1-2. He went back to teaching by the sea. A crowd built up to such a great size that he had to get into an offshore boat, using the boat as a pulpit as the people pushed to the water’s edge. He taught by using stories, many stories.
9. “Are you listening to this? Really listening?”
10-12. When they were off by themselves, those who were close to him, along with the Twelve, asked about the stories. He told them, “You’ve been given insight into God’s kingdom—you know how it works. But to those who can’t see it yet, everything comes in stories, creating readiness, nudging them toward receptive insight. These are people—Whose eyes are open but don’t see a thing,Whose ears are open but don’t understand a word,Who avoid making an about-face and getting forgiven.”
13. He continued, “Do you see how this story works? All my stories work this way.