What Did Jesus' Parables Really Mean?

Now, Contending for the Faith. In this regular feature, Dave and Tom respond to questions from listeners and readers of The Berean Call. Here’s this week’s question: “Dear Dave and Tom, Would you please explain what Jesus was saying about parables in Mark:4:9-13 [9] And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. [10] And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable. [11] And he said unto them, 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: [12] 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. [13] And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?
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Tom: Let’s read it, Dave. Mark:4:9-13 [9] And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. [10] And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable. [11] And he said unto them, 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: [12] 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. [13] And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?
See All..., “And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable. And he said unto them, 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. And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? And how then will ye know all parables?”

Dave, we talked earlier about interpreting the Bible, and people come to it with a bias, with a prejudice, and even some laziness. They say, “Oh, I don’t want to bother with that. That’s too difficult for me to wrestle with.”

Dave: Well, it’s a tough question. It’s a good question.

First of all, I think we could conclude something. If you look at Matthew:13:34All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them:
See All..., it says, “All these things (this is the same thought), All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them.” Now that’s an important verse….

Tom: Mm-hmm.

Dave: …for Roman Catholics, because whenever he spoke to the multitude, he spoke in parables. Okay? Point number one—it’s what it says. So, in John 6, when He’s saying “I am the bread of life”…you know…and, “Except ye eat my flesh, drink my blood…you’ve got no life in you…,” He’s speaking a parable. He is speaking it to the multitude. Okay?

Tom: Mm-hmm.

Dave: So, He’s not speaking literally. A parable is not literal. A parable is illustrative. And so, He’s not saying you must literally eat My flesh and drink My literal blood. Therefore, the priests are going to have the power to turn this wafer and this wine into My body and blood. Okay?

Tom: Mm-hmm.

Dave: Point number one. Now, why is this? Tom, on the one hand, it sounds as though God is deliberately keeping people from understanding the gospel. I don’t think that’s what it means at all. Because we have so many passages in Scripture: “You will seek for me and find me, when you seek for me with all your heart.” So, a person who really wants to know the Lord, God will reveal Himself. I think that’s clear all through the Bible.

Tom: Dave, I think that’s what this verse is saying, right here. Verse 12, “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.”

This has to do with willingness, it seems to me.

Dave: Well, “Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom, but not unto them that are without. All these things are done in parables.” Now, why is it that those who are without—and what does it mean “without?” You know?

See, we began earlier, Tom, talking about the deceitfulness of the human heart. And, there are an awful lot of people in churches who are not really Christians. Their hearts are not in it. I quoted Colson, “People pray for revival, but do they really want real revival, or do they want something else?”

I think Jesus is saying, “We’re not going to encourage false Christianity. I’m presenting it in a way that it will take some spiritual insight to understand.” I don’t believe He’s saying, “I’m only going to give certain people spiritual insight, and others”—although it certainly sounds almost that way, unless we look at it very carefully—“that seeing, they may see and not perceive; hearing they may hear and not understand….” They’re going to think that they know what a Christian is. They’re going to think they know what the Christian life is, and that’s why some will be able to say to the Lord, Matthew 7: “Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name?”

Tom: Mm-hmm.  

Dave: “…In your name we cast out devils….” It sounds as though they really think that that’s what they did. Now, the part that’s difficult, Tom, is “…lest at any time they should be converted and their sins should be forgiven them.” I don’t think it means that God is trying to prevent this from happening.

Tom: Mm-hmm.

Dave: I think it means that without this understanding, they will not be converted. And they will not really know the truth. And, in fact, Tom, I think it’s a kindness from the Lord, who’s preventing them from making a false profession.

Tom: Dave, this seems to me to relate to John:7:17If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.
See All.... It says, “If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.” In other words, we go back to the heart. Does the heart desire to truly know, to truly commit themselves to Christ, to truly live what He’s talking about?

Dave: So, when it says, “Lest at any time they should be converted and their sins should be forgiven them….” I think, probably, it could be rephrased [with] a little better interpretation. It it doesn’t mean that God is preventing them from this, but it is meaning that if they do not have a proper understanding, if they do not hear with the hearing of the heart in obedience and willingness, that they will not be converted.

Now, Tom, there are verses like this that are difficult. What do we do with them? We take the entire tenor of Scripture.

Tom: Mm-hmm.

Dave: And there are so many verses that say that God is not willing that any should perish. He wants all to come to the knowledge of the truth. Christ died for all, and He wants all to be saved. But, I think, the difficult parts of this passage, we can interpret in that way.

Tom: According to the whole counsel of God, Dave. That’s the way we have to approach this.