teaching Archives - Bayside Church

First Published: 2 September, 2026

Parables were Jesus’ primary teaching method, alongside metaphor, simile, and dramatic action. According to Prof. Kenneth E. Bailey, Western theology is grounded in logic and intellect, whereas Jesus told folktales for fishermen and farmers.

Mark’s gospel tells us that during his public ministry, Jesus never taught without using parables. Why? What was and is their purpose, and how can we best understand them?

Revelation

Matthew notes that Jesus’ use of parables fulfilled an ancient prophecy: I will open my mouth with a parable; I will utter hidden things, things from of old. Jesus’ teaching unveiled mysteries. The New Testament writers carry on His legacy. In fact, whenever the word mystery appears in the epistles, it refers to something that has been revealed and explained.

Stories help us understand concepts by taking us from the known to the unknown. Jesus’ parables draw on the life experience of His audience — farmers, fishermen, housewives, businesspeople, and investors. His hearers would identify with His parables — what is known — and Jesus would take them on a journey into the unknown.

The kingdom of God (unknown) is like a mustard seed (known). It starts small but, given the right conditions, it grows. The kingdom of God is like yeast in flour. The yeast works quietly through the dough, and the whole batch rises.

The Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen famously said, “A picture paints a thousand words.” Jesus painted pictures with words, telling stories that resonated with his people’s culture. The reader is invited to observe life through the story.

Concealment

But there appears to be a flipside to revelation, as Scripture also implies that Jesus used parables to conceal truth from those who weren’t ready to receive it. Read Matthew 13:10-17 for Jesus’ insights on this.

One day the disciples came and asked Jesus why He spoke to the people in parables. Jesus replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them.” So the parables are meant to reveal truth to some people while hiding it from others, depending on whether a person is ready for it.

On another occasion, Jesus was teaching the crowd using many parables. Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.” — and Jesus did. John records the disciples saying, “See, now You are speaking plainly and without figures of speech.”

Over my many years of teaching scripture and leading people, I have found that wisdom and discernment are vital for determining whether someone is ready to engage in teaching or discussion on a particular topic. Some are; others are not. For those who aren’t, the truth needs to be concealed until they are ready. Some people may never be ready.

Enlightenment

I believe humans are the result of divine creation rather than random chance. The psalmist thanked God for making him so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvellous—how well I know it.

He who made us knows best how to communicate with us. Jesus knew that stories light up the entire human brain. That’s why He told them. We feel this engagement when we hear or read a story. We can drift off when a preacher outlines a theological concept, but as soon as they start a story, our brain wakes up.

When a speaker tells a story or shares an idea, their 85 billion brain neurons fire in specific sequences. As the listener comprehends the message, their brain patterns mirror the speaker’s activity in corresponding regions. This mirroring, known as neural coupling, helps individuals connect emotionally, making listeners feel as though they are experiencing the events themselves. Psychology Today has an excellent article on the topic.

Identification

Ultimately, parables are about identification. When our daughters were younger, we had a weekly movie night. As the movie started, the girls would discuss (read: “argue”) who they wanted to be. “You can’t be her; I want to be her.” “Well, you can’t be. I said it first.” “Dad, that’s not fair.” You get the picture. As the only male in our household, I had no competition, so I was always the handsome prince or the good-looking male lead—naturally!

We need to bring this concept into our reading of the parables. Who or what am I in this story? The answer may change when we read the same parable at different times. For example, in the parable of the soils, seed is sown, and some falls on a pathway, while other seeds are sown in shallow soil, amongst thorns, and on good ground. When we read this parable, we ask ourselves, “What kind of soil do I identify with at the present time?” Answer honestly so we can prayerfully act if we find we’ve become hard and cynical, or choked by the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth.

Caution

To conclude, here are two cautions:

Be careful not to restrict a parable’s meaning, as each story does not necessarily have just one point. For example, the Prodigal Son conveys multiple truths about human nature, religious self-righteousness, and God’s character.

But we must also be cautious not to push metaphors too far. An allegorical reading of Scripture was popular in the Middle Ages, as people sought hidden spiritual meanings in biblical texts beyond the literal words. For example, the fattened calf’s death is a type of Jesus’ death for us. Needless to say, that’s a lot of bull.

Conclusion

The purpose of parables is not merely to teach more pleasantly than a lecture would. It is to teach in a way only narrative can: by bypassing the listener’s defences, compressing an insight into a memorable and portable form, and leaving enough space in the telling for the listener to do some of the work of understanding themselves. A parable does not hand you the truth. It builds you a room, furnishes it with characters and consequences, and waits for you to notice that you already live there. I hope this inspires you as you delve afresh into Jesus’ amazing stories.

We preachers bear an enormous responsibility for the care and spiritual welfare of the people we teach and guide. This burden gripped me as a young pastor and has never left.

My Responsibility

Paul the apostle instructed the young men Titus and Timothy to “encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.” And “Watch your life and doctrine closely.” Each preacher must ensure their teaching is accurate, helpful, and sound because “the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.” I have sadly watched the fulfilment of Paul’s words through the multiplicity of YouTube clips, podcasts, and online preachers who operate with little or no accountability.

A verse in James has remained at the forefront of my mind for decades: “Not many of you should become teachers…because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.” I take James’ advice seriously. There will come a day when I—and every other preacher—will stand before God to give an account of my life and what and how I built into others’ lives through my preaching. It’s a sobering thought.

Your Responsibility

But you also have a responsibility:

Every Christian should examine what they hear by doing their own study.

We need to listen to a sermon with an open mind. We must resist being cynical—where nothing is right—or gullible—where nothing is wrong. Paul wrote, “Test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good.” In other words, swallow the meat but spit out the bones!

A Bad Example

On Paul’s second church planting trip, he, Silas and Timothy arrived in Thessalonica, Macedonia’s largest port. As was his custom, Paul headed to the synagogue to announce the gospel to Jewish people and God-fearing Gentiles. Some believed Paul’s words, but others were jealous and caused a riot that threatened his life, so “as soon as it was night, the believers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea.” These people rejected what they heard before they had done their own study. They set a bad example, which is then contrasted with the good one.

A Good Example

On arriving in Berea, they went to the Jewish synagogue. Now, see how Luke describes the people there: “The Berean Jews were of more noble character (fair and open-minded) than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.”

The Bereans received Paul’s message with readiness, not bias, prejudice, or preconceived ideas like the Thessalonians. They were humble enough to be told something new and open enough to re-examine their beliefs even though Paul’s teachings challenged their former views.

The Bereans carefully investigated the Scriptures daily to see if what Paul said was true. They undoubtedly did this together, reading, discussing, and maybe debating. I encourage you to do likewise. The result of their open-minded, humble inquiry led them to faith in Jesus. Let’s be like that!

Question

Every time I teach the Scriptures—whether through a sermon, blog, or podcast—I do so as someone who has trained extensively and studied diligently for many decades. However, that doesn’t mean I know everything. It doesn’t mean I’m infallible. It doesn’t imply that I am always right or suggest that I never change my mind.

I encourage you to search the Scriptures and question what you hear (from me and others). The Bible is not just a book of answers; it was written to provoke questions. Scripture should never be used to shut down a discussion. It should be used to generate debate.

Be Curious

As you read and study scripture, what questions can you ask about the text or story? Christians should consider how the text points to or reflects Jesus. How does it draw me into a closer relationship with Jesus? Does this verse or story also align with what I know about Jesus?

A Western Problem

This approach to the Bible might be counterintuitive to those raised in a Western context. But the Bible is an Eastern book that reflects our messy life experiences. Its pages contain stories, songs, proverbs, and precepts that resonate with everything we face. The Bible has done its job if our discussions cause powerful positive change.

This can sometimes make us uncomfortable as if we’re adrift and unsure of our beliefs. To conclude, I want to provide you with an anchor point. Whenever I have doubts, confusion, or unanswered questions, I always turn to Jesus’ simplicity—who He is, what He did, what He’s doing, and what He will do!

Keep Faith Simple

Jesus teaches us to become like little children who never lose their childlike qualities even as they mature. The Bible is exceptional and life-changing but sometimes puzzling. When I’m confused, I return to simplicity, which is beautifully illustrated in the story of Karl Barth, the greatest Protestant theologian of the twentieth century who was deeply familiar with the complexities of scripture.

When Barth was at Rockefeller Chapel on the campus of the University of Chicago during his U.S. lecture tour in 1962, a student asked him during a Q&A session if he could summarise his entire life’s work in theology in a single sentence. Barth responded, “Yes, I can. In the words of a song I learned at my mother’s knee: ‘Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.'”