HALIFAX, Nova Scotia, September 12, 2026 – Why did Jesus teach in parables? Why did he not, like the Old Testament prophets, just blast out a “thus saith the Lord” and then proceed to proclaim precisely whatever was on his (and God’s) mind? As bornagain believers, we sit at Jesus’ feet (or on God’s lap) and are taught in plain speech, but for those who are not God’s children—that is, for those who have ears to hear but hear not, and eyes to see, but see not—other teaching methods are required. Parables fit the bill perfectly.

First and foremost, though, it needs to be stated that Jesus taught in parables because it was prophesied that the Messiah would teach in parables. Teaching in parables was one of the sure-fire signs of the Messiah. And so, being the Messiah, Jesus could therefore not not teach in parables. In other words, it would have been impossible for him not to teach in parables and still be the Messiah.

Secondly, teaching in parables was a way of getting the Gospel message across to the spiritually deaf and blind, who would otherwise be unable to receive it. God withheld spiritual hearing and sight from these people, but they still needed to learn right from wrong (or, for some who would later convert, to learn about the Kingdom). Parables helped to override spiritual disabilities.

Then there were those who, from the get-go, wanted nothing to do with God. This was a whole different level of spiritual blindness and deafness. Parables “hid” the presence of God in engaging stories, much like puréed broccoli can be “hidden” in spaghetti sauce to get kids to eat their veggies. The broccoli by itself they might outright reject, but the spaghetti sauce with the hidden broccoli – YUM! Similarly, talking about God under another guise can draw in the spiritually challenged without them even knowing they’re learning about God. They just think they’re eating spaghetti! ;D

Additionally, among the spiritually deaf and blind in Jesus’ day were those who deemed the Gospel “hate speech” (blasphemy) and a direct attack on the governing authorities. Teaching in parables afforded Jesus protection from arrest, and so he candy-coated his message for public consumption. Even so, he was banned from public discourse in many parts of Judea, and he accordingly avoided those areas. But in private discourse among his disciples and other close followers, Jesus dispensed with the coating, serving the Gospel straight up with detailed explanations, like he still does for us today.

Finally, the parables, being story-oriented, paint a vivid picture using strong and recognizable characters doing relatable things. We recognize the characters in our lives and even relate to some. If we aren’t the father of the prodigal son, we’re the prodigal son; if we aren’t the father or the prodigal son, we’re likely the resentful older brother. If we aren’t the father, the prodigal son or the older brother, we probably know people just like them. Being able to recognize these characters in our own lives helps to personalize the message, which then helps us to relate to the parable, making it easier to recall, retell, and absorb.

Whether because it was prophesied, or because it worked around spiritual challenges, or because it afforded a level of protection from authorities, or because it was just a handy way to tell a good story, teaching in parables was God’s chosen way for Jesus to preach the Word in public. Following Jesus’ example, we should still be preaching parables in public today, serving up “plain broccoli” for believers only.