The historical accuracy of the events recorded in the Bible are without error.  However, God’s purpose for writing the Bible was not to exclusively present us with a record of history. God’s primary purpose for giving us His Word was to speak to us in parables, which are physical/earthly stories and terms with veiled spiritual meanings. Parables are not just limited to the parables in the synoptic gospels, the entire Bible is comprised of historical narrative, legal, arithmetical, typological, prophetic, figurative, doctrinal, miraculous and cosmic parables—because the entire Bible is written in spiritual, parabolic language.

 The Bible teaches that Christ spoke in parables and without a parable he did not speak: “All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them.” (Matthew 13:34) This understanding had largely been lost on the churches and congregations during the Church age which would severally debilitate them in interpreting and understanding God’s Word: The Bible.

We must account for the fact that Christ is the Word of God in a human nature: “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14) Therefore, we should expect the entire Word of God to be written in the configuration of parables. From Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21. Sometimes these parables are not historical events that occurred prior to Christ’s presenting them but are prophetic as the Biblical Timeline of History has unfolded, we know that many have indeed been fulfilled like the Parable of the Fig Tree in Matthew 24:32 in 1948 or the Ten Virgins in Matthew 25 on May 21, 2011. Through true historical accounts which are historical parables such as the fall of Adam and Eve or the Exodus from Egypt having occurred prior to Christ’s ministry on earth, they too contain parabolic or spiritual meaning as does all of Scripture. So, the term “and without a parable did He speak” is a reference to the Word of God: The Bible in its entirety.

Many historical events have taken place over time. God chose specific accounts of history to be included in the Bible because, when examined thoroughly, they contain spiritual teachings that are to be be methodically examined. Proverbs 25:2, “It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter.” Therefore, in our Bible study we should always be asking ourselves, “Why did God put this information in the Bible and what is its concealed spiritual or parabolic significance?” In other words what is being taught spiritually?

 We find that spiritual teachings are given to the world in the form of parables, but the hidden spiritual teachings are revealed to exclusively to God’s elect. “Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old” (Psalm 78:1-2) “And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it. But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples.” (Mark 4:33-34) “That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.” (Matthew 13:35)

The Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven

 The disciples asked Christ why He spoke in parables in Matthew 13:10-15, “And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and [their] ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with [their] eyes, and hear with [their] ears, and should understand with [their] heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.”

This passage illustrates how parables are either applied to the elect’s heart unto the knowledge of the Kingdom of Heaven or to further harden the non-elect’s heart unto unbelief. Parables, therefore, both reveal and conceal. This is not how those in the churches have been traditionally taught to understand the Bible. In fact, we’ve often been cautioned against looking for spiritual meanings to passages. Most pastors and theologians will say that we should use what is called the grammatical-historical method of Bible interpretation. This method does not permit searching for deeper spiritual teaching within a passage. Instead, it focuses on the surface meaning which is often a historical or moral lesson. It also often places a heavy focus on answering the question, “What did this passage mean to the people of that day?” This is similar to an originalist view of the United States Constitution. This view will lead to the assumption that certain passages are almost or completely irrelevant to us today insofar as spiritual application is concerned. This method of interpretation cannot be supported by the Bible. The Bible does not indicate that we should use this approach when reading God’s Word. However, as we’ve seen, there are passages that say God speaks in parables, that He hides spiritual truth and reveals this truth as He chooses and to whom.

 So, the method of looking for hidden spiritual meaning can be supported with Scripture. Many see the literal-grammatical-historical method as a “safe” method of Bible interpretation, but in actuality it blinds the Bible student to a great deal of spiritual truth which in fact can be harmful. Given that there is no biblical support for the literal-grammatical-historical method we might ask, “Why is it so popular? In fact, why is it seemingly the only accepted method of interpretation?” Originally, the church believed and taught that the Bible has spiritual meanings which need to be sought out through careful study. When the Reformation came along in the 1500s the reformers felt too many liberties had been taken when searching for spiritual meaning in the Bible. In an attempt to stop over spiritualization of Biblical text, John Calvin and Martin Luther championed the literal-grammatical-historical method which does not encourage the idea of searching for spiritual truth beyond what can be seen on the surface of the passage. Unfortunately, this approach empties the Bible of its primary content. Having said that, we have to be very careful as we go about seeking spiritual truth or we might come to some wrong conclusions. We must always make sure we are interpreting a passage in light of the whole Bible. It can take a great deal of patience, time, and prayer before we properly understand the spiritual meaning of a passage. When we think we’ve reached understanding we must always ask ourselves, “Does this conclusion square with the rest of the Bible?” A harmonization with all of scripture must take place when coming to spiritual truth from the Bible.

Exclusivity in Understanding

Throughout history there have been groups such as the Gnostics, the Kabbalist, the Ismailis, Medieval Alchemist, Free Masons and many more that claim some kind of special knowledge. There have been those who trusted in their academic education and scholastic accomplishment or their intellectual ability. Some of these groups have placed their trust in secret societies or fraternal groups that share secret rituals and rights that exclude all others. Then there have been cults that claim special illumination from a particular person.

The Bible does in fact teach that there is a special group that is given special knowledge and an exclusivity in understanding that exist completely apart from the ideas and imaginations of mankind. This is the knowledge that God gives His elect through His Word, the Bible.

By means of parables, God gives His elect special knowledge of the truth, while everyone else remains in spiritual blindness. “And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and [their] ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with [their] eyes, and hear with [their] ears, and should understand with [their] heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. But blessed [are] your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.” (Matthew 13:10-16) This is reiterated in Mark 4:5-9, “And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable. And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all [these] things are done in parables: That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and [their] sins should be forgiven them.”

The elect of God have historically been accused of being in a cult because those in the world, whether secular or religious, think in their dead spiritual condition the true Gospel is the worst cult of all. Unbelievers are unable to distinguish the true Gospel from a cult because God alone

 is the one who gives illumination unto His Word. Unbelievers believe the truth to be evil because it does not go along with what they want. God is in opposition to mankind because we in our pride, go our own way after sin.

Mankind, therefore, hates, despises and persecutes God and His elect. The Bible makes references to this reality. “The disciple is not above [his] master, nor the servant above his lord. It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more [shall they call] them of his household?” (Matthew 10:24-25) “But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets:” (Acts 24:14) “But we desire to hear of thee what thou thinkest: for as concerning this sect, we know that every where it is spoken against.”(Acts 28:22) From the very beginning of Christianity, those bringing the true Gospel of the Bible where despised, tortured, persecuted, and murdered. Expect, as an elect of God, to face similar tests and trials as we come closer to the end of Judgment Day(s). Be comforted, however in knowing and praying that perhaps, “unto you is given to know the mysterious of the kingdom of God.”