Why Parables?
Matthew 13:10-17
By Spiros Zodhiates

Editor’s Note: We continue Dr. Zodhiates’ exposition of Matthew’s Gospel.

 [10] The Greek word parabole\ ([3850], “parable”) comes from the compound verb parabállo\ ([3846], to closely compare; from pará [3844], a preposition indicating close proximity, and bállo\ [906], to put). Jesus put things close together to illustrate spiritual truth, to make abstract things clear. Parables help us understand conceptual truths through ordinary experiences. However, they cannot exactly represent reality because not every material reality has a spiritual analogue.

[11] Jesus answered His disciples’ questions by telling them He had given them something special. The word “given” translates the Greek verb dédo\tai, the perfect passive indicative of dídomi ([1325], to give freely). The perfect tense implies that it had already been given so they might now experientially “know (gno\nai, from gino\sko\ [1097], to experientially know) the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven.”