In the Psalms?
Yes, from Psalm 49:4 … “I will incline mine ear to a parable: I will open my dark saying upon the harp.” (And thereafter he writes 16 more verses!)
A Parable Psalm!
Jesus spoke many Parables, but obviously He did not “invent” parabolic teaching. God instituted that pedagogical device during the Old Testament. (Jesus is, I believe, the greatest Example of Teaching in Parables the world has ever seen. Or ever will see!)
Maybe the greatest Old Testament Parable ever told was the one Nathan the Prophet used that finally brought conviction to King David. (Concerning his sins during the Bathsheba, Uriah affair.)
“And the LORD sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor. The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds: but the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter. And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man’s lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him. And David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the LORD liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die: and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity. And Nathan said to David, THOU ART THE MAN.” 2 Samuel 12:1-7
Powerful!
Psalm 49:1, that first Clause (“I will incline mine ear to a parable”) suggests that the Psalmist plans to listen and learn from the Parables of Scripture. Notice also he almost compares a Parable to a “Dark Saying.”
In fact, Jesus did say that one purpose for His using Parables was to “enlighten” His Own children, and “exclude” the rebels who had already hardened their hearts against the Truth!
Matthew 13 is Jesus’ Premier Parable Chapter and there He explains more fully … “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.”
Wow!
Fools can’t understand, comprehend, or obey Parabolic Truth! “As a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, so is a parable in the mouth of fools.” (Proverbs 26:9) And … “The legs of the lame are not equal: so is a parable in the mouth of fools.” (Proverbs 26:7)
Truthfully, only the Holy Spirit can expound the Parables of God’s Word, since He is the Author!
Still, we should “incline our ears” to those parables, as did the Wise Man of Psalm 49.
Hint … it looks to me like the Psalmist also planned to sing about the Parables! Or at least write music to express their beauty! Something about “his harp!”
The point being today … add to your Bible Study goals a thorough examination of the Parables of the Word of God!
That would be time well invested!
— Dr. Mike Bagwell
A year or so ago I preached a couple of whole weeks (in the Revival Meetings) on the Parables of Jesus! My, how thrilling and informative!
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