Jesus described for his disciples what the kingdom of heaven would be about, but in case they didn't understand, he also gave them parables that illustrated the kingdom as well. When his disciples asked him why he spoke in parables, he replied, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. This is why I speak to them in parables:
"Though seeing, they do not see;
though hearing, they do not hear or understand. In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:
" 'You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
For this people's heart has become calloused;
they hardly hear with their ears,
and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them.
' But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. For I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it. - Matt. 13:11-17 NIV
Jesus didn't just speak in parables, he illustrated the parables by healings and miracles. He illustrated the difference between the kingdom of this world and the kingdom of heaven by his actions. When he heard of the death of John the Baptist, the one who had proclaimed his coming, he withdrew to a solitary place. But when the crowds followed him, he left the earthly kingdom full of sorrow and grief, and once more began operating within the kingdom of heaven by healing the sick, feeding the five thousand, and walking on the water.
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