The one thing that I have learned from my teacher is that most of the ENTIRE scriptures are in parables. If you try to study the scriptures without the spirit of understanding, you won’t understand what the spirit of the Lord is saying. Interesting that Jesus spoke this to all of the seven churches in the Book of Revelation. He who has an ear let them hear what the spirit says to the churches.
Let me give you one example of a parable that many don’t think is a parable. Matthew 5:27 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right EYE causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. 30 And if your right Hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. Many won’t think that this is a parable. I have heard preachers actually say that people would actually pluck out their eye or cut off their hand. Wow!
The key to know that this is a parable is the two words that are in bold and underlined, eye and hand. How can your eye or hand ask for forgiveness? How do I know this is a parable? The answer to the parable is in 1 Corinthians 12. Jesus was referring to the body of Christ. If one part of the body is sinning, it can cause the rest of the body to sin. Sin is becoming more and more acceptable in the church which is causing the power of God to leave the church. A great example of that is in Joshua 7 where Ackan sinned and God couldn’t move because there was sin in the camp. Joshua 7:10 So the Lord said to Joshua: “Get up! Why do you lie thus on your face? 11 Israel has sinned, and they have also transgressed My covenant which I commanded them. For they have even taken some of the accursed things, and have both stolen and deceived; and they have also put it among their own stuff. 12 Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they have become doomed to destruction. Neither will I be with you anymore, unless you destroy the accursed from among you.
Here is the answer to the parable of hand and foot. 1 Corinthians 12:12 For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. 14 For in fact the body is not one member but many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? 18 But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. 19 And if they were all one member, where would the body be? 20 But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. 23 And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, 24 but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, 25 that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.
The eye and the hand are parts of the body to which each one is to be. One part is not greater than another as the unity of the body is powerful. If one part of the body is causing others to sin, reconcile that person but if they don’t repent, cut them off so the entire body isn’t thrown into hell. I pray that this blesses you.
Proverbs 25:2 It is the glory of God to conceal a matter,
But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.