Those to whom God makes those 'hidden' truths known
through revelation, because they themselves have
prepared their hearts to receive truth:
13 Therefore speak I to them in parables:
because they seeing see not;
and hearing they hear not,
neither do they understand.
14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias,
which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand;
and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
15 For this peoples heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing,
and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes,
and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart,
and should be converted, and I should heal them.
16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.
17 For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men
have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them;
and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.
18 Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.
19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom,
and understandeth it not,
then cometh the wicked one,
and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart.
This is he which received seed by the way side.
That one
understood it not.
The wayside, or footpath, is
very hard ground
that's been travelled over and over and over.
(our group has ALWAYS believed this way,
or traditions of men as Jesus spoke of etc,
unwillingness to receive, hearts that have
waxed gross, eyes closed, ears plugged
to the seed)
Then there's the rocky dirt
And then the thorny, weedy choking soil.
Then
the good ground;
it's known as he that
hears the word
understands
bears fruit
brings forth...
23 But he that received seed into the good ground is:
- he that heareth the word,
- and understandeth it;
- which also beareth fruit,
- and bringeth forth,
- some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.