The parable is a literary form used often by Jesus Christ 1) To make ideas clear and intelligible, 2) to make lasting impressions, 3) to veil truth through the use of pictures that might otherwise cause offense, to elicit a judgment in one sphere in order to transfer it to another and 4) to fulfill prophecy (Matthew 13:34, 35; Psalm 78:2). There were those whose hearts and minds were closed to anything Christ would have spoken and to these, Jesus used parables to speak directly, as He did with the Scribes and Pharisees. Some of the parables contained mysteries so that His genuine followers would understand while others could not. It was not unusual for Jesus to reveal the motives of His hearers by using parables. Therefore, through parables Christ both concealed truth and revealed truth.