The disciples went up to Jesus and asked, «Why do you speak to them in parables?». Jesus answered, «To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but not to these people. For the one who has, will be given more and he will have in abundance. But the one who does not have will be deprived of even what he has. That is why I speak to them in parables, because they look and do not see; they hear, but they do not listen or understand. In them the words of the prophet Isaiah are fulfilled: ‘Much as you hear, you do not understand; much as you see, you do not perceive’. For the heart of this people has grown dull. Their ears hardly hear and their eyes dare not see. If they were to see with their eyes, hear with their ears and understand with their heart, they would turn back and I would heal them.
»But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears, because they hear. For I tell you that many prophets and upright people would have longed to see the things you see, but they did not, and to hear the things you hear, but they did not hear it».
Source: http://evangeli.net/gospel/
Analysis
Today's passage is interesting that it actually differs with the Indonesian version, but since this passage is longer, I will refer to this passage. This passage tells of why Jesus generally speaks in parables, and His reasoning is quite odd at first glance. The passage opens with the disciples asking Jesus why He speaks in parables to the people, but not to them. Jesus answers by saying that the disciples already knew the truth of the kingdom, but the people did not, and thus those who have shall be give more, and those who have not shall be deprived of even more. Jesus continues by saying that the Jews look but do not see, hear but do not understand, and it is in the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy. Then Jesus commends the disciples by saying they are blessed for having open eyes and ears, and that many prophets and righteous people long for it, but they do not receive.
Of course, the disciples don't need to be told in parables, as they already understand the truth of the kingdom. In fact, since they already have an understanding, they get more privileges, yet the people who does not, only gets more confusion with parables. Why is it so? I don't see this as Jesus seriously withholding information from the Jews, but He is merely describing how it is. If you already have a head start and a basic understanding, you would understand even more and it's easier to do so. However if you don't, you won't go anywhere and perhaps you'll be even more lost and farther from the truth. What of the looking but not seeing, hearing but not understanding part?
That part describes the mentality and ignorance of the Jews towards the truth. While it is addressed to the Jews at that time, it can be applied to the modern era and the current times as well. Signs of the truth is everywhere, people see it and they hear it as well, yet they do not perceive nor understand it, and they ignore the glaring signs. As such, since these peoples have no understanding in the truth, they will become more lost, their hearts become more dull, eyes become less daring to see, and ears harder to hear. And if this keeps on, I assure you, the suffering of the judgement day will be soon to come. That is all I have to say, have a nice day and see you tomorrow.
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