WHY IT MATTERS //

Last week we studied the parable of the sower, which talks about what happens to the seed i.e the word of God when it lands on different kinds of soil, i.e. a picture of a person’s heart condition. In this passage, Jesus answers the disciples’ question about why he speaks in parables. Jesus says that the “knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you”. And he continues by quoting Isaiah saying that they do not understand because their heart has become calloused i.e. their heart is hardened and therefore they cannot hear or see. How do we make sure that our hearts stay tender and do not turn calloused?

WHAT IT'S TALKING ABOUT //  

The Gospel of Matthew doesn’t name an author, but early scholars unanimously agree that Matthew, one of the 12 Apostles, was the author. Most likely it was written around 50-60 A.D. This book was written in Greek, so the readers must have been Greek-speaking, but many were probably also Jewish. Matthew’s main focus throughout the book is to show that Jesus is the messiah (Christ in Jewish). Jesus shared the parable of the sower during his ministry in Galilee, after he has commissioned the 12 Apostles. 

Matthew 13:10-17 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 has been given to you, 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. 

13 This is why I speak to them in parables:

“Though seeing, they do not see;

    though hearing, they do not hear or understand.

14 In them is fulfilled 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.’

16 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. 

17 For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.