Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they don’t see, and hearing, they don’t hear, neither do they understand.
In them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says, ‘By hearing you will hear, and will in no way understand; Seeing you will see, and will in no way perceive:
for this people’s heart has grown callous, their ears are dull of hearing, they have closed their eyes; or else perhaps they might perceive with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their heart, and would turn again; and I would heal them.’
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv13–15 13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because…
13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
Ver. 13. Therefore speak I to them in parables] Because their wilful blindness and stubbornness deserve I should do it. They are sinners against their own souls, let them rue it therefore.
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And hearing they hear not] Audientes corporis sensu, non audiunt cordis assensu, saith Augustine.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv13–14 Neither Mark nor Luke hath this, but it directly…
Neither Mark nor Luke hath this, but it directly followeth from what they have, which also followeth here; only here it is plainly asserted concerning these hearers, and given as a reason why our Lord spake to them in parables. We shall in the explication of the following words inquire in what sense it is said, This people seeing, saw not, and hearing, heard not.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
William Burkitt 1703 · Public Domain On v13 These words of our blessed Saviour, as I conceive,…
These words of our blessed Saviour, as I conceive, have a peculiar reference and relation to the Pharisees, who attended upon Christ’s ministry, not with an honest simplicity of mind, to be instructed by it, but to carp and cavil at it. Our Saviour tells them, he had formerly spoken things very plainly and clearly to them, and also wrought miracles before them, to convince them of the divinity of his person and of the verity of his doctrine: but they would not believe either his person or his doctrine to be from God; and therefore he would now speak to them in dark parables, that they may be judicially blinded; they sinfully shut their eyes against the clearest light, and said they would not see; and now Christ closes their eyes judicially, and says they shall not see.
Learn hence, To acknowledge the divine justice, which speaks darkly to them that despise the light: such who see and yet see not, they shall see the shell but not the kernel; they shall hear the parable, but not understand the spiritual sense and meaning of it. When wilful blindness of mind is added to natural blindness, it is a just and righteous thing with God to superadd judicial blindness, and give them obstinancy of heart, his curse unto them.
William Burkitt's Expository Notes on the New Testament (1700–1703) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv13–15 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias,....…
And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias,.... In Isa 6:9
which saith, which runs, or may be read thus,
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by hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand, and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive. The words are a prophecy concerning the people of the Jews, which began to be accomplished in the times of Isaiah; and were again fulfilled in the times of some after prophets; and had been in part fulfilled under the more plain and easy ministry of Christ; and was to have a further accomplishment under this parabolical way of preaching; as it also was to have, and had, a yet further completion under the ministry of the apostles; see Act 28:26 and the judicial blindness here predicted was to go on among them, until the land of Judea was utterly destroyed by the Romans, and the cities and houses thereof left without any inhabitants; all which accordingly came to pass: for that this prophecy refers to the times of the Messiah, and to the people of the Jews, is clear from this one observation made by Christ himself, that Esaias foretold those things when he saw the glory of the Messiah, and spake of him, Joh 12:40 and because it was to have, and had, its accomplishment over and over again in that people, therefore the word which may be rendered "is fulfilled again", is made use of. The sense of the prophecy is, with respect to the times of the Messiah, that the Jews, whilst hearing the sermons preached by him, whether with, or without parables, should hear his voice, and the sound of it, but not understand his words internally, spiritually, and experimentally; and whilst they saw, with the eyes of their bodies, the miracles he wrought, they should see the facts done, which could not be denied and gainsayed by them, but should not take in the clear evidence, full proof, and certain demonstration given thereby, of his Messiahship. In the prophecy of Isaiah, the words run in the imperative, "hear ye, see ye", &c. but are here rendered in the future, "shall hear, shall see", &c. which rendering of the words is supported and established by the version of the Septuagint, by the Chaldee paraphrase, and by many Jewish commentators (l); who allow, that the words in Isaiah may be so understood, which is sufficient to vindicate the citation of them, by the evangelist, in this form of them.
(l) In R. David Kimchi in Isa. vi. 9.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv13–14 Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing,…
Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing, they see not - In pursuance of this general rule, I do not give more knowledge to this people, be. cause they use not that which they have already: having all the means of seeing, hearing, and understanding, they use none of them: they do not effectually see, or hear, or understand any thing.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv13–15 Verse 13. Therefore speak I to them in parables]…
Verse 13. Therefore speak I to them in parables] On this account, viz. to lead them into a proper knowledge of God. I speak to them in parables, natural representations of spiritual truths, that they may be allured to inquire, and to find out the spirit, which is hidden under the letter; because, seeing the miracles which I have wrought, they see not, i.e. the end for which I have wrought them; and hearing my doctrines, they hear not, so as to profit by what is spoken; neither do they understand, ουδεσυνιουσι, they do not lay their hearts to it. Is not this obviously our Lord's meaning? Who can suppose that he would employ his time in speaking enigmatically to them, on purpose that they might not understand what was spoken? Could the God of truth and sincerity act thus? If he had designed to act otherwise, he might have saved his time and labour, and not spoken at all, which would have answered the same end, viz. to leave them in gross ignorance.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On v13 Mat 13:13-15. Therefore speak I to them in parables,…
Mat 13:13-15. Therefore speak I to them in parables, because they seeing, see not — In pursuance of this general rule, I do not give more knowledge to this people, because they use not that which they have already: having all the means of seeing, hearing, and understanding, they use none of them; they do not effectually see, or hear, or understand any thing. For instance, seeing my miracles, which are incontestable proofs of my divine mission, they are not convinced thereby that I am their long-expected Messiah: and hearing my discourses, they are not instructed by what they hear in the design of my coming, and the nature of my kingdom. Neither do they understand — My doctrine. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias — Which indeed was principally intended of the men of this generation. See note on Isa 6:9-10. Which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand — Or rather, as the words are more properly rendered, ye will hear, but in nowise understand; that is, ye will surely hear; opportunities of hearing, all possible means of instruction, will be given you; yet they will profit you nothing. For this people’s heart is waxed gross — Επαχυνθη, is waxed fat, is sensual, stupid, and insensible. And their ears are dull of hearing — Βαρεως ηκουσαν, they hear heavily, or with heavy ears, like persons half asleep. And their eyes they have closed — Namely, against the light. Observe, they themselves have done it, not God. In other words, They have benumbed or shut up all their spiritual senses, lest at any time they should see with their eyes — That light of divine knowledge which would put them to pain; and should hear with their ears — Those sacred truths which would convince them of sin; and should understand with their heart — Their real condition of guilt and depravity; and should be converted — Effectually turned to God in true repentance, living faith, and new obedience; and I should heal them — Of their spiritual diseases. They are unwilling to understand the things of God, and afraid, not desirous, that he should heal their souls, and save them from their sins.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv13, 15 Because seeing they see not, &c. i.e. they see…
Because seeing they see not, &c. i.e. they see not as they might, and ought to do, by shutting their eyes against the lights given them. --- Therefore do I speak to them in parables: because seeing they see not, &c. This passage, by which the prophet Isaias (vi. 9.) was ordered to foretell the obstinate blindness of the Jews, in refusing to receive and believe in their Messias, is cited six times in the New Testament; to wit, here in St. Matthew, also Mark iv. 14, Luke viii. 10, John xii. 40, Acts xxviii. 26, and Romans xi. 8. In all these places we must detest the false interpretation of those who, not without heresy and blasphemy, would have God to be the author and cause of sin. When it is said, (Isaias vi. 9.) blind the heart of this people, &c. the prophet is only commanded to foretell their blindness, of which, by their wilful obstinacy, they were the true cause. And when we read in St. Mark, that to those that are without, all things are done in parables, that seeing they may see, and not see, &c. the word that does not signify the cause, nor the end, but only the event, and the consequence of what would happen by the wilful blindness of the Jews, and by the just permission of God. St. Matthew here expounds to us the words of the prophet, by which it clearly appears that they were the cause of their own blindness; and that, by their obstinacy, they had made themselves unworthy of particular lights from God. For the heart of this people (ver. 18.) is grown gross ... and their eyes they have shut, &c. The Jews therefore shut their own eyes, hardened their own hearts, which God only permitted. See Romans ix. 18. &c. (Witham) --- If this blindness were natural, then indeed I would have opened their eyes to see and understand, but since this blindness is voluntary, he says, that seeing they see not, and hearing, they hear not; i.e. they have seen me cast our devils, and they said, in Beelzebub he casteth out devils; they heard I drew all to God, and they say, this man cometh not from God. Since, therefore, they assert the very contrary to what they both see and hear, the gift of seeing and hearing me shall be taken away from them.
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On vv13–14 Therefore speak I to them in parables--which our Lord,…
Therefore speak I to them in parables--which our Lord, be it observed, did not begin to do till His miracles were malignantly ascribed to Satan.
because they seeing, see not--They "saw," for the light shone on them as never light shone before; but they "saw not," for they closed their eyes.
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and hearing, they hear not; neither do they understand--They "heard," for He taught them who "spake as never man spake"; but they "heard not," for they took nothing in, apprehending not the soul-penetrating, life-giving words addressed to them. In Mark and Luke (Mar 4:12; Luk 8:10), what is here expressed as a human fact is represented as the fulfilment of a divine purpose--"that seeing they may see, and not perceive," &c. The explanation of this lies in the statement of the foregoing verse--that, by a fixed law of the divine administration, the duty men voluntarily refuse to do, and in point of fact do not do, they at length become morally incapable of doing.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv13–15 13. Therefore — In order to take from them…
13. Therefore — In order to take from them that which they have, namely, the means of understanding my doctrines merely to abuse them. In parables — Which will cover from their knowledge truths which will do them no good, but with which they will do harm. Because they seeing see not — Because that when the parable conceals the real meaning they see and hear the narrative, but perceive not the doctrine it embodies.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv14–15 14. Isa_6:9-10. The words form part of the mission…
14. Isa_6:9-10. The words form part of the mission of Isaiah.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv13–15 (13) Because they seeing see not.—As the words stand…
(13) Because they seeing see not.—As the words stand in St. Matthew, they might mean that our Lord adopted the method of parables as a condescension to their infirmities, feeding them, as babes in knowledge, with milk, and not with meat. In St. Mark and St. Luke the reason given assumes a penal character, “that seeing they might not see;” as though they were not only to be left in their ignorance, but to be plunged deeper in it. And this, it is obvious, is even here the true meaning, for only thus does this clause answer to the conclusion of the proverb of Mat_13:12, “From him shall be taken away even that which he hath.” In one aspect, then, the parable was a veil hiding the truth from them, because they did not seek the truth, and this was the working of the divine law of retribution. But even here we may venture to trace beneath the penalty an element of mercy. The parable could, at all events, do men no harm. It could not rouse the fierce enmity that had been kindled by truth spoken in its plainness. And it might prepare the way, might set men thinking and questioning, and if so, that was at least one step towards the “having,” though it were but a very little, which might place them among those to whom more shall be given.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv13–15 Therefore (dia touto). To carry out the principle of…
Therefore (dia touto). To carry out the principle of the whole preceding verse, but with special reference to the second half of it. Because, in this case, they "have not," therefore I speak to them thus. Speak I to them in parables because. In the parallel passages Christ says that he speaks in parables in order that seeing," etc.; but here, because seeing," etc. The difference of the thought, which is more formal than real, is that
(1) in the parallel passages their moral blindness and deafness are represented as the effect of what he says, parables being used to bring about the punishment for what was presumably earlier sloth (thus laying stress on the idea of "shall be taken away "in our ver. 12; cf. "that they which see not may be made blind," Joh_9:39; and Bishop Westcott"s note).
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(2) In Matthew their present moral blindness and deafness are represented as the reason for the use of parables. Parables are themselves the punishment; the people are fit for nothing else (thus laying stress on the "has not" of ver. 12); therefore Christ speaks to them in parables. They seeing see not (seeing they see not, Revised Version, keeping the order of the Greek, as even the Authorized Version in the next clause); and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. The participles "seeing," "hearing," in Matthew and Luke, probably do not represent the Hebrew infinitive in its common usage of giving intensity or continuance to the idea of the finite verb to which it is joined (so in the original passage of Isaiah, and perhaps in Mark; compare also "seeing" in the next verse), but are to be taken separately, i.e. " Though they have powers of seeing and of hearing, they nevertheless do not so use these powers as to see and hear". (for the thought, cf. Jer_5:21 Eze_12:2) Thus in meaning, though not in form, as compared with the next verse, seeing is equivalent to "seeing ye shall see;" they see not, to "and shall in no wise perceive;" hearing, to "hearing ye shall hear;" they hear not, to "and shall in no wise understand.
The responsibility of the hearer.
The "parable of the sower" might with equal appropriateness be called the "parable of the soil. " The point of it is not so much what the sower did, as what the soil did, and what the soil was. In each case good seed was scattered. In each case we are set thinking of the capacity of the soil, and of the manner in which it dealt with the seed. And this fact comes out forcibly to view: only when the soil was deep and soft and clean well ploughed, well harrowed, well weeded could even that good seed yield its thirty, sixty, or a hundredfold.
I THE CHARACTERISTICS OF OUR LOUD AS A TEACHER. Compare him with the rabbinical moralists of his time. It is sometimes inconsiderately said that our Lord"s moral teachings were not new. Of course they were not. How could they be? What new moral principles and duties can any teacher announce? New morals could not be true morals, for morals are the possession of humanity from man"s earliest relations with God and with his fellows. You will find in our Lord"s teachings some things new, some things old, and some things skilfully adapted to the needs of the day. Stalker says the teaching of Jesus "consisted of numerous sayings, every one of which contained the greatest possible amount of truth in the smallest possible compass, and was expressed in language so concise and pointed as to stick in the memory like an arrow." But observe that even Christ"s Divine teachings were a partial failure, when men were not "prepared to hear.
II THE RESPONSE MEN MADE TO OUR LORD"S TEACHINGS. It surprises us that all men did not receive him. But the fact is that our Lord shared the common experience of all teachers, and proved a direct blessing to only a few. Some of the people took offence at Christ"s teaching. He did not say what they had been accustomed to hear just as they had been accustomed to hear it. He did not come forth with the proper approval of the ecclesiastical officials. He often spoke too plainly. He came right home to them. He made them see sins which they had tried hard to cover over and hide. He read their hearts, and made them feel uncomfortable. Some found him too advanced a Teacher for them. Some were impulsive, and became disciples at once, but could stand no testing and strain. The moral and spiritual results of our Lord"s ministry depended on the moods of the people. The common people heard him gladly. The learned people questioned and criticized, and so gained no blessing. Jesus was to men as men were to him. All depended on the soil. R.T.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain On v13 Because seeing they see not; and hearing they hear…
Mat_13:13
Because seeing they see not; and hearing they hear not.
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Insensibility to the truth
Christ here touches upon a common fact of our human nature-spiritual insensibility-that state in which spiritual things pass before a man; and instead of being beautiful and blessed realities, they are meaningless to him. There is nothing strange or fanciful in this representation. We understand how a man may be face to face with anything, and yet not perceive it, through the appropriate faculty in him being beclouded or dormant. Men are coming into contact with nature, art, charity, and yet are insensible to them. Not that God decrees arbitrarily that a certain few shall be blessed with the power of vision and receptivity, and others deprived of it. It is not imposed upon men, but is the result of certain lines of conduct.
I. What are some of the steps by which this gross insensitive state is reached.
1. It is induced by all kinds of depravity. It is one of the penalties of wrong-doing that the moral nature is made unresponsive to spiritual things.
2. It grows on a man through the mastery of worldly pursuits-of business, home, social, and political life.
3. The habit of cherishing doubt is another circumstance which tends to weaken spiritual vision and understanding. Caution must not degenerate into procrastination.
II. Formal endorsement of the christian verities is one thing, living realization of them is another.
III. He who opened the understanding of his disciples is with us now to do the same for us. Lord, that I might receive my sight. (T. Hammond.)
Scientific insensibility
There is a huge boulder stone close by a mans cottage on the moor. He has been familiar with that stone from the early days of childhood. He has passed it a thousand times. He has climbed over it when a boy, and rested in the shadow of it when hot and tired with the toil of manhood. It was there in his fathers time before him. And yet he has never seen that stone. Ask him the composition of it. Ask him the geological history of it and he cannot tell. But a geologist passes that way, and at a glance he sees what the cottager has never caught a glimpse of. To him the stone tells stories of ages long anterior to Adam; he hears in imagination the wash of primaeval waters and the mighty crash of volcanic upheavals; to the one man the rock reveals no secrets; to the other it is a scroll written within and without. There is a man, cold, guileful as a serpent, who is full of an insatiable hoarding propensity. The one object of his life is to amass wealth. He will allow himself no luxury, no recreation, but toils and saves with hungry, greedy avarice unremittingly. His eye glitters like lightning, and his busy brain is for ever concocting plans for lucrative investment. The money-fever burns like a fire in his heart. The one ruling motto of his sordid life is get-get gold. Now such a man hears of a philanthropist, who has parcelled out his fortune for certain needy classes of the community. And the whole thing is an enigma, a puzzle to him. He cannot understand how any one can have any pleasure n giving away anything. It is more blessed to give than to receive, is a saying which he simply cannot and will not believe. And he calls the philanthropist a fool, an idiot, a madman. He has no vision for the duty and blessedness of generosity, His whole nature rises up in antagonism to it and he thrusts the idea of benevolence mockingly away from him. (T. Hammond.)
Worldliness causes insensibility
Their sympathy and force gradually get concentrated around one object in life: around trade, or art, or science, or legislation; and what lies outside of that they do not see, or hear, or understand. In this way the higher or heavenward side of mens natures is often stifled and dimmed. It is hindered from coming role play until, by and by, it becomes crystallized, fixed in its state of inaction and torpor. We are exceeding delicate and critical beings to keep in order. On the one hand, religiousness is apt to overshadow our lawful worldly activity-and that leads to asceticism, a morbid love of seclusion. On the other hand, our worldly activity is apt to overshadow and blight the religious side of our nature-and that leads to moral insensibility. It is exceedingly difficult to preserve a true balance. (T. Hammond.)
Sin causes moral insensibility
The evil thing in which you have indulged is not like a wave which lifts a ship for a moment, and then passes on leaving everything-as it was before. Far from that! It has entered as a poison into your spiritual nature-it has become an actual blighting force in your character. You are essentially a different man: the measure of your religions capacity is so much less than it was. Let any one yield to selfishness, to falsehood, to cynical ill-humour, to lust, and darker anti darker every day the chambers of the imp, or man become: feebler and feebler the energies for all heavenly belief and obedience; more and more earthly the tastes and inclinations; narrower and more circumscribed the horizon of life; deeper and more profound the loss of the soul. This is one of the most solemn aspects of sin. (T. Hammond.)
Intellectual conception not spiritual reglization
There are many whose creed is accurate enough, who subscribe intellectually to all the essentials of the Christian faith, but to whom, after all, they are no more than words-mere words. As a person may sit down before a piano, possessing a capital knowledge of the technicalities of music, and able to touch skilfully, and yet never enter into the spirit of the piece he is playing, so you may sit down before the Word of God, sweep your fingers over its glorious keys, and yet never bring forth one strain of its sweet Divine harmony. Ignorance and familiarity are two things, seemingly very unlike each other, and yet they are often yoked together. It is not uncommon to find a man who has filled up stores of information in his memory. History, science, biography, have been laboriously studied through fen; toilsome years. But his knowledge is not digested; it lies in his mind like pieces of rock ill water, undissolved. Ask him the date of a battle, and he will tell you. But ask him to expound, unfold in a living manner, any event of history, and be cannot. He is not a learned man-simply a stuffed one. What he carries, with him is nothing better than a collection of fossilized lore. And the gospel may be known in such a way that it does not vitalize and respire)-on. It may lie outside of you, be no more to you than light to a blind man or sweet sounds to a deaf man, or poetry to an unpoetic man. (T. Hammond.)
Hearing, they bear not
I. Why this ignorance and lack of apprehension?
1. Bias, prejudice. So the Jews, because our Lord did not come in the character they anticipated, rejected Him. Our faith, to be strong and healthy, must rest on conviction.
2. Inattention.
3. Love of the world. Mans mind is often preoccupied, and so, like the seed which fell amongst thorns, the word sown is choked.
4. Pride of heart. It is right for every man to sift Christian evidence, but he must do so with humility-there must be a teachable disposition.
II. Danger of continuing thus ignorant.
1. The longer we continue in sin, the more inveterate will become our habits of sin.
2. To resist light adds to our guilt. The privileges of a Christian land, a Christian home, and a Christian training, bring with them corresponding obligations (Luk_12:47-48).
3. Sometimes brings as its punishment judicial blindness and hardness of heart.
4. Neglected opportunities will aggravate future woe-Son, remember.
III. How may this ignorance be overcome?
1. By the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit. Tis He who knows the deep things of fled, and He alone who can teach them.
2. Labour to know the mind of God-Search the Scriptures.
3. Sanctify the Sabbath-not simply a day of physical rest, but of spiritual labour.
4. Do not stifle the voice of conscience.
5. Look up to Christ as your all in all. (Essex Remembrancer.)
Moral impotence no excuse for irreligion
I. that moral impotence is no excuse for irreligion. Examine the true character of their inability, and hence discover the equity of their condemnation. They were incompetent for the holy service of religion; they were in effect blind, deaf, insensible.
1. Their spiritual incompetency did not arise from the absence of sufficient information as to the nature and extent of their sacred obligations. The obligations of man are in proportion to the means he might possess for acquiring a knowledge of duty. The responsibilities of the Jews were great. In the gospel no plea is left for ignorance.
2. It could not be ascribed to any natural incapacity. They had eyes, though they saw not; not by the want, but abuse of these capacities. The Jews rejected Christ in spite of clear evidence.
3. The inability was moral. It was their own, in contempt of entreaty, from the bias of their own will.
4. The effective restoration is effected by moral influence. The true cause of mans inability to believe in Christ, is love of sin. How can the spirit wedded to the earth soar as on an eagles wing to heaven? This view of moral impotence does not do away with responsibility; is no excuse for irreligion; not a misfortune, but rebellion; a depraved nature no excuse. The day will come when all excuses for moral impotence will fail. (A. Tidman.)
The guilt and doom of impenitent hearers
The presages and symptoms of the approach of the tremendous judgment-the judgment of having the ministry of the gospel continued, not as the means of salvation, but as the occasion of more aggravated sin and punishment.
1. The abuse or neglect of the ministry of the gospel in time past.
2. Incorrigible obstinacy under chastisements.
3. Growing insensibility or hardness of heart.
4. Repeated violences to the motions of the Holy Spirit, and convictions of conscience, or obstinate sinning against knowledge.
5. The withdrawing of Divine influences.
6. And, as the consequence of all, a general decay of religion. (President Daries.)
The effects of Gods communications
Correspond to the willingness or wilfulness of men.
I. Divine truth elicits human dispositions.
II. Divine truths repelled because of dislike.
III. Divine truth cannot be rejected without injury. (M. Braithwaite.)
I. Christs parables-Roused inquiry: Rendered subjects familiar; Removed prejudice, Convinced of wickedness; Impressed subjects on the mind.
II. Their superiority over all others. Others were cold and dry-His were interesting. Others were trifling-His were important. Others founded on improbable and impossible subjects-Christs were founded on common scenes and familiar things. (Bishop Portens.)
Mat_13:13; Mat_13:17
But blessed are your eyes, for they see.
I. The two classes of persons here mentioned. Prophets-inspired men. Righteous men-saints. Every prophet was not a righteous man. To be a righteous man is more desirable than to be a prophet. Grace is a higher endowment than inspiration or genius.
II. These two classes of persons eagerly anticipated the Christian dispensation, Various dispensations-one religion, as one ocean. Every degree of experimental knowledge of the true religion awakens a desire for additional information. It satisfies, yet it stimulates. Moses, etc. The Divine revelation of the true religion has been progressive. The desires of the great and good are not always gratified according to their intensity. They must submit to the will of God.
III. Our privileges are far superior to those of these two classes of persons.
1. We should be grateful.
2. We should cherish a sense of responsibility.
3. We should strive to outstrip in attainment those whom we surpass in privilege. (Various.)
Divine illumination
I. To whom these words were addressed.
1. They were not addressed indiscriminately to the people.
2. They were addressed to His chosen disciples.
3. The same distinction must be observed when these words are applied to ourselves.
II. The spiritual import of these words when thus applied.
1. What the faithful disciples saw-the Lords Christ.
2. How it was the disciples saw those things in Him.
3. Unspeakably blessed are they who thus see. Are you in possession of these privileges? what do you know of them?
(1) Do you know that you are destitute of them?
(2) Do you humbly hope that light has visited your soul, but lament how dim it is? (F. Close. M. A.)
The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
B. W. Johnson 1891 · Public Domain On vv13–14 13. Because, seeing they see not. Do not see…
13. Because, seeing they see not. Do not see in the true light on account of their spiritual ignorance and depravity. The desire to see spiritually is essential to clear perceptions of truth.
B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv13, 15 Connecting Statement:
Connecting Statement:
Jesus continues to explain to his disciples why he teaches in parables.
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General Information:
In verse 14, Jesus quotes the prophet Isaiah to show that the people's failure to understand Jesus' teaching is a fulfillment of prophecy.
to them ... they
All occurrences of "them" and "they" refer to the people in the crowd.
Though they are seeing, they do not see; and though they are hearing, they do not hear, or understand.
Jesus uses this parallelism to tell and emphasize to the disciples that the crowd refuses to understand God's truth. (See: Parallelism)
Though they are seeing
Possible meanings are 1) this refers to them seeing what Jesus does. AT: "Though they see what I do" or 2) this refers to their ability to see. AT: "Though they are able to see"
they do not see
Here "see" represents understanding. AT: "they do not understand" (See: Metaphor)
though they are hearing
Possible meanings are 1) this refers to them hearing what Jesus teaches. AT: "Though they hear what I say" or 2) this refers to their ability to hear. AT: "Though they are able to hear"
they do not hear
Here "hear" represents listening well. AT: "they do not listen well" or "they do not pay attention" (See: Metaphor)
To them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, that which says
This can be stated in active form. AT: "They are fulfilling what God said long ago through the prophet Isaiah"
While hearing you will hear, but you will in no way understand; while seeing you will see, but you will in no way perceive
This begins a quote from the prophet Isaiah about the unbelieving people of Isaiah's day. Jesus uses this quote to describe the very crowd that was listening to him. These statements are again parallel and emphasize that the people refused to understand God's truth. (See: Parallelism)
While hearing you will hear, but you will in no way understand
"You will hear things, but you will not understand them." You can make explicit what the people will hear. AT: "You will hear what God says through the prophets, but you will not understand its true meaning" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
while seeing you will see, but you will in no way perceive
You can make explicit what the people will see. AT: "you will see what God does through the prophets, but you will not understand it" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
translationWords
parable
understand
prophet
Isaiah
fulfill
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv13–14 13:13 Jesus told parables, and those who believed understood…
13:13 Jesus told parables, and those who believed understood while those who had rejected Jesus found that his parables intensified their unbelief. • they don’t really see . . . listen or understand: They lacked the faith that perceives the truth (13:19, 23) and acts upon it (Mark 8:18; John 12:40; see also Jer 5:21).
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.