THE MYSTERY OF THE PARABLES

Passage: Matthew 13:10-17

Key verse: 11

NIV

10 The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?”

11 He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven(A) has been given to you,(B) but not to them. 12 Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.(C) 13 This is why I speak to them in parables:

“Though seeing, they do not see;
    though hearing, they do not hear or understand.(D)

14 In them is fulfilled(E) the prophecy of Isaiah:

“‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
    you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
15 For this people’s heart has become calloused;
    they hardly hear with their ears,
    and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
    hear with their ears,
    understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them.’[a](F)

16 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.(G) 17 For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see(H) but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.

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Footnotes
  1. Matthew 13:15 Isaiah 6:9,10 (see Septuagint)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

The Purpose of the Parables

10 Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” 11 And he answered them, (A)“To you it has been given to know (B)the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 (C)For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, (D)even what he has will be taken away. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables, because (E)seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, (F)nor do they understand. 14 Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says:

(G)“‘“You will indeed hear but never understand,
    and you will indeed see but never perceive.”
15 For this people's heart has grown dull,
    and with their ears (H)they can barely hear,
    and (I)their eyes they have closed,
lest they should see with their eyes
    and hear with their ears
and (J)understand with their heart
    and (K)turn, and I would heal them.’

16 But (L)blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. 17 (M)For truly, I say to you, (N)many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. Why do you speak in parables? (1

-15)

Jesus' disciples knew that the parables were hard for the crowd to understand. Jesus agreed. Jesus told secrets of the kingdom of heaven in parables so that only those who had made a commitment to follow him could understand. When a disciple who loves Jesus receives God's word in his heart he can understand it and grow in faith. If one has faith, he is given more faith. But if one rejects God's word because it seems unreasonable, or because he prefers an easy-going life, he can never understand. His heart then becomes harder and harder. Even the small amount of spiritual desire he had will be taken away.

2. Blessed are your eyes (16-17)

Jesus' disciples were privileged because they knew the long-awaited Christ. The patriarchs and prophets believed the promises and looked forward to his coming. We also are privileged because we can see that God kept his promises. By faith we can know Jesus personally and follow him.

Prayer: Lord, I want to follow Jesus. Please enlighten my eyes and heart to understand your word and help me to obey it.

One Word: Blessed are eyes that see