I was thinking about the Isaiah 6 passage and connected it with some New Testament parables.

And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. (Isa 6:9 KJV)

What kind of a message would that be? Maybe we have a clue when Christ started telling the disciples why He taught in parables.

And the disciples came, and said unto Him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and [their] ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with [their] eyes, and hear with [their] ears, and should understand with [their] heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. (Matt. 13:10-15 KJV)

Was Jesus indicating something about how we should be communicating the Gospel?  Or was Jesus managing His own ministry in such a way as to accomplish His own death and resurrection?

I am inclined to think that Jesus was doing the latter. At the peak of his popularity there were thousands that wanted to establish Him in a political way to confront Rome. Even after the triumphal entry He was more interested in cleansing the temple than confronting Pilate. He knew that both the Jewish leadership and Rome had to be involved to accomplish the details of His death on the cross. The evidence indicates that Pilate was reluctant but the Jews took the bulk of the blame, calling for Jesus’ “innocent” blood to be on them and threatening Pilate with blackmail if he didn’t kill this “king of the Jews.” Paul later claims that if the powers of hell had known the death of Jesus was their own ruination- they would not have done it.

Today, we have no such tightrope to walk. I don’t think we can err too far on the side of making the message simple, clear and direct. Here is what Paul said to the Corinthians on two occasions.

Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God. (1Co 4:5 KJV)
But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. (2Co 4:2 KJV)

Let us “manifest the truth.”