“And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?”
11 He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. 13 Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says:
‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand,
And seeing you will see and not perceive;
15 For the hearts of this people have grown dull.
Their ears are hard of hearing,
And their eyes they have closed,
Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears,
Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn,
So that I should heal them.’”
Matthew 13:10-15 NKJV
For the hearts of this people have grown dull. – The main reason of the rejection of the gospel is the calloused condition of one’s heart. It has become an easy excuse for some to blame their disillusionment of the Christian faith on others who fail to execute the Christian life as they perceive it to be. Mammon-prosperity teachers, the Charismatic movement and liberal/Woke Christianity have done a great deal of damage to the cause of Christ. However, it is interesting how people who do the most abominable things behind closed doors project their leaven (Luke 12:1) on those who strive to live according to God’s Word. Such was the case in Jesus’ time and believers are not exempt from this kind of treatment even now where we are warned it will only get worse.
“Seek the Lord while He may be found,
Call upon Him while He is near.
7 Let the wicked forsake his way,
And the unrighteous man his thoughts;
Let him return to the Lord,
And He will have mercy on him;
And to our God,
For He will abundantly pardon.”
Isaiah 55:6-7 NKJV
Related read: Façade
Amen.