1. The Messiah Teaches with Parables
Matthew 13:1-23

2. The “Busy Day” Training the twelve and teaching others
Matthew 12:1-13:52
Training the twelve and teaching others
Healing all who were brought to Him
Confronting skeptical enemies
Rebuking unbelief
Teaching the multitudes in parables
Teaching His disciples about parables

3. Jesus, the Master Teacher
Preaching the Gospel
Sermons
Visual aids
Questions
Illustrations
By example
With parables
Jesus, the Master Teacher

4. Parable Narrative from life A spiritual lesson
parabole: “lit., denotes a placing beside”
akin to paraballo, “to throw or lay beside”
“Placing of one thing beside another with a view to comparison” (Vine)
Narrative from life
A spiritual lesson

5. Parables are not… Fables Myths Proverbs
Animals and trees don’t talk (Jug. 9:7-15)
Parables are true to life
Myths
Based on actual, daily happenings
Proverbs
Narrative without regard to length

6. Jesus and Parables
Jesus was not the first to use parables (2 Sam. 12:1-4)
Jesus is the only one recorded using parables in the New Testament
His parables excel in wisdom, understanding and instruction (Matthew 13:3)

7. Why did Jesus Use Parables?
Matthew 13:10-17
To teach (reveal) spiritual lessons
Jesus did not use parables to intentionally hide truth from people
Used them to reveal truth, Matt. 13:9-11, (Psa. 78:1-4)
The “Word” who is Truth, John 1:14-17
The “Light” of the world, John 8:12

8. Why did Jesus Use Parables?
Matthew 13:11-15
What does Jesus mean, “to them it is not given?” (13:11)
Some will not understand because they do not have “ears to hear” (13:9)
Those with “ears to hear” understand the parables

9. Why did Jesus Use Parables?
Matthew 13:11-15
Who does not have ears to hear?
“Them” (13:10-13)
Seeing (see not) and hearing (hear not)
Do not desire truth…refuse it…because they believe they already have the truth! (13:14-15) Jno. 9:39-41; Matt. 11:25
Incapable of learning truth (Rom. 8:6-7)
Hard heart will not learn (Jno. 8:43)

10. Why did Jesus Use Parables?
Matthew 13:16-17
Who has ears to hear?
Open minds and honest hearts
Can and will learn the truth of the gospel (Jno. 7:14-17)
Since hearts can be changed, Jesus used parables in an effort to open hearts to the gospel!

11. Understanding the Parables
Matthew 13:15-23
Condition of heart determines whether the word of the kingdom is received, 13:15-17 (Mark 4:11-12)
Spiritual state of Israel, Isaiah 6:9-10
Parable of the Sower is the key to understanding all the parables, Mk. 4:13
Because it describes how hearts react to the word of God, Mark 4:14

12. Understanding the Parables
Matthew 13:15-23
Jesus explains the parable, 13:18-23
HEAR (akouo): Understand, perceive, attend to the parable
Principles of parable interpretation (McGarvey):
When Jesus gives the meaning it must be accepted as final and exhaustive (Luke 8:11)
Only those points in the mind of the author have a place in the interpretation

13. Hear the Parable of the Sower
Matthew 13:18-23
Sower sows the word (Mk. 4:14)
Soil is the heart (Matt. 13:19)
Wayside: Hard, closed heart
Stony: Shallow, emotional heart
Thorny: Over-crowded heart
Good: Honest and good heart (hears, understands and bears fruit)

14. What kind of heart do you have?
Do You have Ears to Hear?
He who has ears to hear, let him hear!
(Matthew 13:9, 18)
What kind of heart do you have?