What is the meaning of a Parable?

The topic of parables is significant to understanding not only Jesus' message but also the message of Moses and the Prophets. They all use parables for the same reason Jesus used them to teach those who weren't in his discipleship program. So before we cover why Jesus taught in parables, we must understand what a parable is.

What is a parable?

The Greek word for "Parable" is parabolē. It means: "a placing of one thing by the side of another." It is to compare one thing to another to show how they are alike. For example, a red cap is like an apple. The comparison here is that the hat and the apple are both red. But it is important to understand that the cap is not a literal apple. With that in mind, you can see how one must use mental prowess to determine the meaning and significance of a parable. Let me give you another example. A dog is like a pig. Do you see the comparison? No. I've shown you this parable to show you the reason meaning and significance are important. If you do not know that a dog and a pig is on the list of unclean things in the book of Leviticus you will not understand the significance of why Jesus calls this woman a dog, "Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. 26 But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread and to cast it to dogs. Matthew 15:25-26

Now that I have provided you with the insight you need to understand a parable, let me also tell you that a parable also consists of a Hebrew idiom and a corresponding image. But before I explain, let's define an idiom. Dictornary.com defines an idiom like this: "an expression whose meaning is not predictable from the usual meanings of its constituent elements, as kick the bucket or hang one's head, or from the general grammatical rules of a language." So the idiom "kick a bucket" can literally mean a person has literally kicked a bucket or its idiomatic expression means: someone has died. Idioms are particular to one's language and culture. Every society has idioms in their language including Hebrew and Greek. Now let me show you an idiom that Jesus used in his parable. "Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." John 2:19

An idiom always contains a verb and a noun. But in this idiom, Jesus wasn't speaking literally "But he spake of the temple of his body. 22 When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said." John 2:21-22

So now you see the importance of the Hebrew idiom. Let's discuss why Jesus taught the crowds in parables. "And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?" Matthew 13:10." John 2:21-22

This is the most important question of the day. "...Why speakest thou unto them in parables?" And Jesus' answer is tough: "Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. Matthew 13:11

That should be a pretty obvious answer to understand. The point is, if you are not Jesus' disciple then the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven are not for you. This should change how you understand the ministries that are on television parading around as if they know something about God. They are violating the most basic principle. SECRECY. If you are preaching or teaching on television or online, only the bare minimum should be discussed. And this is why you have false teachers running rampant in the church. Everyone wants to make social media money and become famous. They appear to be a great teacher while distributing lies.