will & t +1

Nobody spoke like him, like Jesus. His words were clear and confusing. His words were kind and gentle and harsh. He was the most dynamic human that ever lived.

He was God.

And God is smart. Really, really smart. Infinitely smart. Eternally wise. 

And he spoke in parables. Stories. Simple stories. Stories that everyone could understand and remember, about common things like seeds and soil and farmers and fruit.

Or so I thought before Matthew 13 became the beating rain eroding misunderstanding.

Turns out Jesus wasn’t into cute, catchy illustrations. He told some good stories, no doubt. But his purpose in parable-speaking wasn’t to put it plainly to anyone listening.

The disciples asked Jesus, after hearing the Parable of the Sower, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” 

His response is incredible:

“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 the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but to the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. THIS IS WHY I SPEAK TO THEM IN PARABLES, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.” Matthew 13:11–13

People write doctoral thesis on texts like this; obviously I’m not trying to do that. I am trying to help my heart and mind understand by writing. It’s been said that pencils and pens—and keyboards— have eyes…

Will and I were talking about this the other night, and once again I was humbled by how much I don’t know, and how much he knows. I’m grateful for a husband that’s smarter, wiser, and more discerning than me. 

I said something to the effect of: “I just always would have said the purpose of the parables was to teach in simple stories so simple people could understand.”

Will said something like: “Oh no. They’re to reveal things to some and keep things hidden from others.”

Oh.

And there it is in the text. 

The disciples have been given understanding; others have not. They have eyes to see and ears to hear; others are blind and deaf.

And because the disciples have been given understanding, they will be given more. And those who don’t have understanding, even what they have will be taken away.

“Taken away”…

Ah, this sounds familiar…

“When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart.” Matthew 13:19

“To the one who has, more will be given”…

Yes, I’ve heard something like that before…

“As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.” Matthew 13:23

Matthew 13:10–17, the section in between the parable and the parable explained, always seemed peripheral. What is all this confusing talk about understanding and prophecies from Isaiah?

Turns out it’s like a hinge. Matthew 13:10–17 is what makes the door functional; makes the parable functional. A door off its hinges is an obnoxious piece of wood, isn’t it? Totally useless and in the way. Worthless.

But on hinges…wonderfully functional. Opens up rooms. Closes off rooms. Sound barrier, heat barrier. 

Without “To you it HAS BEEN GIVEN…” parables are like a big piece of wood. 

But with “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given” parables are doors on hinges, effectively opening up understanding to those who have been given ears to hear.