Why Parables?

READ: LUKE 15

Have you ever wondered why Jesus often spoke in parables? Parables are short, metaphorical stories that point to a deeper truth. They illustrate what Jesus was teaching, and they can also make biblical truths easier for us to understand.

It’s kind of like the difference between eating a lime and eating a slice of key lime pie. On its own, a lime is very sour. It’s too much for most of our taste buds to handle. But key lime pie is different. We can still taste the lime, but it’s much sweeter. It’s suited for our taste buds so it’s not too intense and we can enjoy the flavor of the limes that were used to make it.

A parable is kind of like a slice of key lime pie. It helps our human minds understand the truth of God’s Word. It’s suited to the way God created our brains to learn—we respond to stories. Jesus could have told us God’s truth in a more straightforward manner, and sometimes He did. But He knew that we often listen and learn better from parables.

Isn’t it so wonderful that God chose to communicate with us in a way that we could understand? It shows how much He knows us, and how much He wants us to know Him. Even though we will never have all His teachings completely figured out, at least this side of eternity, He made sure we could understand His heart. His desire is for us to know how deeply He loves us, and then to love Him and love each other. • A. W. Smith

• Jesus tells three parables in Luke 15, and they all show different facets of the same truth about God’s heart toward us—His love for us is so great that He seeks us out, and He always wants us to come to Him, even after we’ve really messed up. That’s why Jesus died on the cross for us and rose from the grave—to rescue us from sin and bring us near to God. (You can find out more on our "Know Jesus" page.) Which of these three parables resonates with you most today? Why?

• Parables often invite us to examine the same truth from multiple angles. Consider reading Luke 15:11-31 three times—once from the perspective of the younger son, once from the perspective of the older son, and once from the perspective of the father. What differences and similarities do you notice?

• Some parables are harder to understand than others, and Jesus even said that some people wouldn’t understand His parables (Matthew 13:10-17). What questions do you have about parables? Who are trusted Christians you could ask? If you want to dig deeper, read Matthew 13.

With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand. Mark 4:33 (NIV)