Parables
The Use of Parables. A parable is often described as a story that uses earthly (or temporal) elements to teach a heavenly (or eternal) lesson. In Matthew 13, Jesus had been using several parables to tell the people about different aspects of the Kingdom of Heaven. According to the gospels, Jesus audience, as well as his disciples, often misunderstood these parables. In fact, in the same chapter as this parable, Jesus disciples had just come to him and asked,
"Why do you speak to the people in parables?" He replied, The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. This is why I speak to them in parables: Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.
In this particular instance, Jesus was stating that his primary purpose for parables was to explain various things about the Kingdom of Heaven. The Kingdom is a central concept in all of Jesus teachings, and much of his teaching utilized parables.
