Jesus’ Favorite Way of Teaching

Once again, Jesus began teaching by the lakeshore. A very large crowd soon gathered around Him, so He got into a boat. Then He sat in the boat while all the people remained on the shore. He taught them by telling many stories in the form of parables . . . . Mark 4:1-2 (NLT)

Jesus not only healed people, performed exorcisms, and worked miracles, but He also taught the people about God and God’s Kingdom. Jesus’ favorite way of teaching people about God was using parables (e.g., see Matthew 13:2-3; Luke 8:4; Mark 3:23; Mark 4:2, 10-11, 13, 33-34). Parables were the core of Jesus’ teaching. Jesus’ parables are among the best-known stories and illustrations in the world. Jesus explained God’s truths and God’s Kingdom, not by giving a lecture on theology, but by telling vivid stories using comparisons and illustrations that painted pictures that captured the crowd’s attention. Jesus turned people’s ears into eyes, sometimes with a still picture and then again with a moving picture (e.g.  Matthew 5:13; Matthew 7:6). Jesus’ parables ranged from brief sayings (e.g. Mark 3:22-27) to extended narratives (e.g. Mark 4:1-9, 13-20). In general, a parable is a comparison of two objects for the purpose of teaching, usually in the form of a story. Parables are found commonly in the Synoptic (“look-alike”) Gospels – Matthew, Mark, and Luke. John’s Gospel excludes Jesus’ parables but uses other figures of speech. Mark has the fewest parables while Matthew and Luke’s Gospels are filled with stories and illustrations.

Jesus used many similar stories and illustrations to teach the people as much as they could understand. In fact, in His public ministry He never taught without using parables, but afterward, when He was alone with His disciples, He explained everything to them. Mark 4:33-34 (NLT)

In His public ministry, Jesus never taught the people without using parables (e.g. see, Matthew 13:34; Mark 4:33-34; John 16:25; also see John 16:29). Parables were particularly effective and easy to remember. Jesus used familiar and everyday experiences from nature and human life to help the people understand God and God’s Kingdom. In other words, Jesus’ parable compared something familiar to something unfamiliar with illustrations or stories to help the people understand God and God’s Kingdom. Many people call a parable an earthly story with a heavenly meaning. Parables are much more than “an earthly story with a heavenly meaning.” Though Jesus’ parables were stories about everyday experiences, these parables pierced to the very heart of God’s truths. The Greek word for “parable” is a broad term and may refer to a simile (e.g., Matthew 10:16; Matthew 13:33), a metaphor (e.g., Mark 4:21), a proverb (e.g., Luke 4:23), a story (e.g., Luke 15:1-32), an allegory (e.g., John 10), etc. Because of the varied definitions of a parable, biblical scholars have counted 79, 71, 59, 39, 37, and 33 parables in the New Testament.

Jesus also used this illustration: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like the yeast a woman used in making bread. Even though she put only a little yeast in three measures of flour, it permeated every part of the dough.” Jesus always used stories and illustrations like these when speaking to the crowds. In fact, He never spoke to them without using such parables. This fulfilled what God had spoken through the prophet: “I will speak to you in parables. I will explain things hidden since the creation of the world.” Matthew 13:33-35 (NLT)

Why did Jesus teach in parables? Jesus’ disciples asked Him that very question (Matthew 13:10; Luke 8:9). Jesus’ practice of teaching in parables fulfilled prophecy (Matthew13:33-35; see also Psalm 78:2). Parables were Jesus’ method to illustrate God’s truths, reveal God’s Kingdom, and awaken spiritual perception to those who accepted Him as God’s Son and Messiah. However at the same time, Jesus’ parables concealed God’s truths from others who rejected Him and were not willing to receive His message (Matthew 13:14-15; Mark 4:12; Mark 13:11). The careless listeners who were stubborn, hardhearted and rebellious would hear only a story without spiritual meaning (Matthew 11:25-30; see also Isaiah 6:9-10). However, the sincere listener with a desire to know God and God’s Kingdom would ponder the parable, submit God, and then begin to understand the spiritual lessons taught by Jesus.

Jesus is the only One who used parables in the New Testament. However, parables are not unique to Jesus as Jesus did not invent the parable. Parables are also located in the Old Testament (e.g., see 2 Samuel 12:1-4; Isaiah 5:1-7). Also, parables were recognized as a literary type before the time of Jesus in the writings of the Greeks concerning rhetoric. The famous writer Homer included 189 parables in The Illiad and 39 more in The Odyssey. Plato’s poetic speech was rich in parables interwoven into his speech. Furthermore, some of the illustrations of Socrates were parabolic. Aristotle recognized the place of parables in his writings.

Furthermore, Jewish rabbis used parables in their teaching. In fact, there are many rabbinic parables found in the Jewish Mishnah and the Talmud. Remarkably, most rabbinic parables are dated after Jesus’ life and death. Many biblical scholars believe Jesus’ use of parables influenced many later rabbinic parables. Prior to Jesus’ public ministry in the first century, there were not many rabbinic parables. Thus, many biblical scholars believe that that Jesus did not invent the parables, but His use of parables increased the use of parables with the Jewish rabbis.

Nonetheless, Jewish rabbinic parables differed from Jesus’ parables. Jewish rabbis typically used parables to illustrate or clarify some point of the Law or Torah. In essence, rabbinic parables were like sermon illustrations. The rabbis would make a point and illustrate with a parable. However, Jesus used parables, unlike rabbinic parables. Jesus’ parables were new revelations about God and God’s Kingdom. Jesus’ parables did not discuss issues of the Law. Parables were told by Jesus usually to make God’s truth more engaging and clear to those who were willing to hear (Luke 15:3).

Later, when Jesus was alone with the Twelve disciples and with the others who were gathered around, they asked Him what the parables meant. He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secret of the Kingdom of God. But I use parables for everything I say to outsiders, so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled: ‘When they see what I do, they will learn nothing. When they hear what I say, they will not understand. Otherwise, they will turn to Me and be forgiven.’” Mark 4:10-12 (NLT)

One of the most confusing passages in the Gospels comes at Mark 4:10-12 with Mark’s quotation of Isaiah 6:9-10.  Isaiah 6:9-10 is so important that this passage is quoted six times in the New Testament (see Matthew 13:13-15; Mark 4:12; Luke 8:10; John 12:40; Acts 28:25-28; Romans 11:8). A careful study of Jesus’ reply reveal that He used parables both to hide God’s truth and to reveal God’s truth (Matthew 13:11-17; Mark 4:11-12; Luke 8:10; see also Isaiah 6:9-10). Jesus spoke in parables because of the spiritual dullness of some people that rejected Him as God’s only begotten Son and the Messiah (see Matthew 13:13-14; Luke 8:4). Sadly, Jesus’ gracious works and teachings as God’s begotten Son and Messiah were intentionally rejected by many in unbelief (John 12:39-40). The Apostle Paul also faced hardened unbelief when preaching Jesus as Christ to others (e.g., see Acts 28:25-27). Continued rebellion and stubbornness toward God the Father, God the Son (Jesus) and God the Holy Spirit bring alienation and separation from God and God’s Kingdom (see Matthew 13:14-15; Mark 4:12; Luke 8:10; Romans 11:7-10, 25). God does not deliberately make sinners blind, deaf, and hardhearted. However, the more that people resist God's truths spoken through His Son Jesus, the less able they are to receive God's truth. Jesus came not to obscure God but to reveal God and God’s Kingdom to the world (John 1:1-5, 14). Jesus’ teaching makes God and God’s Kingdom known to those with responsive and open hearts towards Him. Acceptances of Jesus’ parables depended on the conditions of the hearer’s heart (Mark 4:13-20, 25). Everyone with obedient and loving hearts towards God responded positively to Jesus’ parables through the inward working of God’s Holy Spirit revealing God’s truths (John 14:15-17; John 15:26-27; see also James 1:22-25). To those with open hearts towards God and His Son Jesus received ears to hear and God’s truths by God’s Holy Spirit awakening and enlightening the hearer (see John 14:26; John 15:26-27; John 16:13). God’s Holy Spirit teaches and reminds us of Jesus' words (John 14:26; John 15:26).  When we commit ourselves to God found in Jesus Christ by faith, God enters into our heart in the Person of the Holy Spirit and reveals God’s truths – revelatory activity  (John 3:5-8; John 14:15-18; Acts 11:15-18; Galatians 4:4-7).

Jesus:  “If you love Me, obey My commandments. And I will ask (God) the Father, and He will give you another Advocate (Counselor, Helper), who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. . . . But when the Father sends the Advocate as My Representative — that is, the Holy Spirit — He will teach you everything . . . .” John 14:15-17, 26 (NLT)

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