understood what Christ was explaining.

Answer 6

Parables were meant only for those seeking the Truth to understand. Just like when you read the Bible. If you are actually seeking the truth, you will find it. If you are reading it to disprove it, you will not understand it. He was speaking to His disciples when He said that, because He knew they were truly seeking.

Answer 7

Jesus preached and taught a la the Prophet Isaiah. Prophets have the tendency to be obscure. The reason why only a few take the time and effort to understand and believe their messages.

Answer 8

To see who would make an effort to understand.
Just like he said his followers must drink his blood and eat his flesh.
He wanted to know who would get huffy and puffy and turn away WITHOUT making an effort to find out what he really meant.
Don't forget, some were following him just for the literal food and drink he was known to dispense.
He didn't want followers for that reason.
He was looking for the genuine article.

Answer 9

Luke 8:10
"He said: “To YOU it is granted to understand the sacred secrets of the kingdom of God, but for the rest it is in illustrations, in order that, though looking, they may look in vain and, though hearing, they may not get the meaning. "

Only people with a sincere interest in Truth will find the answers.
It shows the persons heart condition.

Answer 10

I think parables are the same things we use today. They are just examples and sometimes stories to prove / drive home the point.