Parables and Classical Music

Recently, I was listening to one of my new favorite classical pieces, a Khachaturian violin concerto, when it struck me that not very many people like classical music. I couldn't understand why. To me, it seemed like it could express so much more than any song with lyrics because the music came from the heart and not the mouth. Apparently, the majority of the teenage world does not agree with me.

So I did what I always do when I don't understand something. I asked my dad.

"Dad, why don't most people like classical music?"

His reply? "Well, it's not something you can hum along to. Lots of times there's not even a clear melody. It's a lot harder to understand classical music than it is to understand music with lyrics."

It's harder to understand. Classical music drives away the people who don't care enough to try and understand the music.

That's a lot like parables. Mark 4:11-12 says:

He told them, "The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables so that,
          "they may be ever seeing but never perceiving,
          and ever hearing but never understanding;
          otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!"


Jesus spoke in a way that was confusing to those who didn't take the time to understand. They didn't care enough about what He was saying to try and decipher the beauty of His message. They heard but never understood.

Just like classical music.