The Secrets Of Parables

INTRO

In the past few weeks, we’ve looked at King Jesus, and how the Jews continued to reject Him. While Matthew 13 is loaded with parables, today we’re going to focus on how Jesus talked between these parables.

TEACHING

Matthew 13:1-3: like these show us how human Jesus was—sitting by the sea. Such a crowd surrounded Him that He got into a boat and taught those on the shore using parables. We’re going to talk about parables today. What is a parable? Why are we talking about parables? Are they even necessary in the future?

Stanley Toussant says, “a parable is the act of placing one thing beside another so a comparison can be made between them.”¹Nelson’sCommentary explains that a parable “utilized common scenes from everyday life to teach new truths about the kingdom.”²Jesus Jesus told parables in such a way that some people grasped what He was saying, and others didn’t have a clue.

Matthew 13:10-18: From this point on, Jesus only communicated with the crowds using parables (Matthew 13:34). The disciples asked Jesus why He was using parables (v. 10). Jesus replied that there were secrets that were given for the disciples to know “but it has not been given to them” (v. 11). The “them” could have been the Jews or those in the crowd. MacArthur said, “Jesus uses them to obscure the truth from unbelievers while making it clearer to His disciples.”³To understand is to have been given a gift through the Holy Spirit. Because the Jews rejected the message, others are given a gift which is placed sovereignly on the elect. God is choosing who understands the parable, and who does not.

Why is this important? John the Baptist came to deliver the Word and the Jews rejected it. John finally found people who would receive the message. The word translated as “secrets” can also be translated as “mysteries.” MacArthur explains, “‘Mysteries’ are those truths which have been hidden from all ages in the past and revealed in the New Testament.”⁴Matthew 13:11 talks about the secrets that have been given to the disciples but not others.

In Luke 8:10, Jesus said: “The secrets of the kingdom of God have been given for you to know, but to the rest it is in parables, so that ‘Looking they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.’” That fulfills the prophecy in Isaiah 6:9, "And He replied: Go! Say to these people: Keep listening, but do not understand; keep looking, but do not perceive.”

Romans 11:25 explains specifically why the Jews do not receive the message, even today: “So that you will not be conceited, brothers, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery: A partial hardening has come to Israel until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.” This means that the Jews have had a hardening of their hearts so the message can come to the full number of Gentiles. This means that we have to understand this, but the Jews won’t have any idea what this is all about. This partial hardening means that of the 8 million Jews in Israel, part of them (maybe 4 million) understand and the others do not and will stay that way until God’s predetermined number of Gentiles have embraced the message of salvation.

Romans 16:25-26: “Now to Him who has power to strengthen you according to my gospel and the proclamation about Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept silent for long ages but now revealed and made known through the prophetic Scriptures, according to the command of the eternal God to advance the obedience of faith among all nations.” There was a mystery that had been kept secret for a long time, but according to verse 26, it has now been made known through the prophetic Scriptures. For example, we know from the prophetic word that Jesus is going to return to the Mount of Olives, and that when His feet land there, the Mount of Olives will split. But we haven’t seen that fulfilled. It’s still a mystery. Same for the Jewish people who know that the Messiah is going to come, but they haven’t been able to see that He is in front of them.

1 Corinthians 2:7 says, “On the contrary, we speak God’s hidden wisdom in a mystery, a wisdom God predestined before the ages for our glory.” When we release God’s truth, it’s not up to us to see if others respond to it. That’s up to God’s predetermined plan whether they will understand the message or not.

1 Corinthians 4:1: “A person should consider us in this way: as servants of Christ and managers of God’s mysteries.” Managing these mysteries as believers means to know these well enough that for any mystery; we can explain it, experience it, and walk it out.

Ephesians 6:19: “Pray also for me, that the message may be given to me when I open my mouth to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel.” That means being able to explain with boldness that everyone sins, that sin leads to death, love comes in and can take away the sin. Through the death, Jesus’ death on the cross, they can receive life.

In verse 12, Jesus explained that whoever has this knowledge, even more will be given. But, for those who do not have this knowledge, even more can be taken away. For this reason, Jesus uses prophecies. Isaiah’s prophecy in Isaiah 6:9-10 is fulfilled through Jesus’ teachings.

Matthew 13:34-35: Jesus told the crowds that He would only use parables to speak to them. This fulfilled the prophecy of the prophet Asaph who wrote Psalm 78:2: “I will declare wise sayings; I will speak mysteries from the past.”

Matthew 13:44-46: The message throughout Matthew has been the constant rejection of Jesus by the Jews. In this parable, “treasure” is the first common object. The treasure was buried in a field, found, and reburied. The man who found the treasure sold everything he had to be able to buy the field in which the treasure was buried. For a Gentile, the treasure would represent Jesus and He is our salvation. But, since the Gentiles didn’t have to earn their salvation, maybe the treasure was Israel and the Jews, who will one day accept Jesus’ salvation (Exodus 19:5; Psalm 135:4). Maybe Jesus was communicating with the Jews that they were His special treasure and He was already giving up everything for them.

CLOSING

In this context, I believe that Jesus was using parables to say, “You are My special people.” Ask yourself: Are you a good steward and manager of these mysteries? And, can you communicate these mysteries clearly to others?