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JESUS AND HIS PARABLES (II)
SATURDAY, MAY 31
Mark 4:1-25

1 Corinthians 2:9-14

 

“…He that hath ears to hear,

let him hear.”

 

JESUS AND HIS PARABLES (II)
 
Jesus spoke to the people in parables not only to reveal but also to conceal truths. To true believers of Christ, the parables were given for their edification. The Holy Spirit will help them to understand. These “mysteries” are truths hidden in the past but now revealed in Christ (Matt 13:35). Such spiritual truths are spiritually discerned by Spirit-indwelt men; the Spirit teaching them by “comparing spiritual things with spiritual” (1 Cor 2:13-14). It is said that Jesus conducted private tutorials for His disciples and “expounded all things” to them (Mark 4:34). Those in the Old Testament did not enjoy this privilege of personally sitting at the Master’s feet and having the mysteries of God explained. The Old Testament prophets and saints had desired to see how all the promises of the Old Testament concerning Christ and His kingdom were going to be fulfilled, but were not able to. The New Testament apostles and saints, on the other hand, had been given that privilege because Christ had indeed come, and was systematically revealing in His life and teachings what the Old Testament had promised and predicted.
 
To unbelievers and false believers, the parables were given for their destruction. The reprobate who stubbornly reject Christ and His Word are punitively dealt with by God. In the Old Testament, God hardened Pharaoh’s heart when Pharaoh kept on hardening his heart against Jehovah and His Word. The Pharisees, scribes, and their followers likewise had been rejecting wilfully and repeatedly the Lord Jesus and His Word, and even attributed to Satan all the good that Jesus had done. So God in judgment blinded them to the truth (Matt 13:14-15; cf. Isa 6:9-10).
 
Why were they thus dealt with by God? The Apostle Paul gave the reason in Romans 1:21 to 22. Such judicial blinding and hardening occur when the unpardonable sin of blasphemy against the Spirit is committed (cf. Rom 1:18-32; Heb 6:4-8).
 
THOUGHT: Sinful men cannot know God unless He reveals Himself to them.

PRAYER: Father, help me to understand Thy Word.

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