Parables are like Gold and Silver

Parables are like Gold and Silver

Throughout His ministry Christ spoke in parables to illustrate spiritual lessons. Some people believe He did this to help people understand.
But Christ himself told His disciples that, “It has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven. But I speak to them (the multitudes and crowds of various people) in parables, because seeing the do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.” In the 13th chapter of his gospel Matthew records six parables that begin with “The kingdom of heaven is like…” Using parables with examples like tares (weeds), a mustard seed and leaven, one might be led to believe this made sense and everyone understood.
But they did not understand. After Christ sent the multitude away His disciples asked Him to explain the parable of the tares. After He explained the parable Christ, proceeded to give three more parables to His disciples that also began with “The kingdom of heaven is like…” The next one was about a person who found a treasure in a field and hides it. Sells all that he has and buys it.
To understand this concept we compare it to a mine of gold or of silver. That person might see a little on the surface, but in order to get the full benefit he must dig it up. It takes work and it takes time. We are that person.
When we realize the value of the treasure, we commit all we have to attain it. In a sense, we buy the field.
In the written Word we are to spend time mining the richness of the veins that run in many directions. We are to mine the pure gold and silver. To grow in understanding. Christ gives two more parables to His disciples that begin with “The kingdom of heaven is like…” which is left for you to mine. Because “it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven.”