About the author
Kok-Yiang Khew serves as a full-time staff with The Navigators since 1988. He has been involved extensively in local collegiate ministries in Malaysia as well as with international students in Australia for many years – reaching, discipling, and equipping them in Christ. Since 2000, he travels and works alongside the alumni and returned graduates as an encourager, mentor, and life coach. He is passionate about teaching the Scriptures and how to apply them in today’s context.
What motivated me to develop this bible study series on the parables?
As I transitioned from serving among international and collegiate students towards working adults and families within my Christian organization, I perceived gaps in my understanding and practice of both ministry and missions. “So, I sought more comprehensive ways of advancing the gospel of Christ by returning to the recorded words of Jesus. It really intrigued me that a significant third of his teachings were in the form of parables. And asking why Jesus deliberately used this parabolic paradigm began my journey to fathom the root principles regarding God’s Kingdom.
My purpose in developing this bible study series is to help myself as well as ‘disciples of the kingdom of heaven’ understand and apply such principles into contemporary life and ministry (Matthew 13:52) “Subscribers are most welcome to join me in this journey!”
Why did Jesus use Parables to Teach?
In the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, the disciples asked Jesus about the parables that He taught — why were they used and what do they mean? Jesus explained by quoting the Old Testament prophecy in Isaiah 6:9–10. The people have become spiritually coarse and callous in attitude. Therefore, to those who are uninterested about God’s Kingdom, to the merely curious amongst the crowds of Jewish listeners — these parables act as a filter against the coarse and callous; keeping such people at their level of indifference and ignorance. Thus, the truth remains hidden in plain sight and unintelligible in plain hearing.
However, to the genuine seekers among the listeners, Jesus calls them to consider what they hear carefully. The parables are drawn from the common life around them — about planting and harvesting, about weddings and feasts, about business and borrowings, about households of masters and servants, and vineyards, and sheep. They are to be pondered upon in order to appreciate the mystery of the kingdom of God — of the spiritual truth secreted within. In this regard, the parables as extended metaphors act as links to communicate spiritual aspects of God’s Kingdom. Thus, Jesus repeats frequently — “He who has ears, let him hear.” In doing so, he fulfilled Psalm 78:1–2.
To those disciples who followed Jesus, everything was explained when Jesus was alone with them. They were the privileged ones entrusted with the secrets of God’s Kingdom. Even prophets and righteous men of old did not get to see or hear what the disciples saw and heard. So, these parables, when clearly understood, will add to their storeroom of knowledge. With such ownership of spiritual insight, scholars who have become disciples of the kingdom, may compare and contrast new and old illustrations in bringing out treasures (precious truths) of the Kingdom into contemporary life.
In summary, the parables act as a filter to keep the ungodly out; as links to draw the genuine seeker in; and as illustrations for teachers of God’s Word (Matthew 13:10–17; 34–35; 51–52)