Wednesday, September 13, 2023
He who has ears, let him hear…
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. 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. 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. But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. 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. Matthew 13:13-17
Eyes to See and Ears to Hear
Jesus was standing in a boat speaking to a large crowd on the beach, telling many things in parables, which is a short story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson. The disciples asked Him why he was speaking to the people in parables and Jesus told them that he wanted to reveal the truth to those who wanted to know truth and conceal it from those who didn’t. The pharisees had rejected Jesus and blasphemed the Holy Spirit. Jesus began to speak in parables because He knew that the Pharisees would ignore the stories, but people who really wanted to know the truth would listen and understand. They would have eyes to see and ears to hear.
When Jesus said He who has ears, let him hear, He was not saying “Listen…,” He was talking to the ones seeking truth to pay special attention. We all have ears, but we do not all have ears to hear. However, eyes to see and ears to hear has more to do with a person’s heart than it does their eyes and ears. We all have the gift of Jesus’ words. They are for all who will receive. When we don’t have eyes to see or ears to hear, our hearts are not willing to receive the truth of the words of Jesus.
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…
We can give our hearts to Jesus and still not have eyes to see and ears to hear. Sometimes we may not like the words that are written in the Bible because they cause us to feel convicted about our sin. We can shut out the words as fast as the pharisees did. When we do this, we can know that our heart is closed to receiving the truth.
In Mark 4 we find the same parable – the Parable of the Sower – which Jesus uses it to contrasts types of hearers:
The sower sows the word. And these are the ones along the path, where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them. And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy. And they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away. And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold. Mark 4:14-20
Some hear but they do not allow it to take root because all the world offers lures them away from the truth. Some reject the Word because of persecution or trials. Others hear the Word and open themselves to understand and accept it so that it transforms them. Those who have “ears to hear” allow the Word to bear fruit for the glory of God. Which one will you be? It is completely up to the us to decide whether to take the Word seriously and seek understanding or to close off our hearts, eyes and ears.
Pray for others, as well as yourself, to have eyes to see and ears to hear. Seeking God’s truth won’t be easy, but God’s way is always the best way. It takes perseverance and an intentional pivot away from all that distract us, towards Him. With a willingness to be challenged and changed, our hearts are open and ready to receive His truth.
