10 Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” 11 And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 13 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. 14 Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says:
“‘“You will indeed hear but never understand,
and you will indeed see but never perceive.”
15 For this people's heart has grown dull,
and with their ears they can barely hear,
and their eyes they have closed,
lest they should see with their eyes
and hear with their ears
and understand with their heart
and turn, and I would heal them.’
16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. 17 For truly, I say to you, 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. ...
34 All these things Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed, he said nothing to them without a parable. 35 This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet:
“I will open my mouth in parables;
I will utter what has been hidden since the foundation of the world.” Matthew 13: 10-17 & 34-35
Matthew 13: 10-17 and 34-35 Why Parables?
…10As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one. 11There is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. 12All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.”… Romans 3: 10-12
Why do you speak to them in parables - It's a good question, and I think anyone who truly comes to believe in Christ would like for others to understand the mysteries of the gospel as well. It is often for this very reason that a type of soil is exposed, burnt up for a shallow root, unable to face the rejection that Christ faced, or to let go of the cares of this world. Christ has spoken very plainly in His sermon on the mount, corrected the bad doctrine of the Scribes and Pharisees, performed many miracles in front of them, but more light is equal to greater rejection for those who turn away from it. The Jews have the light of the OT prophets, who predicted John the Baptist, and who also predicted Messiah, now they have the Messiah, verified with great signs and wonders, yet men love darkness rather than light.
To you it has been given to know the secrets of the Kingdom - We know that faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God, but that faith that receives the word, that believes unto repentance, that is a gift from God. Jesus also tells us, in John 10,
…26But because you are not My sheep, you refuse to believe. 27 My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me. 28I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them out of My hand.… John 10: 26-28
…43“Stop grumbling among yourselves,” Jesus replied. 44“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day. 45It is written in the Prophets: ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from Him comes to Me—… John 6: 43-45
But to them it has not been given - If we are judged by degree then the parables help conceal them from too much light, this is the greater damnation of Judas, a witness to all these things, and enrolled in the very School of Jesus, with such great access to the truth. He is the iconic example of the almost Christian, to have come so far, to stand next to the light, but then kiss it goodbye. He is the soil bound up with thorns, wanting the Kingdom, but wanting it now, for money, for power. When he hears of suffering, and a kingdom that is not about him, and not about wealth in this present time, he shows himself apostate, selling our Lord for the price of a slave. He is the epitome of why everyone of us should search ourselves to see if we be in the faith, to hear the parable of the soil and wonder, "which plot of earth am I?" Judas is getting all these behind the scenes moments, being allowed to hear explained what the crowd only received in parables. He saw the same Jesus as the other disciples, as the crowds, but it is why Jesus tells Nicodemus, "you must be born again."
The same sun that softens the wax hardens the clay; and so the very same gospel message that humbles the honest heart and leads to repentance may also harden the heart of the dishonest listener and confirm that one in their path of disobedience. - Enduring Word
ii. “The parable conceals truth from those who are either too lazy to think or too blinded by prejudice to see. It puts the responsibility fairly and squarely on the individual. It reveals truth to him who desires truth; it conceals truth from him who does not wish to see the truth.” (Barclay)
iii. “Thus the parables spoke to the crowds do not simply convey information, nor mask it, but challenge the hearers.” (Carson)
To the one who has more will be given - It is one thing to not understand the parables at first glance, but for the disciple who has faith, who is of the fold, he sees his access to Jesus, and he ask the question, "what does this mean?" He doesn't bury what little he has, no, he ask for more, and God is very liberal with them who want wisdom. I don't think the parable is a veil to all, for those who are part of God's kingdom it is a help, a way to remember, to search the deeper truths, to learn wisdom and discernment. Don't be the idiot in the back of the class who doesn't ask the question for fear that he is the only one with the question. He never comes to knowledge, so he forever remains the idiot.
…4Allow perseverance to finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6But he must ask in faith, without doubting, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.… James 1: 4-6
From the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away - It's like the parable of the talents, and let's look at the audience that Jesus has had, the hecklers too. He is speaking in Israel mostly to Jews, those who have the law, the prophets, the testimonies, the temple, now the Messiah, yet lack the faith to believe. They haven't the faith, so that which they have, like the word of God, well it becomes a snare to them. Christ is here fulfilling that, but you don't believe. The temple, that will be taken away, Jesus foretells that. Basically, everything that it means to be a Jew, the looking forward to the Kingdom, to the Messiah, being God's people, they don't recognize the reality so it cost them the light of the shadows. It pushes them into a dark age, except for those who come out, who believe. Those that have faith put it in Christ, invest it in learning more, seeking, searching, and they profit from it, but those who bury it, who don't believe, who hold onto their own self righteousness, they lose what little they have. They walk around in the dark telling everyone they know the way.
(1.) Here is a promise to him that has, that has true grace, pursuant to the election of grace, that has, and uses what he has; he shall have more abundance: God's favours are earnests of further favours; where he lays the foundation, he will build upon it. Christ's disciples used the knowledge they now had, and they had more abundance at the pouring out of the Spirit, Acts 2. They who have the truth of grace, shall have the increase of grace, even to an abundance in glory, Prov. 4:18. Joseph—he will add, Gen. 30:24.
(2.) Here is a threatening to him that has not, that has no desire of grace, that makes no right use of the gifts and graces he has: has not root, no solid principle; that has, but uses not what he has; from him shall be taken away that which he has or seems to have. His leaves shall wither, his gifts decay; the means of grace he has, and makes no use of, shall be taken from him; God will call in his talents out of their hands that are likely to become bankrupts quickly. - Matthew Henry
This is why I speak to them in parables - So look at this, their reaction does not cause God to recalculate, no, this was predicted by a sovereign God. This was known from eternity past, that Messiah would come, He would be rejected, He must suffer for the sins of His people. We also know that not all are Israel who call themselves such, that it is not a matter of outward circumcision, but that of the heart. He says, the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled. Even back in Isaiah's time he is commissioned to go to a calloused people with a message of repentance that they will not embrace. Isaiah gets to be hated and historians believe, martyred by King Manasseh.
8Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying: “Whom shall I send? Who will go for Us?” And I said: “Here am I. Send me!” 9And He replied: “Go and tell this people, ‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’ 10Make the hearts of this people calloused; deafen their ears and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”… Isaiah 6: 8-10
Blessed are your eyes - Not, good job, you figured it out, too bad those other guys weren't as smart as you. No, if you truly believe, you are blessed, and there is no room for pride or pats on the back, your faith is a gift of God, not of your works, your will or ability, no one should boast. God only owes us death, not light, nor the ability to see it or perceive with it, so those that are calloused are left where they want to be, and that is not with God. They remain at enmity, disgusted with His inability to bow to the whims of men, and be made in their image. He is holy and we are not, and so we want a God that is not holy as well, but instead God offers us a righteousness that comes from the will and sacrifice of another. This is the gospel, this is the unchanging power of God to everyone who believes.
…16Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by My Father in heaven. 18And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.… Matthew 16: 16-18
…12But to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God— 13children born not of blood, nor of the desire or will of man, but born of God. 14The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.… John 1: 12-14
Many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see - This is why John the Baptist was considered the greatest of the prophets, for he saw what others foretold, he saw Christ, baptized Him, heard God the Father and saw the Holy Spirit testify of Him. Yet he was considered least to those in the kingdom, for they would see this in it's fullness, with Christ on His throne. Soon Jesus would go to the cross, pay for our sin, and then He would return to His Father but send the Holy Spirit. How blessed are those that have the whole gospel story, who even now have an eternal home elsewhere.
…4But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, 5He saved us, not by the righteous deeds we had done, but according to His mercy, through the washing of new birth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. 6This is the Spirit He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior,… Titus 3: 4-6
…55You do not know Him, but I know Him. If I said I did not know Him, I would be a liar like you. But I do know Him, and I keep His word. 56Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see My day. He saw it and was glad.” 57Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and You have seen Abraham?”…
…58“Truly, truly, I tell you,” Jesus declared, “before Abraham was born, I am!” 59At this, they picked up stones to throw at Him. But Jesus was hidden and went out of the temple area. John 8: 55-59
This was to fulfill - Check for yourselves, see if this wasn't what was supposed to happen, what God declared.
1A Maskil of Asaph. Give ear, O my people, to my instruction; listen to the words of my mouth. 2I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden from the beginning, 3that we have heard and known and our fathers have relayed to us.… Psalm 78: 1-3
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