Why did Jesus Christ Teach in Parables?

Quoted from Understanding the Parables of Jesus Christ, by Jay A. Parry and Donald W. Parry

One reason that Jesus Christ taught in parables was to conceal the truth from those who were spiritually unprepared.  The parable conveys to the hearer religious truth exactly in proportion to his faith and intelligence.  Only he who seeks finds. (LDS Bible Dictionary, 740-741)

Another reason that Jesus veiled his message was to show mercy to the unbelievers.  “There is plainly shown an element of mercy. . . had He always taught in explicit declaration, such as required no interpretation, many among His hearers would have come under condemnation.” ~James Talmage

Characteristics of Christ's Parables

 1. They are based on commonplace events.
 2. They are very short stories. None [of the characters are superfluous.]
 3. They are designed to hold one's attention.
 4. They have a point of comparison.  In each parable a person or thing represents a moral principle or a spiritual truth.
 5. They feature symbolic elements.

 6. They are often associated with Old Testament images.
 7. They teach gospel principles.
 8. Their teachings conform to extablished truths.
 9. The parables appeal to people from all ages of the world.
10. They do not have geographical boundaries.
11. They contain multiple levels of meaning.
12. They are intentionally open-ended.

Personal Application of Parables

“A scripture is not limited to what it meant when it was written. “ ~Dallin H. Oaks

“Each of us brings our own background, strength, and need to the reading of a parable.” ~Robert Millet

As followers of Jesus Christ, each of us must apply that knowledge to our own life until our behavior becomes aligned with God’s divine purposes. ~Parry and Parry p.xix

How Does One Understand Parables?

1. Holy Spirit.  We must live the life of a disciple of Jesus Christ so that we can be enlightened by the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Ghost is a revealer of truths and the power by which we can more fully understand the scriptures.

2. Greater Context. “I have a key by which I understand the scriptures.  I enquire, what was the question which drew out the answer, or caused Jesus to utter the parable?” ~Joseph Smith
Knowing the parable’s setting contributes to our understanding of the parable.

3. Kingdom of God.  A great number of the parables pertain to the kingdom of God.  They prepare us to enter the kingdom by teaching us about faith, love, service, obedience, priesthood authority, moral agency, and many other principles.  They teach us that Christ’s kingdom is governed by love rather than by power and force, remind us to focus on spiritual riches rather than earthly wealth, and charge us to care for the fatherless and widows rather than ignore the poor and needy.

4.  Lege, lege, lege, labore, ora, et relege.  This motto from the alchemists of the Middle Ages means “read, read, read, work, pray, and reread.”  This motto clearly applies to our study of the parables.  We cannot grasp the full meaning of the parables through a simple reading; rather we must diligently study them, pray about their meaning, and apply the principles they teach in our own lives.