The parable paradox: revealing yet withholding truth

I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter hidden things--things from of old. (Psalm 78.2)

Everyone knows that large portions of the Psalms were written by David, King of Israel.  We know that David played the harp, and many of the Psalms were meant to be set to music.  What you may not know, however, is that much of the book of Palms was written by a prophet.  His name was Asaph.

David, together with the commanders of the army, set apart some of the sons of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun for the ministry of prophesying, accompanied by harps, lyres and cymbals....The sons of Asaph were under the supervision of Asaph, who prophesied under the king's supervision. (I Chronicles 25.1-2)

Not much is known about Asaph.  But his words, or the words attributed to him (perhaps by later writers), were used to preach repentance, recall God's saving acts, petition for God's help in times of trouble, and to warn of God's judgment.  This particular Psalm is a case in point.

Psalm 78 is a re-telling of the Exodus from Egypt and God's miraculous works through Moses during the 40 years in the wilderness.  But none of the story is in the form of a parable.  So why did Asaph introduce this bit of history in this way?  It was prophetic in nature.  Centuries later, Matthew would write in his Gospel:

Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable.  So was fulfilled what was written by the prophet: "I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world".  (Matthew 13.34-35)

So why did Jesus use parables? Well, for one thing, it was a fulfillment of prophecy.  More than 450 prophecies in the Old Testament were fulfilled in the life of Jesus.  So many different authors, in different countries, using different languages, and at different times foretold of the One who was to come.  No one could have fulfilled every prophecy unless God had ordained it.

Another reason Jesus used parables was to teach.  Good teachers are good story-tellers.  They were easy to understand, because the people could grasp what he was saying.  By that I mean that He used familiar scenes that everyone in attendance could visualize.  Contemporaries of Jesus could all relate to the stories He told.

Paradoxically, the third reason He used parables was to mask His message.  The hidden meanings required further explanation, which He often gave to His disciples.  These hidden meanings challenged those who were sincerely interested to study the words and ask Him for clarification.  If you truly wanted to be His disciple, you had to work for it (much like today).  Conversely, the hidden meanings allowed Him to teach His true followers while concealing these truths from unbelievers.

The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables so that "though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand." (Luke 8.10)

Just by listening to the parables, His enemies could not find any direct statements to use against Him when they tried to arrest Him for blasphemy.  In this way, He avoided arrest until the time was right.

My friends, let me encourage you to earnestly seek the Truth.  Jesus said, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father except by me."  Read the prophecies foretelling of Jesus; immerse yourself in the words of Jesus; believe in the Name of Jesus, which is above every name in heaven and on Earth.