This morning I was led to the parables in Luke and in Matthew. I love the way Jesus showed us how simplicity has much depth. Something as simple as sowing a seed can contain and represent so much mystery and give revelation and greater understanding of deeper truth. What a compassionate and sensitive way of teaching and communicating.
In Matthew, and also in Luke 8, Jesus shares a simple story with those who had gathered — folks who came from every city. He shared the parable of the sower,
“Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. Whoever has ears, let them hear.”
In Luke 8 it says that He cried,
“He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”
Wow! He was praying that revelation and understanding would come to their hearts, that they might be able to grasp His heart in sharing this parable with them. That it may sink in and that they will receive this truth. He was praying it in, and also being an example to His disciples.
The disciples ask Jesus what the purpose of the parables is, what does it mean, they ask.
In Luke 8:10 Jesus says,
“To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that ‘Seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.'”
In Matthew it continues a little more in detail,
“The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?” He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. This is why I speak to them in parables: “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: “ ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’ But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. For 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. “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”
I think it’s interesting how Jesus explained the depth of the simplicity, the meaning behind the parables to His disciples in private. He gave them an inside look at why Jesus was doing what He did. He knew the disciples would be able to receive and understand His truths, and I love how He intimately explained and shared with them His heart behind sharing these parables with the people in such a simple way so that they could have understanding as well. Teaching them how He was going about teaching.
I love how the Lord uses simplicity. I love how He uses the simple things in life to give us revelation. The understanding is there for us! Jesus himself cries out,
“He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”
Isn’t that amazing? It’s all there for us! When we hunger for more of God, He’s ready to give us revelation and understanding of His truths and mysteries. I love that about Him.
-Heather ?