What Are the Parables?

Matthew 13:35 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: "I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world.”

The parables have remained a mystery throughout history, leaving everyone guessing their true meaning. However, even if the details are not understood, it should be clear that the parables are not about moral instruction. Instead, they are things known from the foundation of the world, revealing the story of the Kingdom of Israel—its captivity, the coming Messiah who would restore it, and through the kingdom, bring salvation to the entire earth, as foretold by the prophets from the beginning.

Yet many believe that Jesus primarily spoke about morals. While He did address morality, it was only a small part of His teachings. A reading of the Gospels confirms this, yet people often take phrases from the parables out of context, interpreting them through their own understanding of the Epistles and the Law of Moses. In doing so, they create their own laws, imposing burdens on both themselves and others—much like what the Pharisees did.

An example I witnessed is the use of Matthew 25:21 taken from the 'Parable of the Talents': “Don’t you want God to say to you, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant,’ when He returns?” I heard from the pulpit. This verse is often used to persuade people to get involved in the church by using their talents. And if you don't, according to the parable you will be cast into the outer darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

The thinking behind this concept stems from a paganistic attitude embedded in mankind since the beginning of time—the belief that one must be good to appease the wrath or disappointment of a god. This comes from a difficulty in understanding a gracious and loving God.

Another example of this is Christianity's view on hell. Jesus could not have been giving instructions on how to avoid eternal damnation. For one, and it would not have been fair, as He deliberately spoke mysteries in parables, leaving everyone guessing what He meant. You would think for such a critical subject, it would require far more explicit instructions. Yet, even if you gathered all the biblical teachings on the matter, you would still be left wondering whether you had missed some crucial detail.

Even the idea that everything Jesus said is a guide for living or an artistic and rhetorical journey of imagination cannot be correct. Morality is universal across all religions; one does not need to be a Christian to be good—and all atheists would agree. Moses brought the Law, so why would Jesus need to introduce a new one and speak it in mysteries? What, then, sets Christianity apart from all other religions?

Jesus was very specific and repeatedly emphasised, "Listen to Me, follow Me, abide in My Word," because He had something different to say than other religions. He came with a mission—to complete the works of the Father—and it was this mission that He spoke about.

People often feel an overwhelming need to take action. There is nothing wrong with being good; the problem arises when people believe that the Gospels are solely about morals and that they have the authority to judge others—to sit in God's seat and decide on His behalf who is good enough. This judgment stems from a self-opinionated and ignorant attitude. Jesus spoke about morals not just for us but to show us His nature.

As well-intentioned as people's works may be, people struggle to see that the parables are prophetic—revelations of what God is doing, not instructions on what we must do. The difference between Christianity and other religions is that the parables and prophecy are God's plan of salvation. It is His salvation, given to the entire world, and through it, we see how it will unfold, demonstrating His faithfulness, love, grace, and mercy.

The parables are about what kingdom?

Luke 4:43 "But He said to them, 'I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, because for this purpose I have been sent.'”

Jesus explicitly stated that His purpose was to preach the Kingdom, and He did so through parables, often introducing them with the phrase, "The kingdom of heaven is like..."

How one interprets the parables depends on their understanding of what they believe the Kingdom is. If their concept of the Kingdom is incorrect, the parables will lose their intended meaning. Take, for example, the parable of 'The Rich Man and Lazarus'. If one believes the Kingdom is only the Church, then this parable seems horrifying. However, if we understand that the Rich Man represents Judah, Jerusalem, the Pharisees, and the old priesthood, while Lazarus represents Israel, the parable takes on a whole new meaning, offering insight into God's plan. See video on the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus.

The Parables are God's prophetic plan known from the beginning

Matthew 13:34-35 "All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables, and without a parable He did not speak to them, [35] that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: ‘I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world.’"

Jesus was referring to Psalm 78, written by Asaph, a Levite musician and singer in King David’s court.

Psalm 78:1-7 "Give ear, O my people, to my law; Incline your ears to the words of my mouth. [2] I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings of old, [3] which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us. [4] We will not hide them from their children, telling the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and His strength and His wonderful works that He has done. [5] For He established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children; [6] that the generation to come might know them, the children who would be born, that they may arise and declare them to their children, [7] that they may set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments;”

Verses 1–7 is a prophesy how Jesus would speak in parables about things that were already known—truths handed down from generation to generation by the fathers as a law. Not the Law of Moses but the law concerning the things God declared would come to pass as a testimony of Himself in Jacob. Not Israel’s destruction, but of how through wondrous works, God will restore them according to the prophets so that we may set our hope in Him.

The parables are about the same kingdom that existed in the Old Testament—that Jacob (Israel) would be restored thousands of years later as a testimony to God—and that the Church would become the new priesthood, tasked with understanding and bearing witness to the restored kingdom. For it is the Church’s role to know the mystery of the kingdom:

Matthew 13:11 He answered and said to them, "Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.”

Isaiah 46:10 Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, 'My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure,’

In Isaiah, God said He has "declared the end from the beginning," in other words everything Jesus said in the parables must be consistent with what was said from the beginning by the prophets and the patriarchs.

Genesis 12:3 I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

God revealed His plan to Abraham from the beginning, declaring that through his seed—the Kingdom of Israel—will bring salvation to all the families of the earth.

God established His Kingdom—Israel—in the land of Canaan, as He had promised. However, Israel was a stubborn and rebellious people, chasing after false gods. In response, God sent prophets to warn them, calling them to repentance. Yet, Israel ignored these warnings and was eventually overtaken by its enemies and sent into captivity.

With the Kingdom—the seed to bring salvation to all the families of the earth—in captivity, God's plan could not move forward. God's plan had become a crashing train wreck and the earth was cursed, set on a pathway to destruction.

Jesus’ mission was to put the train back on its tracks—to restore the Kingdom in accordance with the prophets and it is this restoration that the parables are about. It would require the death of Jesus and thousands of years to complete.

It is not until recently that the parables could be understood in detail as the kingdom had arrived, revealing God's work and how he had orchestrated this from the beginning.

Isaiah 48:3-5 "I have declared the former things from the beginning; They went forth from My mouth, and I caused them to hear it. Suddenly I did them, and they came to pass. [4] Because I knew that you were obstinate, And your neck was an iron sinew, And your brow bronze, [5] Even from the beginning I have declared it to you; Before it came to pass I proclaimed it to you, Lest you should say, 'My idol has done them, And my carved image and my molded image Have commanded them.’

A quick example of explaining a parable is the one about the Sheep and the Goats.

The sheep nations represent the kingdom of God, while the least of the brethren refers to the Jews. The sheep nations are recognised as those that rescued Jerusalem and the Jews, whereas the goat nations are those that persecuted them. This parable brilliantly points to the Anglo-American alliance as the kingdom of God, as it was they who rescued the Jews and Jerusalem. Many more examples of parables can be viewed in our video channel.