Jesus often spoke in parables. One day, “The disciples came to Him and asked, ‘Why do you speak to the people in parables?’ He replied, ‘The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. This is why I speak in parables:
‘Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:
‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’” (Matthew 13:10-16).
At the heart of this passage is the emphasis on spiritual growth and understanding, particularly regarding receptivity and action. Those who are receptive to God’s word and actively seek understanding, will receive further knowledge and blessings. This abundance isn’t necessarily material wealth, but rather a deeper comprehension of God’s truth and a richer relationship with Him.
Conversely, those who are spiritually stagnant or resistant to God’s word, and fail to use the opportunities and knowledge they have been given, risk losing even the little they possess. This teaching mirrors the message of the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30), where those who are blessed with talents and use them wisely are blessed with more, while those who bury their talents will have them stripped from them.
Parables are effective ways to compel one’s audience to remember the story associated with the truth being taught and also compel further study and discussion. In certain applications, they can be used to hide the truth from those who refuse submission to the Holy Spirit.
THE PARABLE OF THE TENNANTS
In a profound proclamation of His identity, Jesus told the parable of the tenants (Mark 12, Matthew 21:33-46), and exasperated the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders because they knew His analogy was directed directly at them. They recognized His reference to Isaiah 5 and ascertained that they were the ones that were guilty of killing the prophets and Israel itself was the vineyard.
And when Jesus quoted Psalm 118:22-23 in conclusion, they were infuriated and wanted to arrest Him. This exchange is also recorded in Matthew 21:42-44. “Jesus said to them, ‘Have you never read the scriptures: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes’? ‘Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.’”
The religious leaders fully understood the terminology that Jesus used in referring to Himself as the rock. Throughout scripture God is depicted as the rock (Deuteronomy 32:4; Psalm 18:31; Isaiah 17:10, 26:4), and the Messiah is referred to as a stone or rock (Isaiah 28:16; Daniel 2:34-35; Acts 4:11; Ephesians 2:20).
Jesus illustrated in no uncertain terms that He was being rejected and had become a stumbling stone for Israel, just as the prophet Isaiah had predicted in Isaiah 8:13-14: “The Lord Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy, He is the one you are to fear, He is the one you are to dread, and He will be a sanctuary, but for both houses of Israel He will be a stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall. And for the people of Jerusalem He will be a trap and a snare.”
Furthermore, the hidden essence of the stone being rejected becoming the cornerstone is that despite successfully killing Jesus, the religious leaders and teachers of the law would not be rid of Him and in fact the Christian church would become a major antagonist for them.
The Pharisees and teachers of the law were well versed in the scriptures and believed they knew everything they needed to know regarding the Messiah. However, their presuppositions resulted in a Messiah of their own construct rather than the Messiah standing in front of them. Jesus didn’t fit their envisioned stereotypical savior so they rejected Him.
CHRISTIANS CAN FALL INTO THE SAME TRAP
Christians can fall into the same trap if Jesus becomes a savior of their own choosing. There is a risk of highlighting attributes that do not conflict with their individual perspective while minimizing characteristics they find problematic. The result distorts the image of Jesus to the point of fabricating a false Messiah.
Not only is Jesus the foundation of the Christian church, He is the cornerstone of salvation and the centerpiece of God’s redemptive plan for mankind. Those who reject Him will be crushed, just as the nation of Israel was in the first century. Those of us who have been broken to pieces from falling onto the stone that is Christ and have humbled ourselves and repented recognize the truth of the gospel.
The apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 2:14, “The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.” In other words, understanding spiritual truths requires more than intellectual reasoning. What is needed is a spiritual perspective.
Similarly, in 1 Corinthians 1:18, Paul asserts, “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” Those whose worldview is purely “natural” or “materialistic” cannot perceive the need of a savior or see themselves as sinners. They are spiritually dead (Ephesians 2:1) and may not even believe they have a spirit.
Our modern culture prides itself on its intellect and comprehension of science and technology to the point that the simplicity of salvation through grace seems too elemental to be valid. The paradox that the world sees God’s power as weakness and His wisdom as nonsense is nothing new. Therefore God chose the foolish things to shame the wise and the weak things to shame the strong, so that no one can boast before Him (1 Corinthians 1:27).
Proverbs 9:10 teaches that reverence for the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Isaiah conveyed that God’s thoughts are much higher than man’s thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9) while Paul articulates, “For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.” (1 Corinthians 1:2).
BROKEN NOT CRUSHED
It is vital that we are broken through Jesus Christ and not crushed. It is crucial that we acknowledge our sin and our need of a savior. And it is of utmost importance that we repent and receive the spiritual rebirth that leads us to obedience to the Holy Spirit. In this we find life.
It has been said that smart men learn from their mistakes but wise men learn from the mistakes of others. It is noteworthy that the religious leaders and teachers of the law in first century Judea thought so highly of themselves they couldn’t see the truth manifested before their eyes in Yeshua Hamashiach. God’s ways often seem counterintuitive to human logic. Jesus exemplified humility and servitude as God incarnate; He wasn’t the war hero they hoped for. The Messiah they truly needed stood right in front of them and they refused to accept Him. Let’s not commit the same error in judgement.
By willingly going to the cross, Jesus is perceived as weak by the world and a failure according to societal standards. Yet in His sacrifice there is victory. In His death there is life. Two thousand years later the historical Jesus may seem like a parable to some. An analogy of a good teacher or moral person to others. A myth to many.
What the world needs most it fails to grasp. The world wants peace, but rejects the prince of peace. The world wants love, bur rejects the Author of Love. The world wants life, but rejects the One Who gave His life to save theirs. The world desperately wants Jesus, but they’re too busy rejecting Him to realize He’s the solution.
Parables both prevent and provide insight into the logic of God, depending upon one’s spiritual health and awareness. The Bible is also clear that there are consequences for rejecting Jesus. All have sinned and have fallen short (Romans 3:23), and acceptance has profound blessings. John 3:36 candidly teaches, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.”
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