Why Does Christ Teach in Parables and What Do They Mean?

Today I’m going to study Lesson 11 from the New Testament manual. It’s the upcoming lesson, and I thought it’d be fun to look it over before I actually go to the class.

The title of the lesson is “He Spake Many Things Unto Them In Parables.” The first part of the lesson, Matthew 13:3-8, is about the parable of the sower and the seeds. It talks about how a sower went to plant seeds…

• some fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up
• Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.
• And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:
• But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.

As I read on in the same scripture (Matt 13), it talks about why he talks in parables. He says because those with ears to hear hear not, and with eyes to see see not, neither do they understand. Christ says this fulfills the prophecy of Esaias: “By hearing ye shall hear; and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: For the people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.”

I don’t know if it’s my natural man or not, but by default I think of my conversation with Luke Frank and even the conversation we’ve had with Mandy. But I want to ask myself, “How does this apply to me?

If I’m a seed in this parable, where have I been planted?

I wouldn’t say I’ve been devoured up by the fowls.

Stony places? To me, this is talking about people who have joined the Church but didn’t have a very strong testimony or maybe joined for the wrong reason, whatever that is. Initially they may have been active and excited, but one small offense caused them to quickly turn away and they were “scorched” and “withered away.”

Some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up and choked them…This could be me at times in my life, especially when I’ve been actively involved in my addiction. The thorns of the adversary have sprung up and choked me, pulled me away from the truth, and cut off my breathing to spiritual things.

What I feel good about is that, through the Atonement of Christ, He’s come in, sprayed the thorns with “Round Up,” and rescued me from these thorny places, at least for today.

My job is now to maintain the ground where I have been planted now. I can’t let weeds grow up. I have to nourish the ground. I have to water it. I have to take good care of it.

This applies to my family too. The ground I provide for them is also crucial. I have to teach my kids how to nourish their own ground and help them in the process.

I’d say that today, I’m in good ground and I’m bringing forth fruit.

As it talks about the ears to hear and the eyes to see, I think that can apply to me too. I’ve been blessed with the gospel of Jesus Christ, the fullness of His Gospel. However, how much do I listen to it? How much to I see it for what it is? How well do I understand what it’s trying to teach me?

In the past I would say I saw but did not see; I heard but did not listen, and ultimately, I didn’t understand.

Today, I feel, is different. Today I’m hungering and thirsting after righteousness. Today I want to think more about how the scriptures apply to ME than how “so and so could really use this…” or “that is talking about that other religion…”

The lesson goes on to explain the parable of the sower more:

• 19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and ^aunderstandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and ^bcatcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.
• 20 But he that received the seed into ^astony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; 21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when ^atribulation or ^bpersecution ariseth because of the word, by and by ^che is offended.
• 22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this ^aworld, and the ^bdeceitfulness of ^criches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
• 23 But he that received seed into the good ground is he that ^aheareth the word, and ^bunderstandeth it; which also beareth ^cfruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

I enjoyed reading the lesson today. Reading the teachers version of the lesson goes more in depth and provides further insight.

I look forward to studying that tomorrow.

I hope and pray that I am in good ground today and that I’m bringing forth good fruit.

I know this is my desire.

I look forward to a day in recovery.

Hasta luego!

Nate