And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
And the disciples came, and said unto him - "they that were with Him, when they were alone" (Mark 4:10) --
Why speakest thou unto them in parables? Though before this He had couched some things in the parabolic form, for more vivid illustration, it would appear that He now, for the first time, formally employed this method of teaching.