March 18, 2021
John 16:25-28, “I have said these things to you in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech but will tell you plainly about the Father. In that day you will ask in my name, and I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf; for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. I came from the Father and have come into the world, and now I am leaving the world and going to the Father.”
In the gospel of Matthew, and this is also recorded in Mark, Jesus explains why he speaks in parables. This is Matthew 13:11-14: “And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says:
“‘“You will indeed hear but never understand,
and you will indeed see but never perceive.”
It’s an interesting strategy and one that we should value as we mine the parables as those who do understand the gospel: they are infinite in their riches because they are parables - they can be applied contextually, appreciated in their brevity, and easily communicated. Jesus also says that for the one who is lost and does not know God, he won’t be able to understand the parables. They are like a rich gift but truly for those who take that time to seek and understand them. And perhaps that’s just the point: if they were too plain, they are taken for granted. As words of wisdom that are cloaked in imagery, we seek out their truths, just as we seek Christ himself. And in our search we find real faith, the key to salvation and to understanding God’s Word.
What Jesus says in the John text is true also: that their will be more plain speech about God the Father and God the Son as we go forward in the early church. The letters of Paul and Peter in the New Testament, for example, are far more direct. When we learning preaching in seminary, we always start with the letters of Paul, because typically, Paul follows this pattern: here’s what is true, and here’s what to do.
Jesus repeats this teaching that when they pray, they will ask for things in the name of Jesus, but to do so does not mean that they are praying just to Jesus - we have direct access to God the Father through Jesus. They are one and the same, completely aligned in every way, yet they are distinct persons in the Trinity and fulfill different purposes: God the Father, for example, didn’t die on the cross for your sins; Jesus, God the Son, accomplished that feat.
Prayer: Jesus, help me to understand Your Word. Help me to understand those things which seem so remote, so far-off. And even when I don’t understand, help me to be childlike in my faith, to trust in you despite my ignorance. As I read your word in the New Testament, help me to take what is plain as absolute and clear and to be aware when I am adding my own idolatries. I trust in you, Holy Spirit, to guide me in this way. In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.
40 Days of Joy: Hugs. Let’s get these back. It’s been a year or more without physical contact with anyone except those in our households. Let the hug parade commence!
