Meditation

Hi there,

The Gospels record 39 distinct parables told by Jesus (although none appear in John's Gospel). The word “parable” in Greek literally means “to put alongside,” or "to compare." Parables, then, were short stories given by Jesus to compare different spiritual states.

There is always a sense that the spiritual truths are hidden in plain sight. They aren't always obvious.​

The disciples' question suggests that the parables weren't easy for people to interpret or understand. Surely, it made more sense to make the message plain?​

Jesus's answer is our passage today. The parables are purposely opaque. We have to wrestle with them, and in so doing, we can take stock of our spiritual condition. The struggle to understand reveals and resolves our blindness and hardness of heart (partially).

This reminds us always to evaluate ourselves and others in light of God’s Word to ensure that our lack of understanding of a given parable is not a symptom of a broader rejection of spiritual truth.

Today's text is Matthew 13:10-17

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.

Encouragement

My son, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to one’s whole body.

Proverbs 4:20-22

​Andy​

God's Word In Your Hand

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