Have you ever wondered why Jesus spoke in parables? Concerning the Messiah to come, the Old Testament indicated that He would open His mouth in parables (see Matthew 13:35 and Psalm 78:2). And throughout His ministry, Jesus used countless illustrations in His teachings. For some, He became a “stumbling block and a rock of offence” even as He shared spiritual truths with earthly illustrations. And I’ve pondered from time to time of both the positive impact to those who understood and the negative repercussions of those who took His statements the wrong way. As an ex-Roman Catholic, I am particularly concerned with how one takes His statement, “I am the bread of life” (John 6:35) because I understand now that His statement was spiritual and not physical (see John 6:63). But, over the centuries, the Roman Catholic Church has tortured and executed many people over this very point.