101. Christ's Public Teaching, Offense, and the Use of Parables

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Lecture Notes

Main Topics #

The Tension Between Truth and Offense #

• Whether Christ’s public reproval of Pharisees and scribes was suitable
• The principle that the salvation of the multitude takes precedence over the peace of individuals
• The distinction between scandal arising from truth versus scandal arising from malice
• Augustine’s teaching that we must avoid giving offense by deed or word in a wrong way, yet truth must not be abandoned for fear of scandal

Three Ways Teaching Can Be Hidden #

1. By intention of the teacher - The teacher intentionally conceals knowledge from others out of envy or to preserve status (as with certain theological poets)
2. By limited audience - Teaching is proposed only to a few rather than to the multitude
3. By manner of expression - Teaching uses parables or figurative language to veil spiritual mysteries from those unworthy or incapable of receiving naked truth

Christ’s teaching was hidden in the third sense only, never in the first two.

The Nature and Function of Parables #

• Parables make spiritual truths accessible to those not yet capable of grasping them openly
• They serve a double purpose: concealing from the unworthy while stimulating imagination and wonder in the worthy
• The disciples received open exposition of what was hidden from crowds in parables
• Parables are extended metaphors that engage the imagination and prompt inquiry into meaning

The Problem of Teaching Sacred Things #

• Some things contain obscenity or indecorum that human modesty cannot bear
• Christ’s teaching avoids such matters; it is neither about air nor about uncleanness
• What is said metaphorically in one place may be said properly and openly in another

Key Arguments #

On Public Teaching vs. Hidden Teaching (Article 3) #

Objection 1: Christ taught many things apart to his psychoi (disciples), such as the sermon on the Mount spoken privately. Therefore not all things ought to be taught publicly.

Objection 2: Profound truths should not be expounded except to the perfect, as St. Paul says, “We speak wisdom among the perfect.” But Christ’s teaching contains the most profound wisdom, therefore not to be communicated to the imperfect multitude.

Objection 3: Christ hid truths from crowds by the obscurity of his words, speaking only in parables. Therefore, by like reason, he could hide things in silence.

Response (Thomas’s Answer):

• Teaching can be hidden in three ways (see above). Christ taught nothing hidden by intention or by limited audience (the second sense is understood as Christ proposing his teaching either to the whole people or to all his disciples in common).
• In the third sense, Christ did use parables to conceal spiritual mysteries from those unworthy or incapable of receiving them openly.
• The hidden meaning of parables was expounded to disciples, as shown in their private requests for explanation (e.g., Matthew 13).
• Christ did not speak only in parables; many things he spoke to the crowds appropriately and without parable.

On the Priority of Truth Over Scandal (Article 2) #

Response:

• Christ publicly reproved the scribes and Pharisees not to impede but to promote the effect of his teaching.
• When their vices became known to the people, the people would turn from following them and their objections to Christ’s words would carry less weight.
• The word of the Apostle (“Do not rebuke an elder but beseech him as a father”) should be understood of seniors who are old both in age/authority and in the goodness of their morals.
• When authority has turned into a tool of malice, public and bitter reproof is warranted, as in the case of Susanna and the two old men.

Important Definitions #

Scandalum (Scandal) #

• Scandal arising from truth itself should be sustained rather than truth being abandoned
• Distinguished from scandal arising from malice or perversity of those receiving the teaching
• The Pharisees’ offense arose from their own malice, not from defect in Christ’s teaching

Parabola (Parable) #

• An extended metaphor used to teach spiritual truths
• Serves to accommodate spiritual mysteries to those not yet capable of grasping naked truth
• Stimulates imagination and wonder, prompting inquiry into the hidden meaning
• What is said in parable to crowds is expounded openly and properly to disciples

Ordo (Order) #

• The principle that divine revelation follows a proper order
• Truth should reach the multitude through those capable of understanding it perfectly
• This principle justifies why Christ taught disciples privately before all things were made public

Examples & Illustrations #

On Persuasion and Teaching #

• Music as the most persuasive art form; Portuguese shops used rock and roll music to draw tourists away from religious shrines
• Nazi propaganda film from Nuremberg rally demonstrating how music and spectacle persuade people emotionally
• Cavalry marches (German and French) as examples of how music feeds martial spirit and imagination
• The Gospels are more persuasive than the Summa, not more argumentative

On Parables and Private Teaching #

• Matthew 13: Christ teaches the crowd in parables about the kingdom of heaven; disciples ask privately what the parables mean; Christ expounds them openly
• The principle of gradual transmission: what is heard through many witnesses should be commended to faithful men who will teach others (2 Timothy)
• Numbers 4: The sons of Aaron unwrapped (unveiled) the holy things; they revealed to the Levites what was hidden

On the Samaritan Woman #

• Example of faith and worthiness: she had five husbands and was living with a man not her husband, yet she recognized Christ and announced to others that he was the Messiah
• St. Ephraim’s interpretation: her excellence of faith made her worthy of being spoken to directly by Christ
• Contrast with the Jews, among whom such faith and public confession was rare

On Musical and Artistic Persuasion #

• Mozart: Only a true connoisseur can appreciate certain elements in his piano concertos, yet they are rich enough that everybody likes them
• Shakespeare: Contains things not everybody will understand, yet maintains broad popularity
• Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics: Accessible even to uneducated college readers despite profound content

Notable Quotes #

“The salvation of the multitude should be preferred to the peace of any singular man.” - Thomas Aquinas (cited by Berquist)

“If the blind lead the blind, both fall into the ditch.” - Matthew 15 (cited in response to objection about offending the Pharisees)

“Let them be; they are blind leaders of the blind.” - Christ’s response when disciples warned that the Pharisees were scandalized

“What you hear in the corners, preach from the rooftops.” - Matthew 10 (on the transmission of teaching from disciples to the multitude)

“I have spoken nothing in hidden.” - John 18 (Christ’s claim to have taught nothing hidden by intention)

“What is said metaphorically in one place is said in another place not figuratively.” - Thomas Aquinas (on accommodation of teaching to different audiences)

“The open and naked truth of these things Christ expounded to the disciples.” - Thomas Aquinas (on private instruction)

“It is given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom, but not to them.” - Matthew 13 (on why parables are used for crowds)

Questions Addressed #

Should Christ Have Preached Publicly to the Jews Without Offending Them? (Article 2) #

Question: Since Augustine says we ought to avoid offense to both faithful and faithless, and since no wise man impedes the effect of his work, should Christ have taught the Jews without causing them offense?

Resolution: When truth is at stake and those opposing it impede the salvation of the multitude, the preacher or teacher ought not to fear giving offense. The Pharisees and scribes by their malice impeded salvation both by fighting Christ’s teaching (through which alone salvation comes) and by corrupting the people’s morals. Christ’s public reproof of their vices actually promoted rather than impeded his teaching’s effect, because the people, seeing their vices revealed, turned away from following them and gave less weight to their objections.

Should All Things Be Taught Publicly? (Article 3) #

Question: Since Christ taught many things privately to his disciples and spoke only in parables to crowds, shouldn’t some things have been kept hidden from the multitude?

Resolution: Teaching can be hidden in three ways. Christ taught nothing hidden by the intention of the teacher (to conceal out of envy) or by limiting the audience. However, Christ did teach some things hidden by manner of expression through parables. This accommodation was necessary because the crowds were not worthy or suitable to receive naked truth. The disciples, as those closer to Christ and more capable, received open exposition of what was concealed in parables. This follows the principle that divine teaching flows through those most capable to others, just as illumination flows from higher angels to lower ones.

Why Did Christ Use Metaphors and Parables Instead of Speaking Plainly? #

Resolution: Parables serve multiple purposes: they accommodate spiritual mysteries to human capacity, stimulate imagination and wonder (prompting inquiry into meaning), and conceal deep truths from those unworthy of receiving them. Though some things were said in parable to crowds, many other things Christ spoke appropriately and without parable. The use of metaphor and parable is part of the persuasiveness and sweetness of his teaching.