Why did Jesus teach in parables?

It has been said that a parable is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning. The Lord Jesus frequently used parables as a means of illustrating profound, divine truths. Stories such as these are easily remembered, the characters bold, and the symbolism rich in meaning. Parables were a common form of teaching in Judaism. Before a certain point in His ministry, Jesus had employed many graphic analogies using common things that would be familiar to everyone (salt, bread, sheep, etc.) and their meaning was fairly clear in the context of His teaching. Parables required more explanation, and at one point in His ministry, Jesus began to teach using parables exclusively.

The question is why Jesus would let most people wonder about the meaning of His parables. The first instance of this is in His telling the parable of the seed and the soils. Before He interpreted this parable, He drew His disciples away from the crowd. They said to Him, "Why do You speak to them in parables?" Jesus answered them, "To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted. For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him. Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. In their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says,

‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, And seeing you will see and not perceive; For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.’ But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. For truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it" (Matthew 13:10-17).

Imani na Tumaini

_________________________________________________________ 
Basi imani ni kuwa na hakika ya mambo yatarajiwayo, ni bayana ya mambo yasiyoonekana. 
Waebrania 11:1
Imani ni nini? 
1. Imanini ni kati ya mambo machache ambayo Bibilia inatuelezea sisi. Ni nini imani? 
 (Webranaia 11:1) 
_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________
2. Ni nini mambo unahakika lakini ujayaona? (hewa, kaskazini, Mungu) 
_________________________________________________________________

3. Imani inatujilia sisi kwa njia gani? (Warumi 10:17) 
_________________________________________________________________

4. Imani inajionyesha kwa njia gani? (Wagalatia 5:6) 
_________________________________________________________________

5. Mistari inayofwata inafunza nini juu ya imani? 
 Wagalatia 2:16 ______________________________________________________
 Wagalatia 3:11 ______________________________________________________
 Wagalatia 3:26 ______________________________________________________
 Warumi 14:23 ______________________________________________________

IMANI NA TUMANI 65
9
SEHEMU YA KWANZA (1)6. Nini kinachostahili kuwekwa katika msingi wa maisha ya yule anayeamini na 
anataka kuwa katika hali ya ukomavu? (Waebrania 6:1-2) 
_________________________________________________________________

7. Tunastahili kuweka imani yetu kwa nani? (Waebrania 6:1) 
_________________________________________________________________
Utekelezaji wa Kibinafsi 
Ulijifunza nini kutokana na somo hili na ni jinsi gani utakitumia katika maisha yako? 

Mambo Ya Msingi Kuhusu Imani

Lakini pasipo imani haiwezekani kumpendeza; kwa maana mtu amwendeaye Mungu lazima aaini kwamba yeye yuko, na kwamba huwapa thawabu wale wamtafutao (Waebrania 11:6).

Kama waaminio, imani yetu imejengwa kwenye msingi kwamba Mungu yupo, naye huwatendea watu wanaomtafuta kitofauti na wale wasiomtafuta. Tukiamini kweli kweli mambo hayo, tunaanza kumpendeza Mungu, kwa sababu mara moja tunaanza kumtafuta. Kumtafuta Mungu ni pamoja na (1) Kujifunza mapenzi Yake, (2) Kumtii, na (3) Kutumainia ahadi Zake. Hayo yote matatu yanapaswa kuwa sehemu ya mwenendo wetu wa kila siku.

Sura hii inatazama mwendo wetu wa imani. Ni bahati mbaya kwamba wengi wamekazia imani mpaka ikapita mipaka ya KiBiblia – hasa mkazo kuhusu mafanikio kimwili. Kwa sababu hiyo, kuna watu ambao wana hofu kulishughulikia swala hili kabisa. Lakini, kwa kuwa kuna watu wanaozama katika madimbwi yao ya kuogelea, si sababu kwetu kuacha kunywa maji. Tunaweza kuwa na msimamo na ukweli wa Maandiko. Biblia ina mengi sana inayofundisha kuhusu mada hiyo, na Mungu anataka tuitumie imani yetu kwa habari ya ahadi Zake nyingi sana.

Yesu aliweka mfano wa mwenye kuwa na imani katika Mungu, Naye anatazamia wanafunzi Wake kufuata mfano Wake. Vivyo hivyo, mtumishi anayefanya wengine kuwa wanafunzi hujitahidi kuweka mfano wa kumtumaini Mungu, naye huwafundisha wanafunzi wake kuziamini ahadi za Mungu. Hii ni muhimu sana sana. Sit u kwamba haiwezekani kumpendeza Mungu pasipo imani, ni kwamba haiwezekani kupokea majibu ya maombi yetu pasipo imani (ona Mathayo 21:22; Yakobo 1:5-8). Maandiko yanafundisha wazi wazi kabisa kwamba wenye mashaka wanakosa baraka ambazo waamini hupokea. Yesu alisema hivi: “Yote yanawezekana kwake yeye aaminiye” (Marko 9:23, TLR).

Maana Ya Imani

Tafsiri ya KiBiblia ya imani inapatikana katika Waebrania 11:1, kama ifuatavyo:

Basi imani ni kuwa na hakika ya mambo yatarajiwayo, ni bayana ya mambo yasiyo-onekana.

Kutokana na tasiri hii, tunapata sifa kadhaa za imani. Kwanza – mtu mwenye imani ana uhakika. Hii ni tofauti na tumaini, kwa sababu imani ni “uhakika wa mambo yatarajiwayo.” Tumaini hutoa nafasi kwa mashaka. Tumaini kila wakati linasema, “labda”. Mfano: Ninaweza kusema hivi: “Natumaini leo mvua itanyesha ili shamba langu lipate maji.” Ni kwamba natamani mvua, lakini sina hakika kama itanyesha. Lakini imani ina uhakika wakati wote, “wa mambo yatarajiwayo.”

Kile ambacho watu wanaita imani mara nyingi si imani kwa tafsiri ya Biblia. Wanaweza kutazama mawingu meusi juu na kusema, “Naamini mvua itanyesha.” Ila, hawana hakika kwamba itanyesha – wao wanafikiri tu kwamba kuna uwezekano mkubwa kwamba pengine itanyesha. Hiyo si imani ya KiBiblia. Imani ya Biblia haina sehemu ya mashaka. Haitoi nafasi yoyote kwa chochote kingine isipokuwa kile ambacho Mungu ameahidi.

Imani Ni Uhakika Wa Mambo Yasiyo-onekana

Hebrew origins and what the word faith originally means

Hello, wrote and pasted some of this very fast. but, it is ground breaking knoweledge about the origins of the hebrew in the bible..

Sorry about the mess in the alphabet below, but its good to use when you are filled witht the holy spirit to guide you. I know some of the meanings are contradictiary, its because.. when they found the dead sea scrolls and so on.. there was no alphabet that explained the meaning.. so people disagree you know…


:1.  Aleph(first letter of hebrew alphabet)=ox- Bertie Brits: Leader, strength, Sacrifice (Frank T. Seekings: strength, leader, first)
:2.  Beth=house- Dwelling place, household, acceptance (in, into, family)
:3. Gimel=camel- Uplift, carry, exultation, ascend (pride, animal)
:4. Dalet=door- Way, passage, entrance/exit access (pathway, to enter)
:5. Hey=man with two hands stretched up- revelation, to reveal, grace (the, to reveal)
:6. VAV=nail- Join together, nailed (and, to add, to secure)
:7. Zayin=weapon- Sword, cut off, word, tounge (cut, to cut off)
:8. Chet=fence- Separate, private, fence, protect (private, to separate)
:9. Tet=snake- Twist, surround, snake (to surround)
:10. Yood=hand- Extended, giving/receiving, power, ruling (work, a deed, to make) 
:11. Kaf=palm of hand- Cover, protect, work, feed, power (to cover, to open, allow)
:12. Lamed=cattle goad-Teaching, correct, direct, authority (control, authority, tounge)
:13. Mem=water- Reflection, Spirit, fullness of life (liquid, massive, chaos)
:14. Noun=fish(seed darting trough the water)- activity, life, multi directional, man (activity, life)
:15. Samech=prop- support, fortress, uphold, spine (support, twist, slowly, turn) Other inter: =Thorn- Grab, Hate, Protect
:16. Ayin=eye- understand, to know, experience, to see (to see, know, experience)
:17. Pey=mouth- speak, eat, drink, a word, open (to speak, word, open)
:18. Tsdik=fish hook (host insect) – harvest, hooked, change (Metamorphosis)) (catch, desire, need)
:19. Koof=back of head(priest cast)- Kingdom, ruler, behind, last (behind, the last, the least) Other interp:=Sun on the Horizon- Condense, Circle, Time
:20. Resh=Head of man- To think, meditate, the head, the boss (a person, the head, the highest)
:21. Sheen=Teeth- Gods Glory, shining, radiance, pressure (to consume, to destroy)
:22. Tuv=Cross- Cross, sealing of a covenant (to seal, to covenant) 
:23. Rope- Rope of twisted fibers Crooked, dark, goat, silent

The interpretation of the ancient hebrew letters above are based on Frank T. Seekings book "Hebrew Word Pictures" and videos by Bertie Brits on Youtube and Godtube.

Hebrew origins and what the word faith originally means:
To actually read the old hebrew testament in its original form and interprent the meaning of the hebrew word pictures, download E-sword with the user-addon: "Ancient hebrew lexicon". Also you need blueletterbible.org with strongs to know the strong number of the word which you can find in the ancient hebrew lexicon. There is disagreement about what the meaning hebrew word pictures are.

Okay an example what the word faith actually means.. ¨
Two words of faith are used in new testamen:
Strong's G4102 - pistis 
πίστις

Transliteration

pistis

Pronunciation

pē'-stēs

Transliteration

Strong's G4100 - pisteuō 
πιστεύω

Transliteration

pisteuō

Pronunciation

pē-styü'-ō (Key)

pē-styü'-ō (Key)

I’m pleased to inform you that there are two instances where this word refers to the word faith in old testament, in other words the Hebrew.. They both refer to the same rooth word aman, and emuwnah (that is an extension from the word aman) Then we can conclude: They both mean the same, and we have two sources from TWO different languages..How cool… And I’m also very pleased that my research conclude that both languages means the same, but before I reveal the answer, here is the old testament word for faith: 


Strong's H539 - 'aman 
אָמַן

Transliteration

'aman

Pronunciation

ä·man'

Strong's H530 - 'emuwnah 
אֱמוּנָה

Transliteration

'emuwnah

Pronunciation

em·ü·nä' (Key)

Proof of what faith means from the new testament:

Example 1:

Jesus told Peter he did not have enough faith when he tried to walk on the water..
In south korea people tried the same thing to walk on the water, but they sunk and died.. When their pastor asked God why: God said that Jesus TOLD PETER to walk on the water.. In other words Jesus spoke first…
---

What was God doing before He created the universe?

Our finite minds find it hard to comprehend that before the universe was created, God existed alone. We know fromJohn 1:1that Jesus also existed: “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The preincarnate Christ was intimately united with the Father, so as to partake of His glory and to be appropriately called God. He has Himself explained it inJohn 17:5: “And now Father, glorify Me with Yourself with the glory which I had with You before the world was.”

We also know that the Holy Spirit was present before we were created.Genesis 1:1describes the Spirit “hovering over the face” of the dark and formless earth. So, before time even existed, God existed in three Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Trinity existed in perfect harmony and flawlessness, having all they needed in one another. David said inPsalms 16:11that "joy and pleasures forever more" are in the presence of God. That means to be in the presence of God carries with it an overwhelming sense of joy, fulfillment, and pleasure. Before creation, God felt complete joy and fulfillment as He perfectly beheld and communed with Himself. God has and always will experience complete joy because He has complete and perfect knowledge of Himself.

So before He created the universe, God experienced absolute satisfaction in Himself. God dwelt joyfully alone in eternity as the Trinity. These three were together in fellowship with one another from all eternity. They loved each other. We know at some point they discussed the redemption of mankind (Ephesians 1:4-5;2 Timothy 1:9;John 17:24), but everything else lies in mystery.

When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?

Luke 18:8b (NIV) When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?

Believing The Truth

Faith is believing in what is true. Faith has two elements: 1) being convinced of the truth, being certain of reality, having evidence of unseen things, and 2) believing, hoping in, embracing, seizing the truth.

Heb 11:1 (KJV) Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Heb 11:1 (NIV) Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

Heb 11:1 (NEB) Faith... makes us certain of realities we do not see.

Heb 11:1 (Mof) Now faith means that we are confident of what we hope for, convinced of what we do not see.

Heb 11:1 (Wey) Now faith is a well-grounded assurance of that for which we hope, and a conviction of the reality of things which we do not see.

While faith requires being convinced that what we believe in is true, just knowing the truth is only half of faith. God's word must be hoped for, embraced, seized!

Luke 17:5 (NIV) The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!" He replied, "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it will obey you."

Believing is not exactly the same as faith. For belief to be faith, it must light on what is certainly true. Yet Scripture gives examples of situations where belief alone is required, even commanded. There's no time for evidence collection, to wait, to hear, for certainty. Just believe. Like Peter walking on the water--don't think, act! God even requires us to believe in him when, temporarily, the evidence looks bad: to trust. [We will study belief and trust separately.] God requires belief and trust in moments of human weakness, but faith is what makes us strong. Faith is the state of being convinced about what we hope for.

How To Get More Faith

Terry Macalmon- Live Worship

How can Jesus be both God and man at the same time?"

The hypostatic union is the term used to describe how God the Son, Jesus Christ, took on a human nature, yet remained fully God at the same time. Jesus always had been God (John 8:58,10:30), but at the incarnation Jesus became a human being (John 1:14). The addition of the human nature to the divine nature is Jesus, the God-man. This is the hypostatic union, Jesus Christ, one Person, fully God and fully man.

Jesus' two natures, human and divine, are inseparable. Jesus will forever be the God-man, fully God and fully human, two distinct natures in one Person. Jesus' humanity and divinity are not mixed, but are united without loss of separate identity. Jesus sometimes operated with the limitations of humanity (John 4:6,19:28) and other times in the power of His deity (John 11:43;Matthew 14:18-21). In both, Jesus' actions were from His one Person. Jesus had two natures, but only one personality.

The doctrine of the hypostatic union is an attempt to explain how Jesus could be both God and man at the same time. It is ultimately, though, a doctrine we are incapable of fully understanding. It is impossible for us to fully understand how God works. We, as human beings with finite minds, should not expect to totally comprehend an infinite God. Jesus is God’s Son in that He was conceived by the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:35). But that does not mean Jesus did not exist before He was conceived. Jesus has always existed (John 8:58,10:30). When Jesus was conceived, He became a human being in addition to being God (John 1:1,14).

Jesus is both God and man. Jesus has always been God, but He did not become a human being until He was conceived in Mary. Jesus became a human being in order to identify with us in our struggles (Hebrews 2:17) and, more importantly, so that He could die on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins (Philippians 2:5-11). In summary, the hypostatic union teaches that Jesus is both fully human and fully divine, that there is no mixture or dilution of either nature, and that He is one united Person, forever
.

Prophecies of Jesus

Over 360 prophecies foretold Jesus/Yeshua 

Download in .PDF file here

Jesus paid our debt

The question we should be asking is, "What then must we do to secure our eternal salvation?"  Everything else fades in the light of such a profound question.  The way to find this out is to ask ourselves if we have obeyed the Ten Commandments.  Most would answer the question, "Well, I've broken one or two, but nothing too serious, like murder, etc," but let's go through them one by one and see how you do."You shall have no other gods before Me."  Is God first in your life?  Do you love God above all else? Do you love anything else more in your life than God?  Do you love your wife, your husband, your TV soap operas, or even your children more than God?  If you answered yes to any of these, you are loving the gift more than the Giver, and you are guilty of breaking the First Commandment.  Will you be found innocent or guilty on the Day of Judgment of breaking this Commandment?  The sentence of transgression of the First Commandment is death! The Second Commandment is, "You shall not make for yourself any graven image."  This means we should not make any god to suit ourselves either with our hands or our minds.  Did you perhaps make a "god" for yourself that didn't mind if you told a "white" lie or a fib here or there?  Is this god the same holy God that has been revealed to us in Holy Scripture?  If you have done this you cannot enter God's Kingdom.. The Third Commandment is. "You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain."  Have you ever done this?  Have you included it beside a 4-letter word?  If you have done this even once you are guilty of breaking the Third Commandment and you cannot enter God's Kingdom..  The sentence of transgression of the Third Commandment is death!