Key: SCHAFF: “When the Lord open his mouth, we should open our ears and hearts”
WHAT ARE PARABLES Matt. 13:3
- Matt. 13:3 “And he spoke many things unto them in parable…”
- ‘He spoke many things.’ Many more that were spoken were likely not recorded here, just as John said in Jn. 20:30-31, that these were recorded that you might believe and in believing you may have life. Deut. 29:29. All excellent and necessary things, things that belong to our peace were recorded. “A crowd is of many minds, and so he speaks to them in many parable, that each might receive appropriate instruction. He did not speak everything in parables, but many things-… by what they understand they may be aroused to seek knowledge of what they do not understand”- Jerome
- He spoke in parable. Let us look at what parables are, and we will later see why He spoke in parables in future studies. Broadus John A says, the Hebrew word (mashal) employed in the Old Testament put parables as:
- An illustrative comparison Ez. 17:2-24; 24:3
- A sententious saying or apothegm, such as frequently involves a comparison Pro. 1:1,6; 26:7,9, Eccl. 12:9.
- A current, often repeated saying of this kind, a proverb 1Sam. 10:11-12; 24:11-14, Ez. 12:22; 18:2, 3
- Any high wrought expression, done in parallel clauses like a comparison, as was common in Hebrew poetry. Num. 23:7, 18, Job. 27:1, 29:1, Is. 14:4, Mich. 2:4, Heb. 2:6
- An obscure and deep saying, Ps. 49:4; 78:2 since pithy comparison frequently requires much reflection in order to get their full meaning.
- He further said the Greek word employed by the New Testament writers put parables as:
- An illustrative comparison without the form of narrative Matt. 15:15; 24:32, Mk. 8:23, Lk. 5:36, 6:39
- An illustrative comparison in form of narrative which is common in the first three gospels
- A narrative illustration not involving a comparison, as the Rich Fool, the Pharisee and the Publican, A certain Samaritan.
- A symbol or images not expressed in language at all Heb. 9:9; 11:19.
