Today’s gospel has often puzzled me, especially the part where the disciples ask Jesus why he is talking to the crowds in parables. On the surface, it feels like Jesus is ok with the gospel going over people’s heads; like he is deliberately being vague and confusing with how he preaches. But of course that doesn’t square with who we believe the Lord to be; he didn’t come to start some exclusive club where only a few people get in and others are out of luck. Jesus wants all to hear the gospel and be saved. So what is going in this passage?
Many times, the first thing we think of when in terms of Jesus’ preaching is his amazing parables. Parables are a clever way of teaching something difficult and complicated through an easy-to-understand story or example from everyday life. It is brilliant because it catches people off-guard and they agree with the story or example that is presented before they realize the truth behind it. But it only works if people can make the connection between the parable story and truth that follows. Otherwise they appear as confusing, ambiguous, albeit entertaining, lessons.
Jesus did not begin his teaching with parables! He spoke plainly and clearly about what he was here to do and who he was…at first. But once people started saying he was here to build an earthly kingdom and that he was performing miracles and exorcisms in the name of satan, then he had to be more indirect and subtle with his preaching. Otherwise he would be arrested by either the Jewish authorities or Roman officials and put to death. His time had not come yet so the parables allowed him to keep teaching and healing until the time was right and all things could be fulfilled according to the Will of God.
Today’s teaching and Jesus’ use of parables to convey it reminds me of that famous scene in the movie, “A Few Good Men”. In the courtroom, Lt. Caffee is questioning Col Jessep about an order that led to the hazing death of Private Santiago. During the questioning, tempers rise and Lt. Caffee exclaims he simply wants the truth. Jack Nicholson’s character, Col. Jessup exclaims, “you can’t handle the truth!”
Most of the people following Jesus during his life were expecting him to be a worldly savior, a messiah that would offer them prosperity, power, and prestige on the world stage. They couldn’t handle the truth that he had to suffer a most humiliating and powerless death in order to bring true life, freedom, and power to humanity. Knowledge can hurt rather than help if the recipient isn’t ready to receive it. Good counselors are skilled in knowing the times when their clients are able to bear some knowledge or insight into their situation and themselves. Until their clients are ready, good counselors hesitate to impart such insight for fear of making their clients more stressed or more troubled, rather than more healed and grounded. To force knowledge on a person not ready for it is foolish or cruel or both. It isn’t loving.
Jesus’ use of parables was not a punishment to the crowds with these expectations; Among those who come to him, there are some people who want to hear him but are not willing to be counted among his disciples, at least not yet. Christ’s parables offers those people what they can receive, given that they are not yet ready to receive him fully. They can learn something from the parables even if they aren’t ready for everything.
But to those who come to Christ ready to receive him and willing to be counted as his disciples, he can give the gift of knowledge completely without parables. In receiving him, those people are also ready to receive the knowledge Christ can give. They seek him as their teacher and want to learn from him. That is why they come to ask him to explain the parables he was telling as well as all the others. The people who want more understanding are the people who count as his disciples. As Christ says, to them who have more, more will be given because they want more.
When we consider the parables from this point of view, it is amazing to see the wisdom of God at work! I had never thought of Jesus using the parables in this way. But it makes perfect sense. Once Jesus speaks plainly again, near the time of Passover, it will only be a few days and he will go from miracle wonder-worker who raises Lazarus from the dead to abandoned criminal on the cross, scorned by both Jews and Roman alike.
One last thought, specifically on the parable Jesus offers us today. It is very easy to look at the different types of ground where the seed is sown as various types of people. It might be tempting to think that since we are here in church and trying to live our faith, we are the good ground which is bringing forth a rich harvest. But that would be an incomplete understanding of Jesus’ message. Each person has every type of ground within their soul. Some parts of our life are open to the gospel message; it lands there and grows strong, bearing wonderful spiritual fruit. But other areas of our life are like the hard, packed ground where the gospel cannot take root. Perhaps this is where our habitual sins, addictions, or grudges reign over us. Also, there are the parts of us that hear Jesus’s word with enthusiasm…at first. Maybe after a retreat or a stirring homily we are inspired and full of good intentions. But that is as far as we get. Once things get hard or a few days or weeks go by, we are back to our old ways, unchanged. Lastly, we all have the parts of our heart that are in love with worldly comforts, riches, power, possessions, and prestige. We love God too, but these earthly things take over that place which is meant for God alone. Over time, they become the weeds that choke out the Word of God and keep Jesus from receiving the harvest he deserves as Lord and Savior.
This interpretation of the parable is sobering (at least for me). There is much work to be done in our souls before the gospel message can reach its fullest potential. The good news is that Jesus wants to do the hard work; we just have to give him permission to access all areas of our heart and soul. Isaiah reminds us that God’s word shall not return to him void, but shall do his will, achieving the end for which he sent it. May the Word of God transform us and empower us to yield a fruitful harvest!
