It seems strange to me and many others that Jesus used parables instead of just telling them straightforwardly. Why? Let’s read the passage and some notes.
Matthew 13 Jesus Teaches the Parable of the Sower
1 Jesus went out of the house that same day and sat by the seaside.
2 Great crowds were gathered around him, so he went into a ship and sat, while the whole crowd stood on the shore.
3 He spoke many things to them in parables, saying, “Look, the sower went out to sow.
4 “While he sowed, some fell by the roadside, and the birds of the air ate them.
5 “Some fell on rocky ground where there wasn’t much earth. They sprang up immediately, because the soil was not deep.
6 “When the sun came up, they were scorched, and because they had no root, they withered away.
7 “Some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprung up and choked them out.
8 “Others fell on good ground and produced fruit, some a hundred times more, some sixty and some thirty.
9 “Whoever has ears to hear, better hear.”
10 The disciples came and said to him, “Why do yous talk to them in parables?”
11 He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to youp to understand the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but it has not been given to them.
12 “For whoever has, it will be given to him, and he will have even more, but whoever doesn’t have, that what he does have will be taken away from him.
[All had opportunity to respond to the truth Jesus was teaching, but most people refused. Truth is something God gives by opening our eyes and hearts. See Acts 16:14, Acts 26:18, John 1:14, and John 1:17. This is willful ignorance. See Job 21:14, Zechariah 7:11-12, Romans 1:28, and 2 Peter 3:5].
13 “That’s why I speak to them in parables, because seeing, they do not see, and hearing, they do not hear or understand.
[Most who heard Jesus teach and preach clearly, refused to believe. As punishment, Jesus started speaking in parables instead of clearly. Continual refusal results in diminished understanding. Compare verses 11-13 in the NLT version. Jesus tells us the importance of truth. We can believe the obvious or refuse. Refusing truth leads to refusing other areas of truth which increases the darkness which leads to further refusal to believe truth and so on until people are slaves to whoever they believe and their lies. This is a warning to believe truth after examination and to cling to the truth. One danger we must all be aware of is the trick of liars to draw our attention away from the information we are examining so that we will forget what was said and what is being examined to ascertain if it is true].
14 “The prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled in them that says, ‘By hearing, youp will hear, but will not understand, and seeing, youp will see, but unable to see the meaning.’
15 “For this people’s heart has grown callous, their ears are tuned out, and they have closed their eyes, lest at any time they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, and understand with their heart and be converted. Then I would heal them.
[Verses 13-15 are a quote from Isaiah 6:9-10. This is willful rejection of truth. The more I use a hammer, rake, or any tool, the greater the callous. The more one rejects truth, the greater the callous of the heart (soul/spirit). The more one uses truth, the greater the discernment. Truth leads to freedom and wisdom. See Proverbs 1:20-33 and Proverbs 2:3-4. Truth leads to liberty; lies lead to slavery. See John 8:32. Jesus prayed (John 17:17), “Sanctify them by your truth. Your word is the truth].”
16 “But youp are blessed for yourp eyes see and yourp ears hear.