Why would Jesus have used parables to deliver his message?

Answer 1

In the New King James Version (NKJV), it does not say that Mark stated that Jesus used parables to prevent people from understanding His messages. In fact, the reason that Jesus did use parables was so the people could understand his messages.

Answer 2

A:Most of the parables are in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. It has been established that most of these came from a single source used by both the authors of Matthew and Luke. Scholars believe that where differences exist between a parable in Matthew and the same parable in Luke, Luke's version is nearly always closest to the original in Q. No copy of this single source still exists, but scholars have reconstructed it with reasonable accuracy, and call it the 'Q' (Quelle) document. Q is so similar to the Gospel of Thomas that some scholars at first thought they were the same document, but there are clear differences in theology, although they were probably both based on an earlier Common Sayings Tradition. A feature Thomas and Q share is that they contain sayings attributed to Jesus, but no narrative as to when or where Jesus spoke these sayings.

The simplest way of incorporating sayings from Q into the respective Gospels of Matthew and Luke was to use parables, a format already used in Mark's Gospel, the main source for narrative material in the other gospels. Because both gospels followed the chronological sequence of Mark and also used sayings from Q more or less in the sequence in which they appeared in Q, there is usually a degree of similarity in the contexts in which a parable or other saying occurs in one gospel or the other. However, as Q provided no context for Jesus' sayings, we sometimes find a saying described in a different context in Matthew than in Luke.

Answer 3

It was a TEACHING TOOL. It was an easy way to help people UNDERSTAND simple truths.

For example: The good Samaratan. Someone asked a question, about 'who is your neighbor'. After giving the parable, Jesus asked a simple question of that person. The answer would be so obvious, that Jesus didn't even have to answer it. What a good teaching tool, to get the person to answer his own question.

It was also a SEPARATING TOOL. It was a way of 'separating' people. Some would think Jesus is foolish, and they would walk away; others would inquire further.

For example: When Jesus spoke the parable of the seed that falls on different soil; some people up-and-left, thinking: 'what is this foolishness'. But others asked questions, which Jesus answered, giving them more insight.
Jesus taught in parables for two main reason. Firstly, the double untendres made sure that he could not be accused of blasphemy against the church. Secondly, it shows the distinction between God's people and the lost ones. The people who understood the meanings of the parables therefore understood the word of God. The ones who took the parables for simple stories did not. For example, the teachers who didn't understand the meaning of the parable the Prodigal Son could not enter God's kingdom because the word was not with them.

Another Answer

The English word parable comes from the Greek word - parabole which literally denotes "a placing beside" (similar to paraballo, "to throw" or "lay beside, to compare"). It signifies "a placing of one thing beside another" with a view to comparison - Vines Dictionary of New Testament words

a parable then is an illustration thrown in alongside of a truth in order to explain it, to make the truth easier to understand. A parable puts something familiar alongside something unfamiliar, it compares something unfamiliar with something familiar. A parable helps people to understand spiritual truth by using everyday objects and relationships.

So a parable is not a double entendre and at the time Jesus told His parable the church did not exist.

The twelve disciple asked Jesus why he taught this way. Jesus said:

Mat 13:11 He answered and said to them, "Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.

Mat 13:12 For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.

Mat 13:13 Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.

The truths of God's kingdom were only available to those who sincerely sort to know the truth.