Wanna explain parables? Why so hard to understand?

[Miss Hepburn]

I have asked this before, maybe on other forums, but I don't feel I ever understood the reasoning anyone gave.
Why would Jesus not want certain people to understand things?
Ideas?

[BigJohn]

Is the answer not intertwined in why Spirit, at times, makes a statement or shows a dream that almost nobody can 'decode'?

[Podshell]

I like those sayings where he says"only the wise will understand this" as it is like he is chastising the dumb and yet they have the oppurtunity become wise,to heed Christ's words so don't think any type of person is excluded from understanding except by their own choice.

[weareunity]

Hello all.

Parables are like parallel accounts of somewhat similar circumstances to the particular teaching that the teacher is actually presenting to an audience. The intention, hope, is that the audience will see in the parallel account how the participants in the parallel account acted and behaved in somewhat similar circumstances to the particular teaching that the teacher is presenting--and will make the connection.

This may seem a strange way to go about teaching. The great value is that in understanding the parallel, the audience themselves have made the connection and in that "oh I see" moment arrive at the truth of the actually intended teaching themselves,---so--like a powerful self made willing discovery rather than the more usual "thou must" type of instruction characteristic of some methods of instruction.

Some of us will arrive at the "oh I see", some of us will not--at least for now, though maybe we shall do so at later date.

No one is actually forbidden to understand or have opportunity to understand however.

Cheers. X

[FallingLeaves]

Originally Posted by Miss Hepburn

Why would Jesus not want certain people to understand things?
Ideas?

i have enough of a sense for how things would be... that i'm grateful that god made it so that those people who are currently in charge were not given certain information that would have allowed them to REMAIN in charge when the switchover to the kingdom of heaven comes....

beyond that, in my mind it isn't so much of not wanting people to understand things as not wanting to bother people with truths they weren't anywhere near ready to embrace.... some things he hinted at with things like parables...

[Redchic12]

.”. beyond that, in my mind it isn't so much of not wanting people to understand things as not wanting to bother people with truths they weren't anywhere near ready to embrace.... some things he hinted at with things like parables...”-FL

Now that is the first comment I’ve read, regarding parables that makes total sense to me.

Thank you!

[sky]

I personally don't think that Jesus spoke in Parables because he didn't want people to understand (secrecy) rather He used Parables because some 'refused' to understand. Why would He waste time teaching/guiding the one's who 'refused' separately from the believers.
He recognised some used 'Heart Knowledge' and others 'Head Knowledge'....
Mybe He was 'killing two birds with one stone' with the hope the heart knowledge would transform the head knowledge

[weareunity]

Hello all.

In discussing this topic---how great is the danger that the desire to feed any personal ambitions of wishing to be considered important/elite may cause us to pursue the historically long established method of doing so by means of hinting/stating that we are somehow the custodian/mouthpiece of information which is not available to others?

Cheers.X.

[Maisy]

Originally Posted by Miss Hepburn

I have asked this before, maybe on other forums, but I don't feel I ever understood the reasoning anyone gave.
Why would Jesus not want certain people to understand things?
Ideas?

I've not heard that idea before that Jesus did not want some to understand. Maybe there are some bible passages I am not aware of? I saw this one:

Matthew 11:15
15 He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

That to me is Jesus basically saying some will not understand as they are not aware or smart enough, advanced enough, with understanding of such things. Like saying for 2X - 12 = 0 so X is 6 and some won't get it or understand (because they have not learned algebra.)

My assumption is it is about awareness and self understanding, not keeping secrets from anyone. For example if someone is not aware it is optional to have a thought produce an effect on ones experience of now, they will never understand the idea. If Jesus had a more nuanced and subtle understanding of spirituality and religion, which may be because he had a deeper intellect and awareness, then I think Jesus would be aware some would never get the meaning of what he was saying.

Like if Jesus said, treat others as yourself. Somebody may say why? The reasons can be anything from if we don't we are going to hell to because it shows we understand on a deep level with compassion and empathy that I am exactly like that person. That I have a natural intense connection with all others because of what "I am." One person may have a lot of empathy somebody else may have zero. So to one, treat others like yourselves would be like of course.... somebody else may be like... I don't see any reason besides God says so and I don't want to be punished by God.

Reminds me of where Jesus said:

Luke 5:32
32 "I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

There I think Jesus is basically saying some don't need him or his message as they are already spiritual or loving kind beings. Seemed to me Jesus was trying to change Judaism in some ways. He pretty much made a new religion or sowed the seeds for it to happen. I think I read the first "Christians" were still Jews just who had deeper meanings and a few changes in their ways, well accepting Jesus as the messiah was a big change.

[Maisy]

Oh I found one reference in another thread:

Matthew 13:10-16
10 The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?”

11 Jesus replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. 12 Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables: Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.

Some pretty interesting ideas there. One is we are basically born with (given) the understanding or knowledge or ability to get what Jesus is talking about or we were not born with or given what we need to understand. If we were "given" these traits we will get even better stuff (an abundance) if we were not born with these qualities or traits well sad news, you will get what little you have taken from you.

I think one thing one should understand about the bible is Jesus went hard on judging the Pharisees. He did not really hold back or mince words. The rest of that passage goes on about the "bad people" :

14 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:

“‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
15 For this people’s heart has become calloused;
they hardly hear with their ears,
and they have closed their eye"

No talking about them being saved or redeemed at all. Just criticism of them judgement and harsh words. One thing to remember though I think is in Jesus's time, people were routinely killed because of their beliefs or actions. Violent times. So I think it was always about more than you believe that and I believe this. It was life or death sometimes, power, authority big issues in those times. Jesus could not freely teach whatever and wherever he wanted. There was always threats from Pharisees and religious authorities I assume. Danger. I think some were like enemies of him. In one part of the bible I think I remember Jesus told his followers not to go preach in certain towns. Probably because of the dangers there. I don't think Jesus was talking about random people when he was saying some can't get it, I think he was directly pointing at those Religious authorities who were against him and his teachings and his ministry.