Spiritual Reading | The Power of Parables

Jesus often used parables to teach his disciples and people to make a point and to express profound spiritual truths. What are the parables and why did Jesus use them so frequently?

Parables are a Jewish style of storytelling. The stories are drawn from ordinary life. Parables usually contain some element that is strange or unusual, and they are used to illustrate or compare ideas. They do not define things precisely but use comparisons to point us in the direction of an understanding of how God works. The meaning of parables is never too obvious, and indeed, the purpose of parables is not to settle issues, but to challenge us to think more deeply about the issues.

The Catholic Encyclopedia explains, "The word parable signifies, in general, a comparison, or a parallel, by which one thing is used to illustrate another. It is a likeness taken from the sphere of real, or sensible, or earthly incidents, in order to convey an ideal, or spiritual, or heavenly meaning. As uttering one thing and signifying something else, it is in the nature of a riddle….it is intended to stir curiosity and calls for intelligence in the listener."

Because parables are drawn from everyday life, it would seem that Jesus used them in order to make it easier for his listeners to understand his message. However, if you read Matthew 13:10-17, you will see that Jesus did not expect people to understand what he was saying. If you think you know what the parable means at first glance, chances are you missed the point. This is because parables are not as clear as you might expect. There is always some doubt about the exact point of the story, and the result is that the listener or reader wonders why the story is so strange or unsettling? You begin to think more deeply about the meaning of the parable. That is the goal? Parables raise more questions than answers. They help us see beyond the obvious into the deeper meaning that Jesus had in mind. That is why the parables of Jesus continue to fascinate us two thousand years later.

Jesus used parables to help us penetrate mysteries that were too deep for us to fully understand. The Kingdom of God was one of the most popular subjects of Jesus' parables, which reveal to us the impenetrable nature of God's Kingdom and our inability to fully comprehend it on this earth.

Parables are also perfect examples of how the various senses of scripture are revealed. Each parable has a literal sense as well as a spiritual sense. The spiritual sense of parables can further be separated into its allegorical sense; its moral sense; and its anagogical sense.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church adds to this notion, explaining how, "parables are like mirrors for man: will he be hard soil or good earth for the word? What use has he made of the talents he has received?" (CCC 546)

If Jesus used straight definitions when describing the Kingdom of God, it would make it seem like a person could somehow "control" it and "grasp" for it. Instead, the Kingdom of God must be pondered within one's heart, as Mary did with everything that happened in her life. It must be internalized and take on a personal meaning that is unique, further leading that one individual towards a deeper relationship with Christ. While we may be tempted to want "the straight facts," Jesus invites us through parables to go embrace the mystery of God and recognize our inability to fully grasp who God is and what his plan is for us.