Parables of Jesus

The word parable merely means comparison. A placing side by side, or comparing earthly truths, expressed, with heavenly truths to be understood. But in Jesus use, it means the illustration of spiritual truths by comparison with happenings in ordinary life to help people understand a concept. In other words, what Jesus is treating in the parables is not individual moral offenses, breaches of the 10 commandments for instance, but the states of the soul from which all sins flow, spiritual emptiness, spiritual excess. He was teaching not about fig trees but about men. Those who are ready to learn will understand. The synoptic gospels contain 40 parables.

The purpose of Jesus' parables is to introduce the mysteries of the kingdom of God or heaven. The thing signifying and the thing signified are united together. The parable is often an expanded proverb, and the proverb is a condensed parable. Jesus' parables are not mere illustrations, but internal analogies, nature becoming a witness for the spiritual world; whatever is found in the earthly exists also in the heavenly kingdom. Jesus was teaching parables to those who had ears to hear.

Jesus explained the purpose of parables Himself. "Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God, but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables. That seeing they may see and not perceive and hearing they may hear and not understand, lest at any time they should be converted and their sins should be forgiven them." Even this explanation of parables may indeed be a parable unto itself. What He meant is that these can only be understood by those willing to learn with spiritual eyes and spiritual ears to hear and see and understand. Those who cannot bring themselves to come to the light to expose their own sins will not understand and be not converted. Was Jesus concealing the truth by the use of the parables? No, He was revealing the truth, but in a way, only to those willing to open their eyes and ears to the truth in faith. Then the spirit would guide them into all truth and those who choose to be blind and deaf to His words will not understand.

Jesus told us in parables that new cloth cannot safely be attached to old material, since the old cloth will be damaged when the new cloth shrinks. At the same time, new wine would burst old wineskins that had been stretched to the limit by the fermenting of the previous wine. The illustration here is that the old containers of our being must be replaced to handle the new life that He has given us through faith in Him. We must renew ourselves completely if we are to put away the old life.

In the parable of the sower, even those that have never farmed can understand the illustrations in the story. Not all seed produces a harvest. No matter how good the seed is (the gospel), the harvest will still depend on how good the soil is (the hearts of the people). If the heart allows satan to choke the word like weeds, the seed will not take root, notice it is in the heart, not the mind or intellect. Shallow soil will not be able to endure the viccisitudes of life, materialism and lust. Those that are in good ground will be fruitful. The mustard seed was small and it took years to grow into such a mighty tree. The harvest has not yet come but throughout history, we have had faithful sowers of the Word in the field of the Lord, ploughing, nurturing and fertilizing the soil, the richer the soil, the better. The farmer needs his sleep but the seed has life in itself. As the field grows, the wind (spirit) blows and spreads the seed into other areas of good soil and it also takes root. Remember that Jesus taught that the seed must die first, meaning that we should die to ourseves to be able to follow Him. It is our responsibility to do these things and then leave it up to the Lord to bring in the increase. If this responsibility is not met, we are in danger of losing even what we have.

"For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it."

Not only can there be bad soil, but too often there are those that sow bad seed. When the disciples did not catch fish, Jesus told them to cast their nets on the other side of the boat. The restoration is made up of full gospel principles, not the watered down versions that quench the Holy Ghost. Friends, it is my wish that you be found as the wise virgins. Notice in that parable, they were all asleep but only half of them were ready with their lamps filled with oil. That oil is the Holy Ghost and will gain you entrance into the Bridal Chamber.

Jesus talked of our denying ourselves in the 12th chapter of John and gave a parable of the corn of wheat: "Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abides alone, but if it die, it brings forth much fruit. He that loves his life shall lose it and he that hates his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal." He said more but ended it with "Father glorify my name!" Upon which a thunderous voice came from heaven saying "I have both glorified it and will glorify it again." Jesus reply to that was "Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from earth will draw all men unto me." Jesus said that to signify what death He should die. What death? Crucifixion. If we die to ourselves, take up the cross of Jesus and crucify ourselves we are not axalting ourselves we are exalting Jesus. If He be lifted up in this type of exaltation from enough of us, He will draw all men unto Him and this is the latter rain and the fulfillments of the prophecies of Joel that He will pour out His spirit upon all flesh. Are we led by God? If we are truly led, then God can certainly speak through us and when we are ready, at the right point in history, we will be so unified as a group as to be able to speak as one voice of the Father and again the name of Jesus will be glorified. And we do not have to wait, we as individuals can do it now. Glory to God. Glory to the name of Jesus. To Him be all the glory and all the honor and all the praise. See how simple it is?
[318, 324, 377, 415, Mark 2:21-22; 4:11-34, John 12:24-40, Isaiah 55:9-11]



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