Matthew 13:10-16 - Blind Sight
- Alan Salwei
- Aug 4
- 4 min read
Your ability to understand scripture is a gift. Be sure to ask for it often!
Matthew 13:3–23 (NIV)
This week we'll be working our way through various verses in this passage.
3 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. 9 Whoever has ears, let them hear.”
10 The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?”
11 He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. 12 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. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables:
“Though seeing, they do not see;
though hearing, they do not hear or understand.
14 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:
“ ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
15 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.’
16 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. 17 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.
18 “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19 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. 20 The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 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. 22 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. 23 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.”
Canons of Dordt
Point 4 - Irresistible Grace
Article 9: Human Responsibility for Rejecting the Gospel
The fact that many who are called through the ministry of the gospel
do not come and are not brought to conversion
must not be blamed on
the gospel,
nor on Christ, who is offered through the gospel,
nor on God,
who calls them through the gospel
and even bestows various gifts on them,
but on the people themselves who are called.
Some in self-assurance
do not even entertain the Word of life;
others do entertain it but do not take it to heart, and for that reason,
after the fleeting joy of a temporary faith,
they relapse;
others choke the seed of the Word
with the thorns of life’s cares
and with the pleasures of the world and bring forth no fruits.
This our Savior teaches in the parable of the sower (Matt. 13).
Summary
This week we see that the Canons of Dort directly references the parable of the Sower from Matthew 13. Tuesday through Friday this week we are going to look more closely at the types of soil mentioned in this parable. Today we are first raising a question that the disciples themselves had. Why did Jesus speak to them in parables?
Jesus explains his use of parables to the disciples in this way, because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Jesus goes on to restate his use of parables by combining several Old Testament passages: though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.
Dig Deeper
People sometimes refer to parables as earthly stories with a heavenly meaning. Parables use examples common to everyday life to explain matters of a spiritual nature. But Jesus’ explanation of why he speaks in parables helps to clarify that we need more to interpret parables than just a solid set of critical thinking skills.
The ability to understand Jesus’ message in the parables is a gift from God. The disciples did not come to understand the parables because they were great thinkers. They came to understand the parables because God wanted them to, even to the point of Jesus explaining the meaning of many of his parables to them in private.
Many people would see and hear the teachings of Jesus without understanding. The ability to understand Jesus’ message did not come down to some ability in the individual, but as a gift of God given to those whom He chooses.
Recognize God’s direct role in leading his people to understand Jesus’ parables and ultimately all of scripture, and remain faithful in prayer and open to the guidance of the Spirit. Before you open your Bible, take time to pray for God’s presence through the Holy Spirit to guide your understanding of scripture and its application to your walk of faith.
ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who will heal those who see with their eyes, hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts;
ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that God will help you see, hear, and understand the words you read from scripture each day;
ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:
Read the New Testament in a year! Today: 1 Corinthians 3
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