Jesus now begins teaching in parables. OK, so what is a parable? It is a spiritual Truth illustrated using practical means where the spiritual message is ‘hidden’ within. It is a comparison to physical ideas they all understand teaching spiritual truths few do understand.
Why would Jesus teach this way? Because He was already being persecuted and the leaders still were seeking to destroy him but He wanted the entirety of the lesson told before the leaders in the crowd could attempt to kill Him early.
And that's the way parables worked. The entirety of the lesson is fully taught to its conclusion but those who listened didn't completely understand what Jesus meant. Only those who studied further would understand the spiritual truth behind His words.
By the time His enemies figured out the lesson, He was preaching elsewhere. So here, his disciples ask him what He meant so he explains the parable to them. The sower going out to sow is something they would all relate to. Before He tells them the explanation He says something that sounds a little unfair at first.
He says, ‘For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him.’
Human nature tells us that giving someone who already has plenty, even more is unfair. And then to take from someone who has little seems even more unfair but look at what's going on.
The Jews had been given status as God's chosen people. He gave them the Law, He provided for them and chose them to be the source of blessing the world, they were given everything but now that Jesus was here, all they had been given would be taken due to their unbelief. But the Jews who did believe were given so much more than had already been given. These are those to whom much had been given and they will receive so much more.
And the Gentiles and Samaritans had none of that. Paganism ruled over 90% of the world at this time and the very concept of a loving God just didn't exist. The idea of Law governing behavior didn't exist either. In other cultures, laws were changed to benefit the whims of their king.
Those who became believers from paganism were given the structure paganism doesn't have through Christ. They experienced love from God for the first time. But the ones who did not believe, whatever benefit they obtained from their close proximity to Jesus or other believers, a peaceful nation, a legal system, etc., will be taken from them.
Jesus tells the disciples that they are blessed because the prophets, including Isaiah, wished to witness these things but could not. They wished to hear these words being preached, but did not. Therefore, the disciples should consider themselves doubly blessed because they get to see and hear things great men wished to.
We will cover His explanation of the parable in a later lesson. Don't miss it.
13:1-17
[1] On that day Jesus had gone out of the house and was sitting by the sea. [2] And large crowds gathered to Him, so He got into a boat and sat down, and the whole crowd was standing on the beach. [3] And He told them many things in parables, saying, “Behold, the sower went out to sow; [4] and as he sowed, some seeds fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate them up. [5] Others fell on the rocky places, where they did not have much soil; and they sprang up immediately, because they had no depth of soil. [6] But after the sun rose, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. [7] Others fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them out. [8] But others fell on the good soil and yielded a crop, some a hundred, some sixty, and some thirty times as much. [9] The one who has ears, let him hear.” [10] And the disciples came up and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?” [11] And Jesus answered them, “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted. [12] For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him. [13] Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. [14] And in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says, ‘ You shall keep on listening, but shall not understand; And you shall keep on looking, but shall not perceive; [15] For the heart of this people has become dull, With their ears they scarcely hear, And they have closed their eyes, Otherwise they might see with their eyes, Hear with their ears, Understand with their heart, and return, And I would heal them.’ [16] But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. [17] For truly I say to you that 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.
Why would Jesus teach this way? Because He was already being persecuted and the leaders still were seeking to destroy him but He wanted the entirety of the lesson told before the leaders in the crowd could attempt to kill Him early.
And that's the way parables worked. The entirety of the lesson is fully taught to its conclusion but those who listened didn't completely understand what Jesus meant. Only those who studied further would understand the spiritual truth behind His words.
By the time His enemies figured out the lesson, He was preaching elsewhere. So here, his disciples ask him what He meant so he explains the parable to them. The sower going out to sow is something they would all relate to. Before He tells them the explanation He says something that sounds a little unfair at first.
He says, ‘For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him.’
Human nature tells us that giving someone who already has plenty, even more is unfair. And then to take from someone who has little seems even more unfair but look at what's going on.
The Jews had been given status as God's chosen people. He gave them the Law, He provided for them and chose them to be the source of blessing the world, they were given everything but now that Jesus was here, all they had been given would be taken due to their unbelief. But the Jews who did believe were given so much more than had already been given. These are those to whom much had been given and they will receive so much more.
And the Gentiles and Samaritans had none of that. Paganism ruled over 90% of the world at this time and the very concept of a loving God just didn't exist. The idea of Law governing behavior didn't exist either. In other cultures, laws were changed to benefit the whims of their king.
Those who became believers from paganism were given the structure paganism doesn't have through Christ. They experienced love from God for the first time. But the ones who did not believe, whatever benefit they obtained from their close proximity to Jesus or other believers, a peaceful nation, a legal system, etc., will be taken from them.
Jesus tells the disciples that they are blessed because the prophets, including Isaiah, wished to witness these things but could not. They wished to hear these words being preached, but did not. Therefore, the disciples should consider themselves doubly blessed because they get to see and hear things great men wished to.
We will cover His explanation of the parable in a later lesson. Don't miss it.
13:1-17
[1] On that day Jesus had gone out of the house and was sitting by the sea. [2] And large crowds gathered to Him, so He got into a boat and sat down, and the whole crowd was standing on the beach. [3] And He told them many things in parables, saying, “Behold, the sower went out to sow; [4] and as he sowed, some seeds fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate them up. [5] Others fell on the rocky places, where they did not have much soil; and they sprang up immediately, because they had no depth of soil. [6] But after the sun rose, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. [7] Others fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them out. [8] But others fell on the good soil and yielded a crop, some a hundred, some sixty, and some thirty times as much. [9] The one who has ears, let him hear.” [10] And the disciples came up and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?” [11] And Jesus answered them, “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted. [12] For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him. [13] Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. [14] And in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says, ‘ You shall keep on listening, but shall not understand; And you shall keep on looking, but shall not perceive; [15] For the heart of this people has become dull, With their ears they scarcely hear, And they have closed their eyes, Otherwise they might see with their eyes, Hear with their ears, Understand with their heart, and return, And I would heal them.’ [16] But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. [17] For truly I say to you that 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.
Jesus now begins teaching in parables. OK, so what is a parable? It is a spiritual Truth illustrated using practical means where the spiritual message is ‘hidden’ within. It is a comparison to physical ideas they all understand teaching spiritual truths few do understand.
Why would Jesus teach this way? Because He was already being persecuted and the leaders still were seeking to destroy him but He wanted the entirety of the lesson told before the leaders in the crowd could attempt to kill Him early.
And that's the way parables worked. The entirety of the lesson is fully taught to its conclusion but those who listened didn't completely understand what Jesus meant. Only those who studied further would understand the spiritual truth behind His words.
By the time His enemies figured out the lesson, He was preaching elsewhere. So here, his disciples ask him what He meant so he explains the parable to them. The sower going out to sow is something they would all relate to. Before He tells them the explanation He says something that sounds a little unfair at first.
He says, ‘For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him.’
Human nature tells us that giving someone who already has plenty, even more is unfair. And then to take from someone who has little seems even more unfair but look at what's going on.
The Jews had been given status as God's chosen people. He gave them the Law, He provided for them and chose them to be the source of blessing the world, they were given everything but now that Jesus was here, all they had been given would be taken due to their unbelief. But the Jews who did believe were given so much more than had already been given. These are those to whom much had been given and they will receive so much more.
And the Gentiles and Samaritans had none of that. Paganism ruled over 90% of the world at this time and the very concept of a loving God just didn't exist. The idea of Law governing behavior didn't exist either. In other cultures, laws were changed to benefit the whims of their king.
Those who became believers from paganism were given the structure paganism doesn't have through Christ. They experienced love from God for the first time. But the ones who did not believe, whatever benefit they obtained from their close proximity to Jesus or other believers, a peaceful nation, a legal system, etc., will be taken from them.
Jesus tells the disciples that they are blessed because the prophets, including Isaiah, wished to witness these things but could not. They wished to hear these words being preached, but did not. Therefore, the disciples should consider themselves doubly blessed because they get to see and hear things great men wished to.
We will cover His explanation of the parable in a later lesson. Don't miss it.
13:1-17
[1] On that day Jesus had gone out of the house and was sitting by the sea. [2] And large crowds gathered to Him, so He got into a boat and sat down, and the whole crowd was standing on the beach. [3] And He told them many things in parables, saying, “Behold, the sower went out to sow; [4] and as he sowed, some seeds fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate them up. [5] Others fell on the rocky places, where they did not have much soil; and they sprang up immediately, because they had no depth of soil. [6] But after the sun rose, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. [7] Others fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them out. [8] But others fell on the good soil and yielded a crop, some a hundred, some sixty, and some thirty times as much. [9] The one who has ears, let him hear.” [10] And the disciples came up and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?” [11] And Jesus answered them, “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted. [12] For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him. [13] Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. [14] And in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says, ‘ You shall keep on listening, but shall not understand; And you shall keep on looking, but shall not perceive; [15] For the heart of this people has become dull, With their ears they scarcely hear, And they have closed their eyes, Otherwise they might see with their eyes, Hear with their ears, Understand with their heart, and return, And I would heal them.’ [16] But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. [17] For truly I say to you that 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.
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