Scripture: Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says:
“‘“You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.” For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’
But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. For truly, I say to you, 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.”
All these things Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed, he said nothing to them without a parable. This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet: “I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter what has been hidden since the foundation of the world.”
Matthew 13:10-17, 34-35 ESV
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Observation: Recapping yesterday’s Daily Focus, Jesus tells his audience that a sower broadcasts seed on four types of soil, and the outcome:
- A path where birds devour the seed
- Rocky soil where the sun scorches the seed
- Soil infested with weeds that choke out the burgeoning plants
- Good soil that yields multiple crops
Jesus then explains the meaning to his disciples based on four types of listeners:
- Hardened hearts (falling on the path): Because they lack understanding, the devil easily convinces them that the Gospel is nonsense (v.19).
- Rootless hearts (sown on rocky soil): they receive the Gospel with joy but lack a sufficient connection with Christ (shallow faith) and turn away when hardship comes their way (vv.20-21).
- Distracted hearts (sown among thorns): they, too, assumingly receive the Gospel with joy, but the worries and distractions of the world render them unfruitful (v.22).
- Understanding hearts (sown on good soil): They mature in their relationship with Christ, gaining an understanding of the Gospel that informs their lives. Thus, they bear fruit that exponentially grows Jesus’ kingdom (v.23)
Today’s reading is an interlude to the Parable of the Sower. The disciples approach Jesus after he tells the parable and ask him why he speaks in parables (implying that his earlier nonparabolic messages were more accessible). They are not questioning this new development in his preaching but want to know why their Master would change tack. Thus, Jesus explains that he is still following his Father’s will and, in particular, is fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy (Isaiah 6:9-10), which he quotes in verses 14 and 15 above (by which he closely follows the Masoretic Text, the authoritative Hebrew and Aramaic scrolls of the Hebrew Bible). Jesus concludes with an exhortation that his disciples are blessed to see and hear his Gospel, for many prophets and other righteous people longed to see him (the Messiah) and hear his teachings. Finally, Matthew adds that by speaking in parables, Jesus fulfills yet another messianic prophecy (referring to Psalm 78:2).
Takeaway: While Mark (4:10-12) and Luke (8:9-10; 10:23-24) present parallel pericopes, Matthew includes significantly more detail because he wants his reader to remember how Christ fulfills Messianic prophecy. Indeed, Matthew follows a chiastic structure for the entire passage to direct his Jewish audience to the primary point of Jesus’ parables (addressed below) and make it memorable.
As touched on in previous Daily Focus devotions, chiasms, primarily found in the Psalms, are called such because each line progresses in thought to a central point and then retraces in reverse order, forming a chevron pattern to its content. The chevron is half the Greek symbol for the letter chi (χ). In Matthew’s chiasm, he wants his audience to focus on Isaiah’s quote: “…and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes (v.15b ESV). Thus, Matthew, tagging Isaiah, forewarns his audience of spiritual blindness. And if left unchecked, they, like the Pharisees and most of the crowd, will miss out on kingdom life.
Thematically, as theologian Michael Wilkins suggests, this segue passage follows the outline below:
- The secrets of the kingdom of heaven (v.11)
- Sovereignty and responsibility (vv.12-13)
- Hard-hearted crowds (vv.14-15)
- Blessed disciples (vv.16-17)
And, as Wilkins concludes, Jesus “uses the parables to cause the listener to make a decision about the kingdom of God” (NIV Application Commentary: Matthew (p.476).
The Greek word for “secrets” is mysteria (mysteries), which, as Wilkins notes, is of Semitic origin and refers to an end-of-the-age secret passed on in “veiled speech to God’s chosen” (p.476). The author of Daniel uses this same word about his night vision that revealed the meaning of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream (Daniel 2:18-19). Also, this word appears in Psalm 25:14, where David declares that those who fear the Lord will know the mysteries (translated as “friendship”) of his covenant. Similarly, Jesus announces that only those whom the Father elects (who fear the Lord) will develop an understanding of his kingdom’s mysterious nature and expansion.
Our takeaway? God’s sovereignty is in view here, and it is good news for those of us whose hearts are for God. But what about the hard-hearted who remain ignorant? Is that fair? Do they not deserve the same opportunity to have their ah-ha moment? The invitation to hear and see with understanding is for all, but only a few respond. And even we who gratefully embrace faith in Christ need help (his grace) to hear, see, and comprehend the mystery of our Gospel.
Still, we may wonder why grace is imparted to some and not to others. Wilkins rightfully notes that free will mysteriously flows under God’s sovereign will (p.476). Being created in the image of God, we exercise our free will to reason and believe. But God, unrestricted by time and space, knows every choice we will make even before we take our first breath. Indeed, David poetically declares, “Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them” (Psalm 139:16 ESV).
Still, why would God create those he knows will reject him and his Son? Paul provides a candid and succinct answer (albeit unsatisfactory to some believers): to reveal our Lord’s power, the riches of his glory, and to proclaim his glorious and merciful name in all the earth (Romans 9:17-23). Paul cautions the Romans (and us) not to push the debate any further, for they (and we) are God’s creatures, and he is our creator.
Our part? We are his blessed disciples. No matter our Christian theology, whether Reformed, Dispensational, or Arminian, our beloved Savior chose us to hear and see the mysteries of his kingdom and discern our part in expanding its boundaries into the hearts and minds of the least, the last, and the lost. That said, Christ’s parables force a decision about the kingdom and its king that separates his sheep from masqueraders. So, as his chosen ones, we must live with the tension of unanswered questions and unsatisfactory explanations and focus on what we do see and understand to grow the Father and Son’s kingdom and glorify their names.
Prayer: Father God, we thank you for your Son, who ushered in the kingdom of heaven on earth. And we thank you for his parables that bring understanding to the purpose of your kingdom and force a decision to join the movement or move on. So, please help set aside what we do not understand and focus on what we see and hear with greater understanding so that we might grow your kingdom and glorify your names. Amen.
Rev. Gordon Green, M.Div., M.A. Counseling
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