Today’s passage: Matthew 13:10-17
Helpful thoughts:
- Instead of Jesus fulfilling the prophecy in this passage, the people are the ones who fulfill the prophecy from Isaiah 6:9-10.
- In Isaiah’s prophecy, God had given the Israelites opportunity to repent previously and they refused. He now was bringing judgement and they were unable to turn away from it. Isaiah was told that people would not hear him.
- Understanding of the secrets/mysteries of the kingdom of heaven is given, not earned.
- The mysteries of the Old Testament were revealed in Christ. They are right there for all to see…if they had eyes to see.
- There is no one who wants to “see” and does not. Everyone who does not see, is perfectly happy with their own view of things. There are no humble/repentant people in hell.
- The disciples were seeing and hearing what Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David, Elijah, etc. never got to see on the earth with their own eyes. But, all of those men looked forward to His coming in faith. They had spiritual eyes to see by God’s grace. The disciples got the privilege of being given spiritual eyes to make sense of what they were also seeing with their physical eyes.
- Remember, Jesus had already taught in a clearer manner (e.g. Sermon on the Mount).
Questions to consider:
- Why do you think the disciples came to ask Jesus about the parable and no one else did? How does that go along with Jesus’ explanation?
- The “one who has” is a believer. So, how does the rest of the New Testament and the promises given to believers help us to make sense of what Jesus is saying in verse 12? What all is being given to the believer? (By the way, this would be a good time to praise the Lord in thanksgiving for all He has given to us in Christ!)
- If the passage in Isaiah was referring to coming judgement for unbelief and a lack of repentance, and if Jesus is referring to His parables and the audience, who do not have ears to hear, what are the parables now serving as?