Hi Yab Yum,
Parables are just stories that are not literally true and there is a lesson being taught behind the story. But it is the spiritual aspect that is the higher 'hidden' lesson that only the Holy Spirit teaches to those that have it.
Here is where Ray explains this.
http://bible-truths.com/lake8.html -----------------------
The words that Jesus spoke were "spirit"—
"…the words that I speak unto you, they are SPIRIT…" (John 6:63).
Jesus taught the multitudes in parables only—
"All these things spoke Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spoke He not unto them" (Matt. 13:34).
All parables have a SPIRITUAL lesson. Not one of Jesus’ parables was to be taken literally.
But to understand spiritual parables, and words of spirit, one must HAVE THE SPIRIT—
"…for the
Spirit searches all things, yea, the deep things of God … the things of God knows no man but the
Spirit of God … the Holy Spirit teaches; comparing
spiritual things with
spiritual … But the natural man receives not the things of the
Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are
spiritually discerned … But we [believers in Christ] have the [spiritual]
mind of Christ" (I Cor. 2:10,11,13,14,16).
Notice what Jesus said when His disciples asked Him concerning the parables:
"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 … Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they
hear not, neither do they
UNDERSTAND" (Matt. 13:10,11, & 13).
Having "ears to hear" means having spiritual discernment in UNDERSTANDING what one hears. Notice that we must "…see with our eyes, and hear with our ears, and should understand with our HEART…" [then God would] convert us and HEAL [save] us (Matt. 13:15).
I have no doubt that some reading these messages from the Scriptures, are beginning to understand. I mean REALLY UNDERSTAND and thank God for this spiritual understanding. If you are such an one, then GOD IS CALLING YOU! You are beginning to "taste" of the good and spiritual things of God.
http://bible-truths.com/lake1.html ----------------------
The fact is there are many many truths in the Bible that are not literally true.
Jesus "said" that the bread He gave His disciples at the Lord’s supper was His body. Yet, Jesus Himself explains in other places that this was not literally true. He gave them literal bread, and not His literal physical flesh. What that bread represented, and symbolized, was indeed, His body--but not his physical body.
Jesus said that the words that he spoke were SPIRIT (John 6:63). Jesus Christ changes not. His words are STILL spirit and they certainly were spirit when John wrote the words of Christ regarding His unveiling or revelation. Just as we physically feed on physical bread for PHYSICAL LIFE, thus also we spiritually feed on Jesus Christ’s spiritual body for SPIRITUAL LIFE.
Understand this! Some think that by accepting the Scriptures as they are given (in the case of Revelation that means AS SYMBOLS), that somehow this "spiritualizes away" the teaching. What? It is the "spiritual" aspect of these symbols that IS THE REAL THING; THE REAL UNDERSTANDING! Physical things "pass away" whereas spiritual things are eternal! The very FACT that this book is written in "symbols" is proof positive that the understanding of them is SPIRITUAL and not physical or literal.
Symbols, metaphors, and parables ARE NEVER LITERALLY TRUE! But they powerfully demonstrate SPIRITUAL TRUTHS!
----------------------------------------------------------------
mercy, peace and love
Kat