December 3 - To Speak in Parables

GracetoYou.org ^ | 2008 | John MacArthur, Grace Community Church

[metmom]

“He spoke many things to them in parables” (Matthew 13:3).

The parable was one of the staple teaching tools the Lord Jesus used to convey spiritual truth in an understandable way. The word parable contains the idea of placing something alongside something else to make a comparison. In this way, Jesus would place a moral truth alongside a physical example that people could more easily grasp. By this common form of Jewish teaching, He used a common object or practice to elucidate an intangible truth or principle.

From His earliest teaching sessions, Christ used graphic analogies to instruct on divine truth. He likened believers to salt and light in this world (Matt. 5:13–16), pointed to the example of the birds and flowers concerning life’s essentials (6:26–30), and said Christians must build on the rock-solid foundation of Scripture rather than the loose sand of human philosophy (7:24–27). These and other illustrations contain clear meanings. They resonate with listeners. And they served the purpose of setting the stage for Jesus’ use of full-fledged parables.

Parables and other symbolic and figurative communication methods, when correctly understood, are genuine friends of the student of God’s Word. They make abstract truths more concrete, interesting, easier to remember, and easier to apply to life. Those were always the goals our Lord envisioned as He related any parables, such as the series of kingdom parables.

Ask Yourself

What can we learn from Jesus’ teaching style to help us improve our own spiritual communication, whether in formal lessons and sermons or simply in the ordinary vehicles of conversation?

[metmom]

Studying God’s Word ping

[tired&retired]

Parables are tools to teach people of limited understanding. They often have hidden meanings that most do not understand until the person has grown spiritually.

[PeterPrinciple]

Luk_8:10  he said, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that ‘seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.’

So it takes “ears” to understand a parable. What is the source of those “ears”?

Rev 2:7 “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit...................

While Jesus was alive, it was just “ears to hear”. It changed in revelation, read it closely.

Read the Bible on your own. Don’t let the Pope, a mega pastor or your own worldly understanding tell you what it says. The Spirit will talk to you and if he isn’t, well..............

[cuban leaf]

Matthew 13:34-35 — Jesus spoke all these things to the crowds in parables. He did not tell them anything without using a parable. So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet: “I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden since the foundation of the world.”

This is why it always cracks me up when people try to argue that the story of Lazarus and the rich man is not a parable. It is one of four parables that occur only in Luke, BTW.

[Ezekiel]

Parables and other symbolic and figurative communication methods, when correctly understood, are genuine friends of the student of God’s Word. They make abstract truths more concrete, interesting, easier to remember, and easier to apply to life.

Wherever you find the tRuth you find Ruth.

The place where Ruth is not to be found is a ruthless place.

Ruth = "friendship"

Ruth

fem. proper name, biblical ancestor of David, from Hebrew Ruth, probably a contraction of reuth "companion, friend, fellow woman." The Old Testament book tells her story.

ruth (n.)

"sorrow for the misery of another; repentance, regret," c. 1200, ruthe, from Old Norse hryggð "ruth, sorrow," from hryggr "sorrowful, grieved" (see rue (v.)) + Proto-Germanic abstract noun suffix *-itho (see -th (2)). Or else formed in English from reuwen "to rue" on the model of true/truth, etc. The Old English word was rue (n.2).

https://www.etymonline.com/word/ruth?ref=etymonline_crossreference

The Book of Ruth is the 85-verse birth announcement of King David, famous for his mercy ("Son of David, have mercy on us..."), which puts 2 Sam 12 into perspective.

A mother is the source point of life, hence the Messiah from Ruth, because wherever you find the truth you'll find Ruth.

[tired&retired]

Very good advice above