Written ~ 01-17-2024
Read Matthew Chapter Thirteen
Matthew 13
In this chapter Jesus speaks to the crowd in parables, one of the themes we will see throughout, is the statement He makes, “Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”
Verses 13:3-9,
3 Jesus told many stories in the form of parables, such as this one:
“Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seeds. 4 As he scattered them across his field, some seeds fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate them. 5 Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seeds sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. 6 But the plants soon wilted under the hot sun, and since they didn’t have deep roots, they died. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants. 8 Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted! 9 Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”
Right after telling this parable, what do the disciples do? They question Jesus.
Verse 13:10,
10 “His disciples came and asked Him, “Why do you use parables when you talk to the people?”
Isn’t that true of all of us? We read the Bible and question what is being said. We question what the Scriptures mean and if it is relevant for today. In the following verses this is how Jesus responds to not only the disciples, but to us as well…
Verses 13:11-13 (The Message),
11 He replied, “You’ve been given insight into God’s kingdom. You know how it works. Not everybody has this gift, this insight; it hasn’t been given to them. 12 Whenever someone has a ready heart for this, the insights and understandings flow freely. But if there is no readiness, any trace of receptivity soon disappears. 13 That’s why I tell stories: to create readiness, to nudge the people toward a welcome awakening. In their present state they can stare till doomsday and not see it, listen till they’re blue in the face and not get it. I don’t want Isaiah’s forecast repeated all over again:
“Your ears are open but you don’t hear a thing.
Your eyes are awake but you don’t see a thing.”
Verse 13:16,
16 “But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear.”
Ask the Lord for your eyes and your ears to be opened. If we don’t ask the Lord to help us understand, we could go through life missing out on what the Bible is teaching! Our eyes can skim over these words and attach zero meaning to them, we can listen to a sermon from a reputable pastor and get nothing out of what is said. Pray for your hearts to be softened, to willingly accept the Holy Spirit’s guidance through these parables and understand what they mean for your life today.
What’s so wonderful about this chapter we see Jesus explain to His disciples the meaning of a couple of His parables. I think that benefits us as well. When our eyes are opened we can see the meaning of a parable even without the explanation, but how awesome is it when Jesus gives us the explanation and we are on the right track to its hidden meaning! Jesus makes it clear He will speak in parables so only those who have ears to hear will understand what He is saying and believe.
Verses 13:34-35,
34 Jesus always used stories and illustrations like these when speaking to the crowds. In fact, He never spoke to them without using such parables. 35 This fulfilled what God had spoken through the prophet:
“I will speak to you in parables.
I will explain things hidden since the creation of the world.”
So, as we read through these parables in chapter 13, look for the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, look for the meaning hidden behind the words of Jesus and find yourself pulled in, in awe of what He is saying and apply these things to your own life.
I am so very thankful Lord that my eyes and my ears are opened to the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven. Thank You Father for giving me Your Holy Spirit so I can learn and absorb all Your lessons from the Scriptures. Help me to be Your vessel to share what I have learned so others may also have their eyes and ears opened.
~AMEN~