To best comprehend Jesus’ teachings on parables, it’s helpful to examine his dialogue preceding and following the discussion of these parables.
In Chapter 11, Jesus addresses cities that have witnessed his miracles yet failed to repent. He delivers a word of judgment upon them (Matthew 11.20-24).
Then, he expresses gratitude to the Heavenly Father for revealing God’s plan to the humble followers of the Lord (Matthew 11.25-26).
Chapter 12 includes narratives of resistance towards Jesus and ignorance about his actions by the religious authorities. Almost the entire chapter is devoted to increasing opposition to Jesus, his work, and his message.
The Parable of the Sower is best understood in the context of resistance. Why is it that individuals reject Jesus’ deeds? Is it a lack of comprehension? Could it be due to hardened hearts? Or is it the weight of worldly concerns and anxieties? The answer to these questions is a simple yes.
Despite opposition from religious authorities, Jesus loved them as much as anyone else. He used parables to engage them in discussions about his actions, aiming to overcome their resistance.
The disciples asked Jesus why he spoke to them in parables.
He answered, “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 those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance, but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away.
“The reason I speak to them in parables is that ‘seeing they do not perceive, and hearing they do not listen, nor do they understand'” (Matthew 13.11-13).
To best understand Jesus’s use of parables, it’s helpful to examine what he said to his disciples.
Those following him had gained knowledge of the kingdom of heaven through divine revelation. Only when God discloses his intentions can anyone receive what he has bestowed.
For those who reject his guidance, they cannot expect revelation. After all, they have rejected it.
When individuals form opinions on Jesus’s miracles, such as those in the cities he condemned, they remain uncomprehending despite hearing and seeing. Their minds are firmly rooted in disbelief.
Conversely, the more someone follows the Lord, the more they will receive.
Isaiah’s Confirming Message
When we examine cities that reject Jesus, religious authorities opposing him, and the parable of the sower explaining such reactions, we turn to Isaiah to comprehend why even parables fail to capture the audience’s devotion to the Lord.
‘You will indeed listen but never understand,
and you will indeed look but never perceive.
For this people’s heart has grown dull,
and their ears are hard of hearing,
and they have shut their eyes,
so that they might not look with their eyes,
and hear with their ears
and understand with their heart and turn—
and I would heal them.’” (Matthew 13.14-15)
A parable is a storytelling tool used to align the listener with the speaker’s perspective. Upon completion of the story, a punchline is delivered, prompting a decision from the listener.
However, in response to Jesus’ parables, which aim to garner followers, people’s hearts remain hardened. They fail to hear, and they close their eyes to God’s actions.
The good news is that opposition, rejection, hardness of heart, and unwillingness to see are not the end of the story.
In Chapter 13, we find the parable of the mustard seed (13.31-32), the yeast (13.33), the treasure in a field (13.44), and the merchant seeking fine pearls (13.45-46).
These parables inform us that there are individuals who initially resist God, yet they repent and begin following Him wholeheartedly.
The Blessing of Revelation
Jesus praised the Father in chapter 11. His prayer is very important to understanding God’s willingness to reveal himself to humans.
At that time Jesus said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants;
“Yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.
“All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him” (Matthew 11.25-27).
In this moment of praise, Jesus revealed that it’s God’s will to disclose Himself to humans. The most receptive are the poor in spirit, those humble enough to accept God’s revelation.
Jesus concludes his discussion of the use of parables with a similar thought.
“Blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear.
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” (Matthew 13.16-17).
My response to Jesus’ message is very humbling: I didn’t reason my way to God. Instead, He revealed Himself to me, and I was thankfully open to His influence in my life.
The notable figures of the Old Testament yearned for what Jesus offered to people in the first century, as well as to those in this century. They simply weren’t alive during that period.
If you’ve heard God’s call and responded, you can express profound gratitude for His grace and transformative power.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross and I discussed this passage on YouTube today. It is on the Bob Spradling channel.
Real Voices 