Help with Matt 13:10-16

[Eloy Craft]

The hearts of Jewish leaders were hardened to the truth of Jesus.
It can be said that Jesus hardened their hearts since it was His divinity they rejected. Who He is.
Just like Pharoes heart was hardened towards the divinity of the God of the Hebrews. Even after great miracles.

 

[Guojing]

> By the mid point of Jesus ministry, Israel leaders were not going to do so. So Jesus changed to speaking in parables starting there, to put the entire nation in ignorance.

I would say that Jesus changes His teaching style at this point to show us that its often better to go where we will be received and not waste time with people that are determined to destroy us. We've all met them: Atheists that derive a warped sense of pleasure if they feel they have diminished the effectiveness of the Word in that area. You might feel like you're making progress but eventually you realize its kind of fruitless. Our time is limited and valuable so we must choose who we try to reach as best we can. It doesn't mean we give up on those people of course. Just that we may not spend time with them now. We will monitor them and look for opportunities in the future.

Our commission is from the Apostle Paul, found in 2 Corinthians 5:11-21

 

[dqhall]

The following passage raises a few issues...

========================================================
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.’

16 But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; 17 for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.
========================================================

So, Jesus is saying that His message of Truth is purposely obscured so the lost who have become hard of heart will not be able to understand it.

So my first question is whether or not this is still the case.

Does this then explain resistance to the Gospel?

Does this mean that if we are not directed by God in our evangelism we can expend energy needlessly?

Does this suggest predestination?

Lastly this would seem to clash with...

2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Comments greatly appreciated...

The chief priests of the Sanhedrin were asking Jesus if he was the Messiah (the Christ). Some may have thought the Messiah might be a Davidic type leader anointed by God who would deliver Israel from Roman tyranny.

Mark 14:61 (KJV) But he stayed quiet, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?”

Jesus had been teaching parables. After he told them directly that he was the son of the most high, they sentenced him to death.

 

[ewq1938]

He is not blinding them

John 12:40 says God is blinding them.

 

[Yeshua HaDerekh]

John 12:40 says God is blinding them.

That is just a metaphor. They are not actually physically blind...it means they choose not to see him as Messiah...

 

[ewq1938]

That is just a metaphor. They are not actually physically blind...

Everyone already understands that.

it means they choose not to see him as Messiah...

And God places this "blindness" to ensure they cannot choose Christ.

 

[BrotherJJ]

The following passage raises a few issues...

========================================================
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.’

16 But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; 17 for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.
========================================================

So, Jesus is saying that His message of Truth is purposely obscured so the lost who have become hard of heart will not be able to understand it.

So my first question is whether or not this is still the case.

Does this then explain resistance to the Gospel?

Does this mean that if we are not directed by God in our evangelism we can expend energy needlessly?

Does this suggest predestination?

Lastly this would seem to clash with...

2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Comments greatly appreciated...

The change in ministry discourse from public to private (i.e. parables) begins after Matt 12:27. When Jewish leadership accuse Holy Spirit works as demonic. It was there the Jews lost (are temporarily blinded from) their 1st position.

The verses questioned in the OP are seen beginning in Matt 13:13:

The Holy Spirit works/miracles they see, won't register. The spiritual words Jesus speaks will be blinded/bypass their understanding. JJ

 

[Rachel20]

So my first question is whether or not this is still the case.

If it's the blindness Paul refers to in Rom 11:25 then it ends when the "fulness of the Gentiles" has come in. I don't believe it has yet, personally. But I believe it is near.

For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.

I sometimes wonder if it's a protective blindness, because although they can't turn and be healed, they also may not be charged with sin -

Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth. John 9:41

Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots. Luke 23:34

 

[Eloy Craft]

If it's the blindness Paul refers to in Rom 11:25 then it ends when the "fulness of the Gentiles" has come in. I don't believe it has yet, personally. But I believe it is near.

For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.

I sometimes wonder if it's a protective blindness, because although they can't turn and be healed, they also may not be charged with sin -

Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth. John 9:41

Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots. Luke 23:34

I think that's why Moses and Elijah could be seen in the light of Jesus' Transfiguration.
They are waiting in Paradise for the time to fulfill their purpose to be witnesses for Christ able to remove the scales that cover Jewish eyes.

 

[Carl Emerson]

If it's the blindness Paul refers to in Rom 11:25 then it ends when the "fulness of the Gentiles" has come in. I don't believe it has yet, personally. But I believe it is near.

For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.

I sometimes wonder if it's a protective blindness, because although they can't turn and be healed, they also may not be charged with sin -

Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth. John 9:41

Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots. Luke 23:34

Thanks for your thoughts.

I noticed in Israel many secret believers among the Jews and quite a few coming the Christ at considerable personal cost. The messianic movement is strong but vulnerable to Judaisation. So maybe the time of the Jews overlaps during the transition?

 

[John Mullally]

The following passage raises a few issues...

John 12 that you quoted is troubling because it shows that God allowed or caused spiritual blindness among most of the Jews of Jesus's day. That raises concerns when contrasting what Peter says in 2 Peter 3:9 and what Paul says in 1 Timothy 2:4-6 - as those verses show that God desires all to be saved.

I believe Paul addresses this dilemma in Romans 9-11.

I believe that the "god of this world" in 2 Corinthians 4:4 is satan; otherwise there would be no need of throwing in "of this world". Jesus called satan the "prince of this world" or "ruler of this world" in John 12:31, John 14:30, and John 16:11. Philippians 3:19 identifies some with: "whose God is their belly".

 

[Eloy Craft]

About spiritual/psychological blindness.

Isn't it odd that there was not even one disciple at the tomb keeping watch waiting for the three days to pass?
If something happens that is really unimaginable you can be told it's going to happen and think it's true but really not believe .... how can one believe something unimaginable?

 

[Carl Emerson]

About spiritual/psychological blindness.

Isn't it odd that there was not even one disciple at the tomb keeping watch waiting for the three days to pass?
If something happens that is really unimaginable you can be told it's going to happen and think it's true but really not believe .... how can one believe something unimaginable?

Wouldn't they be immediately arrested as followers of Jesus by the Roman guards if they tried?

 

[Eloy Craft]

Wouldn't they be immediately arrested as followers of Jesus by the Roman guards if they tried?

Good point. It points to another odd thing because even that reminder of what Jesus said would happen caused no one among the followers to expect that it would.

 

[Eloy Craft]

So when the Son Of Man returned He found no faith on earth. Or did He?

 

[Semper-Fi]

James 1:18 (KJV)
Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth,
that we should be a kind of [firstfruits of his creatures].


This would imply there would be more than the first harvest.
There is a small spring, and a large fall harvest, shown in His Holy Days.

 

[Semper-Fi]

So when the Son Of Man [returned] He found no faith on earth. Or did He?

I did not know Christ [returned yet] to take oven Davids Throne.

 

[Carl Emerson]

Were they not directly sustained by the faith of Jesus and then later by the indwelling Spirit as promised.

I have always thought that finding faith on the earth was at the time of the second coming rather than the resurrection but hey I could be corrected...

 

[Guojing]

About spiritual/psychological blindness.

Isn't it odd that there was not even one disciple at the tomb keeping watch waiting for the three days to pass?
If something happens that is really unimaginable you can be told it's going to happen and think it's true but really not believe .... how can one believe something unimaginable?

No one then expected Jesus to have to die and to resurrect on the 3rd day.

 

[Eloy Craft]

No one then expected Jesus to have to die and to resurrect on the 3rd day.

True that. Even though He said it several times.